The JustSpace Alliance is a coalition of people who believe that outer space presents an opportunity to reimagine existing systems and structures through the lens of equity and justice. 

Mission Statement

The mission of the JustSpace Alliance is to advocate for a more inclusive and ethical future in space and to harness visions of tomorrow for a more just and equitable world today.

Vision Statement

Our vision is a future where human relationships with space, and the actions that flow from those relationships, are built collaboratively and collectively. We envision a world where the promise and possibility of space activities are distributed equitably. We see a future where space activities prioritize mutual thriving for human as well as non-human life and environments, whether in space or on Earth, and where all communities have meaningful agency in humanity’s activities in space.

Values 

We recognize that the vast majority of space-related activity takes place on planet Earth, where it affects the day-to-day lives of people across the globe in both positive and negative ways, and in ways that have links to space that are both clear and understood, as well as murky and obscured. 

We recognize space-related activities as part of Earth-based labor, and look to worker-centered labor movements, both past and present, to continually better labor conditions for space workers into the future. 

We reject the notion that space exploration requires the violence that has often accompanied it. Just because the history of space exploration has been enmeshed with the development of weapons of mass destruction and the surveillance state does not mean that this was necessary. 

We acknowledge that today’s dominant framings of space exploration are enmeshed with colonial histories and ongoing colonial practices by peoples of the Global North. This legacy of epistemicide limits whose visions are currently represented in professionalized space exploration.

We reject practices of extraction and exploitation of space that degrade the space environment. We draw attention to and proactively learn from examples of activities on Earth (e.g. mining) that have directly applicable lessons for both the lands and the people involved, whether those be on Earth or in space. We advocate that those lessons be seen with clear eyes, and that their consequences and repercussions be atoned for and repaired rather than repeated, both on Earth and beyond. 

We advocate for meaningful changes to how space exploration is envisioned and accomplished. 

We look to the flow of power and distribution of resources as indicators of whether a particular action will produce meaningful change, and eschew superficial efforts to make space “inclusive” (e.g. by relying on “representation” through the identities of space workers). 

We embrace well-considered thought that takes distant future generations of human and non-human life into account, and reject haste. We look to repair and transform systems through deliberative, collaborative action, even if the timescales necessary are incompatible with near-term economic and political plans for space. 

We recognize that part of exploring space in an equitable way may also be that certain activities cannot or should not happen, on any timescale, and are willing to to take no for an answer if that is what space justice asks of us. 

Tactics

As a coalition, we aim to identify points of unity with others allied in these beliefs, and we embrace a diversity of tactics in pressing for a more just and equitable future in space. 

Most issues facing space activities have their roots in some aspect of life on Earth. We prioritize leadership by existing groups representing the communities directly affected by a given issue, and find ways to amplify and add power to the work that is already begun. Whenever possible and welcome, we proactively seek to engage with communities who have been historically excluded from holding power in space activities, and center their needs and desires.

We aim to create tools and provide education and resources that will help people understand how space exploration intersects with the issues that affect their lives. In creating tools and resources, we aim to meet the disparate and expansive audience of people who care about and/or are affected by space activities wherever they are in their learning journey. 

Last but not least, we aim to build a community that, in turn, will conspire to work towards a cosmos free of exploitation and oppression. We facilitate connection and collaboration between people approaching the issues from different locations, backgrounds, and areas of expertise.