Mining beyond earth for sustainable development: Will humanity benefit from resource extraction in outer space?

Abstract

The concept of sustainable development has been at the forefront of conversations around humankind's shared future for several decades. With expansion into outer space likely to be a prominent feature of that future, it is important to consider how our actions in outer space may impact sustainable development. Definitions of sustainable development share the idea that we must work to preserve our environment, lift people from poverty, and reduce economic and social inequalities, all while looking to ensure inter-generational equality. With many resources becoming increasingly scarce on Earth, providing resources for future generations may mean looking to extraterrestrial bodies such as asteroids, the Moon and Mars to top up our dwindling supplies. There are numerous studies exploring the technical and economic considerations necessary to make resource extraction in outer space a reality; however it is important to also consider the social, socio-economic, and environmental impacts of such an undertaking. This paper discusses whether mining resources from celestial bodies is compatible with the international goal of achieving sustainable development. Mining in space has not yet begun in earnest, providing us with the unique opportunity to establish sustainable mining practices before any resource extraction takes place. As such, we make suggestions for a sustainable off-Earth mining framework, emphasising space mining practices that are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable.