Greening Earth Through Outer Space : Promises and Contestations

Jones, Craig (2026) Greening Earth Through Outer Space : Promises and Contestations. In: Contested Imaginaries of Future Technologies : Geographical Perspectives. Palgrave McMillan, Cham, pp. 221-241. ISBN 9783032114969

Abstract

Over the course of the twentieth century, Outer Space has become increasingly bound up in a variegated array of social, political, cultural, and technological imaginaries. This has become even more pronounced during the twenty-first century as a multitude of private actors have joined space missions and are providing services to different space agencies and nations. This increasing private involvement and the ongoing shift from State-run missions to private provision has been dubbed the NewSpace Economy (NSE). These private actors are now involved in launch capabilities, satellite provision, rocket production, and much more. Amongst these contemporary developments, some companies have been created with the intent to mine asteroids. Whilst regarded by some as a scramble for masses of mineral resources, advocates within the NSE often tie the sociotechnical imaginaries of this endeavour to a green imperative. However, questions remain regarding who such operations will serve and how the imaginaries of Outer Space are (re)imagined around this speculative technology. This chapter begins by discussing some of the context of the NSE, followed by an exploration of how private actors are framing this industry and some of the implications of this. Finally, the chapter turns to consider how some groups are excluded from the future-making discussion.