Sustainable Space Tourism or Pigs in Space -is space tourism sustainable?

Since the first communication signals of Sputnik as it orbited our earth. Humanity's insatiable appetite for knowledge and space exploration has impacted negatively on the environment of the earths orbital atmosphere. Most of us with our feet firmly planted on the ground may find it incredible that to date it is estimated that there are more than 21000 man made objects measuring more than 4 inches in earths orbit with millions of other objects measuring a centimetre or less. These man made objects benignly described as space debris can range from spent booster stages, nuts, batteries, nuclear waste to derilect satellites... all moving faster than 20 times the speed of sound, reaching speeds of up to 18000 miles per hour just to remain in orbit. The management or lack of management of waste extends to the more distasteful issue of human waste matter which in some instances is lauchned into the vastness of space.

Environmental concerns aside the existence of space debris is a hazard that increases the risks inherent with space travel. Companies such as Virgin Galactic who are in the forefront in the race to commercialise space flight and colonise space such hazards are being either ignored or muted in favour of economic or financial expedience.  The risks of these hazards however are so acute that the U.S. Space Surveillance Network  an arm of the U.S. Department of Defense daily tracks all space debris larger than 10 centimetres.

The National Aeronautical Space Agency (NASA) has taken the lead in adopting a more sustainable approach to space flight in the earth's orbit by developing mitigation standards aimed at reducing orbital debris. Similar plans have been developed by other countries such as Japan and instituitions such as the European Space Agency (ESA). Although commendable these efforts fall short of a clean up of the earth's orbital space whose costs may prove prohibitive with the hope of  incentives such as government subsidises to spur entrepreneurial activity in this sector but a pipe dream in an age of government cut backs and financial austerity.  Despite the enormous challenge of removing space debris a joint venture between two Japanese firms are engaged in the development of a spaced debris removal systems.

In the race to commercialise space and colonise future planets we must aim not to repeat humanity's failure to incorporate sustainability principles in our 20th century technological development. The choices are clear our species homo spaiens which in latin means "wise men" must aim for sustainable space tourism or forever live as pigs in space.

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