Global Participation in the “Space Frontier”

Abstract “Global Participation in the ‘Space Frontier’ ” connects spaceflight’s geopolitical past to its present. According to international agreements between the space-faring nations of the world, the bodies of the Solar System are the province of all humanity, and are made off-limits to imperialist annexation. Because of this, it might be thought that extraterrestrial space exploration and exploitation must be undertaken only for the benefit of all nations. Unfortunately, those charged with interpreting these agreements often do so in ways that generally discourage equitable distribution of space resources, and instead promote neo-imperialistic attitudes toward developing and settling space. Given the grand technotopian rhetoric emerging from the space industrialists, such as Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and Elon Musk, and from science fiction soap operas like Star Trek—where we are told all humanity will share in the final frontier—it can also be seen as a betrayal of the humanitarian ideals of spaceflight.