Icarus’ Second Chance The Basis and Perspectives of Space Ethics
2011: fifty years separate us from the flight of Yuri Gagarin. Fifty years of extraordinary successes, with the kind of apotheosis represented by the first man on the moon; fifty years also of bitter failures, even tragic when they involved the deaths of
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Studies in Space Policy Volume 6
Edited by the European Space Policy Institute Director: Kai-Uwe Schrogl
Editorial Advisory Board: Herbert Allgeier Frank Asbeck Alvaro Azcarraga Frances Brown Alain Gaubert Leen Hordijk Peter Jankowitsch Ulrike Landfester Andre Lebeau Alfredo Roma
Jacques Arnould
Icarus Second Chance The Basis and Perspectives of Space Ethics
SpringerWienNewYork
Dr. Jacques Arnould Centre National dEtudes Spatiales, Paris, France This work contains an extended and revised translation from the French language original “La Seconde Chance dIcare” by Jacques Arnould, published 2001 by Les Éditions du Cerf, additionally including translated material from the work “La pollution spatiale sous surveillance”, published 2007 by Edition Ellipses. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically those of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, broadcasting, reproduction by photocopying machines or similar means, and storage in data banks. Product Liability: The publisher can give no guarantee for all the information contained in this book. This does also refer to information about drug dosage and application thereof. In every individual case the respective user must check its accuracy by consulting other pharmaceutical literature. The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Ó 2011 Springer-Verlag/Wien Printed in Germany SpringerWienNewYork is a part of Springer Science þ Business Media springer.at Typesetting: Thomson Press (India) Ltd., Chennai Printing: Strauss GmbH, 69509 M€orlenbach, Germany Cover: Stefan Seip – astromeeting.de. Printed on acid-free and chlorine-free bleached paper SPIN: 80035158 With 8 Figures Library of Congress Control Number: 2011931322 ISSN 1866-5307 ISBN 978-3-7091-0711-9
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Preface Whatever part we have played in the incredible programmes and organisations that have enabled space to be explored and conquered, all of us must have wondered at some point about the ethics of our work and our commitment, asking ourselves whether or not it would prove to be of benefit to mankind or would lead to progress for humanity. Late July 1969, three of us circled the Moon on board the Columbia command module. Then, Neil Armstrong and I received the go ahead to land the Eagle lunar module on the Moons surface. Our minds were completely focused on the many tasks to be performed and on the success of our dangerous descent: there wasnt time to spare for asking too many questions about the ethical nature of our mission! Having landed, I very quickly weighed up the impact of our Moon landing on the future of mankind. Neil summed it up in his own way by uttering the famous words that will always be associated with this adventure. I personally chose to mark the occasion in silence, before openi
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