Description
Contemporary space exploration is increasingly driven by a ‘survival imperative’, with technocrats like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos advocating for outer-space colonization as a solution to Earth’s escalating crises—climate change, resource depletion, and global instability. Musk envisions a Martian colony as humanity's ‘second chance,’ while Bezos proposes using cosmic resources to sustain Earth. These narratives, however, prioritize elite interests, perpetuating inequalities and environmental exploitation.
This paper employs a decolonial framework to critique these exclusionary practices. Drawing on scholars such as Sylvia Wynter’s decolonization of knowledge and the critique of Western humanism, Audra Mitchell’s ethics of planetary sustainability and Kathryn Yusoff’s geosocial formations and Anthropocene, this paper argues that space exploration narratives mirror colonialist rhetoric, suggesting salvation for a privileged few while sidelining the majority.
By integrating diverse perspectives and prioritizing collective well-being, this paper advocates for a reimagined space exploration paradigm that fosters genuine international cooperation and environmental stewardship. It challenges the colonial legacies embedded in current space initiatives and promotes an equitable framework that benefits all humanity, not just the elite. This decolonial approach redefines space exploration as a site for inclusive dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, moving beyond elitist and colonialist ideologies.
