Space For All: From Goal to Reality

by Adriano V. Autino

Back from Paris, we needed a couple of weeks to recap what we have witnessed, what we have experienced and which role the Space Renaissance International (SRI) has played at the International Astronautical Congress, the 73rd. Of course our work is far from completion, especially thinking about what we want to do in the coming years, with SRI having been formally recognized as an official member of the IAF. In this role, we participated for the first time in the IAF General Assembly, where were able to really get a feel for operations with the IAF (the biggest international space organization in the world!).

Of their yearly balance of about €3 million, nearly the entirely is spent on the main congress and other events and conferences. Over the last few years, addressing geography, generation, and gender equities (3G), the International Astronautical Federation established itself as the youngest and most diverse space organization in the world. Over the same period, the IAF President Pascale Ehrenfreund, has pushed her excellent Global Innovation Agenda which “has brought emerging countries to our space family through conferences, expanded work with partner organizations, and created innovative systems for sharing information among members”[1].In his first newsletter[2] the incumbent President, Clay Mowry, communicated the IAF agenda for next 3 years: “Sustainability, Investment and Security”. According to Mowry, “the IAF should seek to influence conversations around the sustainability of the space environment. Securing orbits, spacecraft, frequencies, and physical resources is critical to the future viability of space exploration.” And: “The coming three years will see a shift towards the commercial development of low Earth orbit and major push to field systems in lunar orbits and on the surface of the Moon. We must be prepared to tackle the challenges of growing investment in the space sector head-on. Security refers to the freedom to operate safely in the space domain. Without it, investors and nation states can hardly be expected to pour the continued resources and attention required to secure humanity’s future beyond Earth.”

An agenda oriented to civilian space development? We may say yes, moderately. We want to encourage and further develop this orientation, and we’ll do our best to move IAF more on the side of human expansion into the Geo-Lunar space and the Solar System.

As we said in all of our presentations at IAC 73, “Space for All” is an excellent motto, yet today it is still not yet a reality. We have to work for the realization of that goal, that all Earthers wishing to emigrate into outer space can do it safely, as soon as possible. Such a goal is in perfect continuity with the fully inclusive spirit of IAF! Prominent among the concepts we presented in various symposia and discussions in Paris is that of a modern Eutopia[3] for our time: a fully sustainable inclusive society, one which allows for the healthy and continued growth of 8 billion people. Such an idea cannot be realized within the boundaries of our closed world;  but it could be realized through expansion into our celestial frontier.

Remaining closed within the limits of Planet Earth, we could maybe learn to live without paper. Our human culture on  Earth and beyond is rapidly transitioning from the tangible to the intangible – from paper to electronic support. As this process evolves, the consumption of electricity will likely increase as we decrease paper consumption. Electrical mobility is another big factor that concurs with this thread: all this to say that consumption of electricity is more likely going to increase over the coming decades, despite the supporters of degrowth keep on selling fairy tales (or gloomy threats) about a decrease of energy consumption. Progressively moving our industrial activities in the geo-lunar space is the sole solution to the closed system problem which limits consumption and production of electricity to Earth surface. It must thus be sought after both for the sake of culture (and this is a theme of particular interest for ITACCUS, the IAF Committee for the Cultural Use of Space, which includes many SRI members) and for the sake of our civilization. SRI has recently developed an international law Committee that is seeking practically how to realize the rules under the UN treaty regime that allow people at all levels of civil society to take part in and benefit from the use and exploration of space, as well as to pursue our social, educational, economic and cultural objectives – even beyond Earth.

Civilization may be able to survive without paper, but we will need more electricity, not less. And producing the needed amount on Earth surface is very critical, even before analyzing sustainability, considering the technical, geopolitical, financial conditions of our narrow, closed world. Space is different, space is open, and very large: the sun energy flows virtually unlimited, and can be harvested 365/365, 24/24, with 100% power yield.

In a more general view, the global consumption of Earth resources, starting from agricultural land to the overload of all the recycling systems, is the big problem. The “Earth overshoot day” is coming earlier each year. Each year, we are consuming the resources of 2 planets Earth, and that is the real challenge of sustainability. Civilization cannot afford to halve its consumption, halt growth and de facto initiating a global de-growth process. Space is the solution, space is urgent. More precisely, civilian space development is urgent: we shall expand, using space resources to build space infrastructures and industrial settlements, if we really aim to save both civilization and the planet Earth’s (humanized) environment.

So, what do we expect from IAF? And what will SRI work for, as a IAF member?

SRI definitely aims to continue maturing into a political role.

In Paris, we have seen that IAF is connected to the political world. Representatives of the French Government were speaking at plenary sessions, there were UN/IAF workshops, there were international meetings for Ministers and Members of Parliaments.

Will those politicians take into account the space themes, while doing their political work? Will they promote the aggressive space policies needed to overcome the challenges which humankind is facing?

People may think that “space for all” is mainly a financial issue. That’s not true. It is mainly a scientific challenge: protection of life in space from cosmic radiation, to start experimenting simulated gravity, selecting plants and vegetables to assure a green environment in space habitats, sustaining the development of fully reusable low cost passengers & cargo space transportation systems, recovering and reusing orbital debris, and producing fuel in space. All of these research strains have a dramatic need for higher priority and systematic effort.

In order for the political world to start moving towards the above agenda we need more popular support. We believe the IAF could be a suitable and useful launch vehicle for that.

IAF shall start appearing on TV, talking to the people, becoming a public opinion leader.

Civilization needs that. Humankind needs that.

Following the excellent work done so far, we believe IAF should make another evolutionary step: becoming a kind of international political dealer. A big union, on the side of the whole humankind, 8 billion people, and their descendants. Maybe also participating to elections in spacefaring Countries.

On the side of inclusivity, IAF should also work internally. Several participants to IAC 73 noted the profoundly unfair rule that constrains space artists, NGOs and individual space activists to pay the same very expensive congress registration fee paid by big corporations! Going more public, maybe IAF could also find other channels for fundraising (e.g. publicity and sponsorship from non space sectors), allowing more people to join, from all Countries of Planet Earth!

Adriano V. Autino, SRI Founder and former President (2008 – 2021)

14 October 2022

 

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NOTES:

[1] From the first newsletter of the new IAF President Clay Mowry.

[2] https://www.iafastro.org/news/iaf-president-clay-mowrys-agenda-2022-2025.html

[3] From Greek: eutopia = a beautiful place that can be built

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Adriano Autino

Posted by Adriano