Cost-benefit analysis of space exploration: Some ethical considerations
Abstract
Humanity faces many important decisions about space exploration. A major but controversial decision-making paradigm is cost-benefit analysis (CBA). This paper discusses some ethical considerations in CBA that are important to decision making about space exploration, including how we define costs and benefits; space exploration's non-market value; the standing of future humans and of extraterrestrials; and the role of discounting in evaluating long-term space exploration projects.
- Publication:
-
Space Policy
- Pub Date:
- 2009
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2009SpPol..25...75B