This week we are covering the paper Moon Bases as Initial “Space Society” Trials: Utilizing Astrosociology to Make Space Settlements Livable
As we move away from simple orbital space missions and to missions that leave the earth's orbit, the importance of accounting of the crew's mental and emotional well being increases. We are already having difficulty addressing this need with the International Space Station. But, with a space colony, where people are living for years at a time, emotional and mental well being supersedes even the engineering around said space colony. We need to focus on how a social structure will develop on a place far, far removed from the historic social structures humanity have had.
Because of the isolated, long term nature of a space habitation effort, our previous methods regarding social interactions in space are ineffective. Any group who chooses to colonizes outside of this solar system, even outside Earth's planetary system, will not have the support of Earth in the event of a disaster. The people who you come with are the people who will be the factor that decides between life and death. Because of this, we must “evaluate the [social] issues involved with deep space settlement long before we have the technical means to reach such a location or construct a physical environment capable of operating without input from controllers on the Earth”.
Thus, the need for a new field; the need for Astrosociology, emerges. Astrosociology has a two-fold purpose. It studies the affect of becoming a spacefaring species on human society and the effect of being in space on the social interaction. In order for space habitation to occur successfully, the fields of Engineering and Sociology need to work together. Astrosociology acts as the bridge between the two fields. Engineers can not be the only professionals in the space movement. Yes, the technical aspects are important, but the human aspects of space programs must be considered, even prioritized.
The difference between Earth's society and any future space society demand research; demand consideration. A society is a group that exists to carry out the major functions of life, everything that we do socially is done to help our communities eat, sleep, excrete and reproduce; that is the point of our social function. That will be the point of sending more then one person to Mars. Since the obstacles to carry out those major functions of life are different in space then on Earth, the society that develops in will be much different.
Yes, a space society will develop on it's own, without planning. But, without planning, chaos is ensured. The wild west is the lesson that proves that we need a social plan for any space settlement. Crime and violence on a space colony, especially in it's early development, would be catastrophic.
A critical event will occur when the space settlement is first set up. Culture is handed down from generation to generation within that area. The first generation will not have the lessons of the past to stand on in space. The first space settlers will bring their own cultures to space. Assuming space settlement is a international project, all of Earth's cultures will mix in space. The mixing may cause conflict. Luckily, we have years of sociological research to avoid such conflict.
[Last updated: April 26, 2009]
