Interplanetary Institutionalization: Should Humans Become Space Faring?

Edgell, R., Olney, J. (2021). Interplanetary institutionalization: Should humans become space faring? Academia Letters, Article 531.

10 Pages Posted: 14 May 2021

See all articles by Robert Edgell

Robert Edgell

SUNY Polytechnic Institute; University of St. Gallen; Columbia University - Columbia Business School

Jeffrey Olney

Oregon Health and Science University

Date Written: May 11, 2021

Abstract

Humans stand poised to transcend economic, social, and ecological challenges arising from earthbound limitations by becoming an interplanetary species. The ethical commercialization of the solar system regions beyond Earth’s orbit offers a potential means for sustainably continuing population expansion, economic growth, and human well-being. Certain scholars propose that the benefits outweigh the risks and costs while others posit that the existential dangers are not worth the likely yet unknowable and unintended consequences of humans settling outer space. Nonetheless there is consensus that difficult institutional reassembling and high investment change must occur if humans are to become space faring. Our research asks should humans become space faring? Through our multidisciplinary literature survey, we gain insight about five advancing logics and other constraining forces.

Keywords: Commercialization, economic systems, entrepreneurship, institutional theory, new space, outer space policy

Suggested Citation

Edgell, Robert and Olney, Jeffrey, Interplanetary Institutionalization: Should Humans Become Space Faring? (May 11, 2021). Edgell, R., Olney, J. (2021). Interplanetary institutionalization: Should humans become space faring? Academia Letters, Article 531., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3844106

Robert Edgell (Contact Author)

SUNY Polytechnic Institute ( email )

100 Seymour Road
Utica, NY NY 13502
United States

University of St. Gallen

Varnbuelstr. 14
Saint Gallen, St. Gallen CH-9000
Switzerland

Columbia University - Columbia Business School

3022 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
United States

Jeffrey Olney

Oregon Health and Science University ( email )

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