Developing a Space Ethic Respectful of Indigenous Cultures

Policy Brief No. 211

October 8, 2025

Ethical problems may emerge from conflicting values and priorities in space. A space ethic that outlines how to resolve these problems is critical and remains to be fully developed. Greater consultation is needed to address value conflicts advocating sociocultural preservation and outer space economic development. Indigenous sovereignty should be considered in creating an international legal order for space. A regulatory framework for space activities must involve states and peoples, including those without space access, respecting their right to self-determination. A legal system must govern space occupation and mining before claims are made. As more actors enter space, reaching agreements will become more difficult. A system to recognize and adjudicate claims is necessary, and Indigenous frameworks that govern how to use land without owning land may potentially serve as a model for the shared international use of outer space.

About the Authors

Matthew Silk is an instructor of philosophy at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University.

Madeleine Redfern is a CIGI distinguished fellow, and an Indigenous woman involved in high tech and innovation.