Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Space Colonization
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
Colonizing Mars Space race
The video thumbnail image shows an astronaut in space.
Richard Branson Dennis Tito Shuttleworth, Mark Olsen, Gregory Anousheh Ansari Soyuz Charles Simonyi, Gennady Padalka, and Michael Barratt
Read Next
Space race (1957-1969) infographic between United States (U.S.) and Russia. America, Soviet Union, U.S.S.R., space exploration
Timeline of the Space Race, 1957–69
July, 2006, Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery STS-121. See attached for full caption information.
Will Light-Speed Space Travel Ever Be Possible?
New space race infographic between China, India, and Japan. Asian space race, space exploration
The New Space Race
The Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39A on July 1 1997 to begin the 16-day STS-94 Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1) mission.
12 Questions About the History of Space Exploration Answered
US Skylab space station in orbit. After the Apollo missions, the next major NASA venture was the Skylab manned earth satellite program. The orbiting laboratory was launched on May 14, 1973, and during the year three separate crewsof three men were sent up
Pro and Con: Space Colonization
Discover
Portrait of a mountain gorilla at a short distance. gorilla close up portrait.The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)
Falling Stars: 10 of the Most Famous Endangered Species
Amendments 1-10 to the Constitution of the United States constitute what is known as the Bill of Rights on an American flag.
What Is the Emoluments Clause?
Poker game. Card game. Royal Flush in poker. Hearts suit gambling
Poker Hands Ranked
Happy, smiling, flying pig
7 Everyday English Idioms and Where They Come From
Aurochs. Bos primigenius. Skeleton. Extinct animal. Skeleton of an Aurochs, an extinct wild ox.
6 Animals We Ate Into Extinction
Berries and leaves of the bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) plant. Poisonous plant
7 of the World’s Deadliest Plants
Figure 13: A Maxim machine gun, belt-fed and water-cooled, operated by German infantrymen, World War I.
7 Deadliest Weapons in History

1-minute Survey

in Space Colonization
print Print
Please select which sections you would like to print:
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of ProCon
ProCon's editors write and verify new content and update existing content. ProCon presents the pro and con arguments to debatable issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, freely accessible way.
The Editors of ProCon
Last Updated: • Article History

After reading this debate, take our quick survey to see how this information affected your opinion of this topic. We appreciate your feedback.

Discussion Questions

  1. Should humans colonize space? Why or why not?
  2. If humans were to colonize space, where should we start: Mars, Earth’s Moon, or another celestial body? And what form should the colonization take: residences, industrialization, or another purpose? Explain your answer(s).
  3. If humans were to colonize space, how could life on Earth change? And would these changes be good or bad? Explain your answer(s).

Take Action

  1. Analyze Christopher Schaberg’s position that “We’re Already Colonizing Mars.”
  2. Consider the language used to talk about humans living in space with Bill Nye.
  3. Explore George Dvorsky’s position that “Humans Will Never Colonize Mars.”
  4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the “other side of the issue” now helps you better argue your position.
  5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing U.S. senators and representatives.

