Policy Brief No. 211 — October 2025
Developing a Space Ethic Respectful of Indigenous Cultures Matthew S. W. Silk and Madeleine Redfern
Key Points → Ethical problems may emerge from conflicting values and priorities in space. A space ethic that outlines how to resolve these problems is critical and remains to be fully developed. → Greater consultation is needed to address value conflicts advocating sociocultural preservation and outer space economic development. Indigenous sovereignty should be considered in creating an international legal order for space. A regulatory framework for space activities must involve states and peoples, including those without space access, respecting their right to self-determination. → A legal system must govern space occupation and mining before claims are made. As more actors enter space, reaching agreements will become more difficult. A system to recognize and adjudicate claims is necessary, and Indigenous frameworks that govern how to use land without owning land may potentially serve as a model for the shared international use of outer space.
Introduction Ethical considerations regarding the exploration of outer space will reflect competing and conflicting values among stakeholders and the pursuit of resolution to these value conflicts. A central ethical problem for space exploration is determining who has the right to decide what is permissible in space when there are conflicting interests. This policy brief will begin by considering the perspectives of Indigenous peoples and then outline a space ethic incorporating these insights. The aim of this brief is to provide a preliminary framework for understanding and predicting conflicting values. Developing a comprehensive space ethic to resolve these conflicts will be the task of a more extended paper.