Human Uses of Outer Space (eBook)

This book takes a unique interdisciplinary approach to the planned return of humans to the Moon. With the Artemis Project, the US and its partners have planned an ambitious project with the creation of the Lunar Gateway, to be followed by the landing of the first woman and next man on the Moon. This book explains that the Artemis project then forms the basis of planned sustained human missions to Mars. Russia and China have also announced their intentions to establish a permanent base on the Moon and have commenced the deployment of modules which will form part of this project. This book states that whilst there has been a permanent human presence in Low Earth Orbit since 2000, with the continued crew rotation on the International Space Station, perhaps the most successful international collaboration of modern times, the establishment of a base on the Moon will generate new challenges for human survival and success.

The continued human presence on the space station has provided an incredible opportunity to observe and study the effect of being in space upon the human body and the human psyche. In addition, this book explores that it has provided the scope and context for a vast range of scientific experiments. Now that it has become likely that more humans will need to live and work in space for sustained periods of time, it is essential that we consider matters beyond the engineering questions of how we go to space to the broader questions of how we will live there? What will we need? What will the effects of sustained living in space be for us, emotionally, cognitively, physically and how do we need to consider the impact we will have on the environment to which we are travelling. 

This book is unique in that, not only does it bring together a diverse yet complementary set of expertise, but it also consciously brings those different experts together in jointly authored chapters, mirroring the way we will have to work together as teams of diverse experts in space. It creates interwoven chapters co-written by various teams of psychologists, lawyers, engineers, regulators, policy experts, architects and cultural studies experts. This book will enable the fielding and addressing of the difficult questions that need to be considered before space habitation may be a successful and sustained mode of existence.

This book fills a gap in the area of space studies which tends to focus on narrow, discipline specific issues. It provides a thought-provoking launchpad for further work in this area and above all, stresses the needs of the human in a hostile environment. 

Professor Melissa de Zwart, Professor (Digital Technology, Security & Governance) College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders University. 

Professor de Zwart is a thought-leader in the application of law to cutting edge technology, with an extensive international profile in the fields of internet law and the regulation of access to and uses of outer space. Her work addresses key issues of the domestic and international laws applicable to civil, commercial and military uses of outer space. She previously served as Dean of the Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide (2017-2021), and Chair of the Council of Australian Law Deans. She is currently the Deputy Chair of the Space Industry Association of Australia, Deputy Director and CI for the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space and a Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy (Reserve). 

Dr Stacey Henderson, Senior Lecturer, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders University. 

Dr Henderson's research focuses on the protective capacity of law, including international law generally, responsibility of States and governance of outer space and space technology. Her current research focuses on the international community's responsibility to protect (R2P) populations from atrocity crimes and on space law, particularly commercial space activities and sustained human presence in space. She is a member of the International Institute of Space Law, Council Member and Secretary of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law, and a Director of the Space Law Council of Australia and New Zealand. 

Associate Professor John Culton, Director, Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources, School of Civil, Environmental, and Mining Engineering, The University of Adelaide. 

Associate Professor Culton has extensive international experience within defence policy, security cooperation, space, and intelligence sectors, as a senior diplomat and US Department of Defense leader. Most recently, John has been focused on the role of technology, policy, and law in the coming commercial development of the Earth-Moon system. 

Professor Deborah Turnbull, Professor, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide 

Professor Turnbull holds the Chair in Psychology at The University of Adelaide. She is an active Health and Clinical Psychology researcher and teacher and combines these activities with administration roles. She sits on the Management Committee of the Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing and serves on the Council of Kathleen Lumley College. She is an invited member of the College of Reviewers, Canadian Institutes of Health Research. She is also a member of the MBBS Admissions Working Group of the Faculty of Health and Medical Science. She teaches across all levels of psychology and is active in supervision of students enrolled in higher degrees by research. She is the Academic Lead for Internationalisation in the School of Psychology and in this role manages the partnership with Universitas Brawijawa and Udayana University. 

Dr Amit Srivastava, Associate Dean ISP and Director CAMEA, School of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide.  

Dr Srivastava is an architectural researcher based at the University of Adelaide. As a member of the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources (ATCSR) he works closely with the Lunar Construction Group (LCG) and the Deep Space Habitation Group (DSHG) to bring together both the technical and psycho-social considerations in the design of human habitation in space. His current research focuses on the use of regolith-based building materials and swarm robotics for a lunar architecture. His previous work on modern architecture has been globally recognised through international exhibitions and publications that have been translated into 8 languages worldwide. His latest book, The Elements of Modern Architecture: Understanding Contemporary Buildings (Thames & Hudson, 2020) uses analytical diagrams to explain fundamental principles of good design, which continue to inform his research in Space Architecture. 

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This book takes a unique interdisciplinary approach to the planned return of humans to the Moon. With the Artemis Project, the US and its partners have planned an ambitious project with the creation of the Lunar Gateway, to be followed by the landing of the first woman and next man on the Moon. This book explains that the Artemis project then forms the basis of planned sustained human missions to Mars. Russia and China have also announced their intentions to establish a permanent base on the Moon and have commenced the deployment of modules which will form part of this project. This book states that whilst there has been a permanent human presence in Low Earth Orbit since 2000, with the continued crew rotation on the International Space Station, perhaps the most successful international collaboration of modern times, the establishment of a base on the Moon will generate new challenges for human survival and success.The continued human presence on the space station has provided an incredible opportunity to observe and study the effect of being in space upon the human body and the human psyche. In addition, this book explores that it has provided the scope and context for a vast range of scientific experiments. Now that it has become likely that more humans will need to live and work in space for sustained periods of time, it is essential that we consider matters beyond the engineering questions of how we go to space to the broader questions of how we will live there? What will we need? What will the effects of sustained living in space be for us, emotionally, cognitively, physically and how do we need to consider the impact we will have on the environment to which we are travelling. This book is unique in that, not only does it bring together a diverse yet complementary set of expertise, but it also consciously brings those different experts together in jointly authored chapters, mirroring the way we will have to work together as teams of diverse experts in space. It creates interwoven chapters co-written by various teams of psychologists, lawyers, engineers, regulators, policy experts, architects and cultural studies experts. This book will enable the fielding and addressing of the difficult questions that need to be considered before space habitation may be a successful and sustained mode of existence.This book fills a gap in the area of space studies which tends to focus on narrow, discipline specific issues. It provides a thought-provoking launchpad for further work in this area and above all, stresses the needs of the human in a hostile environment.