Nineteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

This paper examines property rights over extraterrestrial resources in the context of space sustainability. The aim is to point out deficiencies in Outer Space Treaty which explicitly limits only property rights of states and is thus in danger of becoming outdated, as private companies and individuals soon have access to space technology required for appropriating extraterrestrial resources. In this sense, celestial bodies can be interpreted as state of nature (i.e., outside a social contract), which may result in unsustainable practices and undesirable space future for humanity. Lacking adequate international agreements, the problem is more philosophical than juridical, and hence the paper operates within the field of political philosophy and space ethics. It relies on standard philosophical methods and argumentation, but especially analogy arguments and analysis since the current problem shares many relevant similarities with the history of colonialism. Utilizing Lockean property theory is particularly fruitful because the current situation with relatively unregulated outer space resembles the kind of frontier thinking and settler ethos of John Locke’s time and the philosophical heritage of his thinking. The result is that Lockean property theory can shed light on the current problem and give conceptual tools for more grounded discussion on appropriating celestial bodies, especially for discovering potential dangers and ethical pitfalls. The current situation is unsustainable because it leaves unclear the limits of private actors, potentially leading to deepening the gap between the rich and the poor and going against ideals of outer space exploration and research as humanity’s shared endeavour.