Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-31-2021
Publication Title
Futures
Volume
133
First page number:
1
Last page number:
11
Abstract
Future human space missions to Mars and beyond may be realized for different research, economic, political or survival reasons. Since space remains a hazardous environment for humans, space exploration and exploitation requires the development and deployment of effective countermeasures. In this paper, we discuss prospects for human enhancement by gene editing, synthetic biology, or implants, for the purposes of future space missions. We argue that there are good reasons to consider such options, and that ethical arguments can be made in favor of human enhancement to enable long-term space exploration.
Keywords
Bioethics; CRISPR; Gene editing; Human enhancement; Space missions; Space settlement; Synthetic biology
Disciplines
Bioethics and Medical Ethics
File Format
File Size
541 KB
Language
English
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Repository Citation
Szocik, K.,
Shelhamer, M.,
Braddock, M.,
Cucinotta, F. A.,
Impey, C.,
Worden, P.,
Peters, T.,
Ćirković, M. M.,
Smith, K. C.,
Tachibana, K.,
Reiss, M. J.,
Norman, Z.,
Gouw, A. M.,
Munévar, G.
(2021).
Future Space Missions and Human Enhancement: Medical and Ethical Challenges.
Futures, 133
1-11.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102819