Artemis II has Americans thinking about settling space. But what does society look like on the moon?

Caption

Before going to sleep on flight Day 5, the Artemis II crew snapped one more photo of the moon, as it drew close in the window of the Orion spacecraft. In early 2028, Artemis IV could see humans return to the lunar surface.

Credit: NASA

After last week’s Artemis II launch, Americans are once again thinking about exploring and settling in space.

Thomas Gonzalez-Roberts is an assistant professor of aerospace engineering and international affairs at Georgia Tech. He teaches "Space Sustainability,” which he says is the first class of its kind in the nation.

In its first year, the course focused on managing limited resources, including radio frequencies or operational space in low earth orbit.

Now, students are studying what might happen when settlers from different nations put down roots on the moon’s surface.

"There has been precedent in the expansion of sovereign claims on the surface of the earth for just as long as those activities have happened," he said. "But there simply is no precedent for doing so on a foreign celestial body."

The United Nations' Outer Space Treaty, which the United States signed in 1967, dictates that space should be "free for exploration."

"Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall be free for exploration and use by all States without discrimination of any kind, on a basis of equality and in accordance with international law, and there shall be free access to all areas of celestial bodies," the treaty reads.

But what happens if NASA or another organization wants to keep a certain area of study clear from interference for scientific study?

"I think from a pretty understandable vantage point, safety zones look a heck of a lot like a claim of national appropriation," Gonzalez-Roberts said. "What do you mean I can't go over wherever I want to go in outer space?"

Ultimately, policy and norms could be established by the "first movers."

"What you say you're gonna do and what you actually do, which are not always the same thing, in outer space or anywhere," he said.

Still, Gonzalez-Roberts said it’s important to have these policy conversations now, as nations gear up for the next space race.