Mission Possible: How Space Exploration Can Deliver Sustainable Development
By: Mark Burnett
Tags: Science, Technology, Space, Sustainable Development, Innovation

Photo by Josh Gordon on Unsplash

The space industry can make a valuable contribution to clean, durable and inclusive growth. We need a bold vision to align these agendas.

The fiftieth anniversary of humanity reaching the Moon comes at an inflection point for space exploration. We are poised to launch bold new programs that will take us to Mars and beyond. We will return to the Moon to build on what the first generation of lunar explorers achieved.

Here on Earth, we face mounting challenges of population growth, natural resource depletion and environment degradation. The world needs solutions for development that will put us on a more sustainable trajectory.

At this juncture, we have a golden opportunity to align our space exploration and sustainable development ambitions.

Sustainable Purpose

In 2015, countries came together in the United Nations to agree the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over the coming decade, the SDGs will guide our efforts to end extreme poverty, hunger and improve human wellbeing.

Graphic: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, 2015

The massive public and private investment in space research and exploration has huge potential to link with the SDGs. This would provide a meaningful purpose for space activities that would amplify value creation.

How can we make this happen?

Space Spillovers

Spillovers are the knowledge, expertise and technology from one sector that can benefit the wider economy. A report by London Economics found the potential for spillovers is particularly high where new knowledge, goods and services are being generated through investments in research and development. Few industries are more highly R&D intensive than the space industry.

The large networks, multi-disciplinary teams, and long timespans for space sector R&D is conducive to long-term knowledge accumulation that could advance the SDGs. For example, the extended effort to develop satellite services and collect space data could deliver benefits for Life Below Water (SDG 14) with capability to monitor marine protected areas. Satellites and space data could enable enforcement of rainforest protection, important to Climate Action and Life on Land (SDGs 13 and 15).

Circular Economy

Natural resource depletion and waste management are major challenges for humanity. The growing plastic pollution crisis is one example with important ramifications for human health and environmental sustainability.

Since the Apollo Program of the 1960s, the space sector has developed many solutions for recycling and materials re-use. R&D in this area will increase with the push to explore distant planets and establish human colonies on the Moon. Water recycling, renewable energy and intensive farming solutions for space could contribute to a circular economy on Earth.

Ripple Effects

London Economics estimated that the ripple effects, or the private benefit of space sector R&D to innovators, are valued at around three to four times in impact for each unit of public investment. This value creation will be particularly important over the coming decades, as commercial stakeholders will take a larger role in space exploration.

Companies that leverage space technology for applications to sustainable development on Earth will have a meaningful purpose that will fuel profits.

Linking Space Programs to Sustainable Growth

There are great examples of how public investment in space exploration can be planned to deliver the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The European Space Agency (ESA) is using space technology to:

Provide antiviral drugs to Ebola patients in Africa

Monitor forest degradation and deforestation

Improve livestock farming in the Tropics

Increase water quality monitoring

Map global air pollution

Provide banking services in remote areas

A complete overview of ESA programs related to the SDGs can be found here.

Space Enabled

Danielle Wood leads the Space Enabled research group at the MIT Media Lab, which works to tear down the barriers that limit the benefits of space exploration to only the few, the rich or the elite. Wood’s TED Talk identifies six technologies developed for space exploration that can contribute to sustainable development. She reminds us of the aspiration contained in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty:

“The exploration and use of outer space should be carried on for the benefit of all peoples irrespective of the degree of their economic or scientific development.”

Mission Possible

Fifty years ago, humanity made one giant leap with the lunar landing. What seemed impossible when John F. Kennedy announced the Moon Mission became a reality in less than a decade.

The world has committed to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Space technology and investment has the potential to make a valuable contribution to clean, durable and inclusive growth. We need a bold vision to align these agendas.