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Space Resource Utilization: A View from an Emerging Space Faring Nation pp 41–80Cite as

Analysis of the Views of Both Established and Emerging Space Nations Regarding the Topic and Also Regarding the New US CSLCA of 2015

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Part of the book series: Studies in Space Policy ((STUDSPACE,volume 12))

Abstract

As an alternative to terrestrial mining, asteroid mining could entail a change in the quality of life on Earth. In this point, it has been assumed that mining the outer space would lead to a reduction of terrestrial mining of some rare-Earth materials such as platinum. First of all, the most noticeable primary effects, caused to miners’ occupational health and safety on Earth, are the severe respiratory dysfunction caused by the inhalation of platinum salts, the risk of respiratory and kidney cancer for the mining of nickel and cardiovascular disease associated with the use of mercury for processing metals during the mining. On the other side, asteroid miners would be exposed to unknown chemical mixtures, possible microbiological organisms and a harmful dose of radiation. In addition, contamination of space objects or samples obtained in space could potentially lead to the spread of unknown diseases on Earth to which humans lack immunity to, as previously witnessed during historic land exploration. Thus, the human factor must be taken into account in the legislation for asteroid mining.

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  1. European Space Policy Institute, Vienna, Austria

    Annette Froehlich

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    Annette Froehlich

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Froehlich, A. (2018). Analysis of the Views of Both Established and Emerging Space Nations Regarding the Topic and Also Regarding the New US CSLCA of 2015. In: Froehlich, A. (eds) Space Resource Utilization: A View from an Emerging Space Faring Nation . Studies in Space Policy, vol 12. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66969-4_5

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