Sources

  1. Ross Andersen, “Exodus: Elon Musk Argues That We Must Put a Million People on Mars if We Are to Ensure That Humanity Has a Future” (September 30, 2014), aeon.com
  2. Anne Collins Goodyear, “Space Travel Was a Dream for Artists Long before Armstrong Stepped on Moon” (July 15, 2019), business-standard.com
  3. Authors Calendar, “Savien Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655)” (accessed July 23, 2021), authorscalendar.info
  4. Mike Wright, “Article on Von Braun and Walt Disney” (August 3, 2017), nasa.gov
  5. Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Yuri Gagarin” (March 23, 2021), eb.com
  6. NASA, “July 20, 1969: One Giant Leap for Mankind” (July 20, 2019), nasa.gov
  7. NASA, “60 Moments in NASA History” (accessed July 26, 2021) nasa.gov
  8. NASA, “The Birth of NASA” (March 28, 2008), nasa.gov
  9. Rahul Rao, “India’s Human Spaceflight Plans Coming Together Despite Delays” (June 17, 2021), space.com
  10. Daniel Oberhaus, “The US Hitches Its Final Ride to Space From Russia—for Now” (April 8, 2020), wired.com,
  11. Mark Memmott, “Last Space Shuttle Lands, Ending 30-Year Era” (July 21, 2011), npr.org
  12. Laurel Wamsley, “Bezos vs. Branson: The Billionaire Space Race Lifts Off” (July 11, 2021), npr.org
  13. NASA, “NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 Astronauts Headed to International Space Station” (April 23, 2021), nasa.gov
  14. Devin Coldewey, “Virgin Galactic and Richard Branson Celebrate Launch of First Passengers into Space” (July 11, 2021), techcrunch.com
  15. Jonathan Amos, “Sir Richard Branson Takes off on ’Extraordinary’ Space Flight” (July 11, 2021), bbc.com
  16. Marcia Dunn, “Jeff Bezos Blasts into Space on Own Rocket: ‘Best Day Ever!,’” (July 21, 2021), apnews.com
  17. NASA, “Who Was Alan Shepard?” (August 7, 2017), nasa.gov
  18. Paul Rincon, “Christina Koch: NASA Astronaut Sets New Female Space Record” (February 6, 2020), bbc.com
  19. NASA, “International Space Station Facts and Figures” (May 13, 2021), nasa.gov
  20. Pew Research Center, “Majority of Americans Believe It Is Essential That the U.S. Remain a Global Leader in Space” (June 6, 2018), pewresearch.org
  21. Brian Patrick Green, “Self-Preservation Should Be Humankind’s First Ethical Priority and Therefore Rapid Space Settlement Is Necessary” (June 2019), sciencedirect.com
  22. Gonzalo Munevar, “An Obligation to Colonize Outer Space” (June 2019), sciencedirect.com
  23. Kelly C. Smith and Keith Abney, “The Great Colonization Debate” (April 2019), researchgate.net
  24. Fred Kennedy, “To Colonize Space or Not to Colonize: That Is the Question (For All of Us)” (December 18, 2019), forbes.com
  25. Matthias Döpfner, “Jeff Bezos Reveals What It’s Like to Build an Empire — and Why He’s Willing to Spend $1 Billion a Year to Fund the Most Important Mission of His Life” (April 28, 2018), businessinsider.com
  26. Robert Matthews, “When Will Earth Become Uninhabitable?” (accessed July 27, 2021), sciencefocus.com
  27. Joe Mascaro, “To Save Earth, Go to Mars” (May 11, 2016), aeon.com
  28. George Dvorsky, “Humans Will Never Colonize Mars” (July 30, 2019), gizmodo.com,
  29. Matt Williams, “The Future of Space Colonization -- Terraforming or Space Habitats?” (March 10, 2017), phys.org
  30. NASA Mars Exploration Program, “Mars Terraforming Not Possible Using Present-Day Technology” (July 30, 2018), mars.nasa.gov
  31. April Glaser, “Elon Musk Will Need One Million Mars Colonists to Get the Ticket Price down to $200,000” (September 27, 2016), vox.com
  32. Dave Mosher, “NASA Says It Needs a $1.6 Billion ’Down Payment’ from Congress to Send Astronauts Back to the Moon within 5 years” (May 14, 2019), businessinsider.com
  33. Sarah Fecht, “Stephen Hawking Says We Have 100 Years to Colonize a New Planet-- Or Die. Could We Do It?” (May 4, 2017), popsci.com
  34. Eric Niiler, “Are Moon Colonies Possible — or the Fantasy of Billionaires?” (July 30, 2018), onezero.com
  35. Shannon Hall, “The Moon Is a Hazardous Place to Live” (July 8, 2019), nytimes.com
  36. James Doubek, “NASA Wants to Return to the Moon by 2024, but the Spacesuits Won’t Be Ready” (August 21, 2021), npr.org
  37. Catherine Shoard, “Film Studio in Space Planned for 2024” (January 20, 2022), theguardian.com
  38. Jackie Wattles, “A SpaceX Tourism Mission Just Arrived at the ISS. Here’s Everything You Need to Know” (April 9, 2022), cnn.com
  39. Associated Press, “The 1st Private Astronaut Mission to International Space Station Is Back on Earth” (April 25, 2022), npr.org
  40. Jasmine Wright, “Harris Congratulates NASA Astronaut Who Spent Record 355 Days in Space” (April 26, 2022), cnn.com
  41. Mary Kekatos and Gina Sunseri, “Russian Cosmonaut Becomes 1st Person to Spend 1,000 Cumulative Days in Space” (June 5, 2024), abcnews.go.com
  42. Taylor Orth, “More Now Think NASA Will Get People to Mars by Its 2040 Goal than Thought So Last Year” (April 26, 2023), today.yougov.com
  43. Patrick Chase, “Trump, Musk Aim for Mars While Reshaping U.S. Space Policy. Will Congress Comply?” (December 1, 2024), medium.com
  44. Lynsey Chutel, “A Half-Tin Piece of Space Junk Falls onto a Village in Kenya” (January 2, 2025), nytimes
  45. Alex Galbraith, “‘Just Amazing’: NASA Launches Europa Clipper to Explore Possibily Habitable World Off Jupiter” (October 14, 2024), salon.com
  46. Blue Origin, “Blue Origin Announces Crew For New Shepard’s 31st Mission” (February 27, 2025), blueorigin.com
  47. Manuela López Restrepo, “Katy Perry and Gayle King Are Heading to Space as Part of an All-Female Blue Origin Crew” (February 27, 2025), npr.org,
  48. NBC News, “Live Updates: Blue Origin Completes Space Trip Featuring All-Female Crew” (April 14, 2025), nbcnews.com
  49. Tony Quine, “Glavkosmos to Sell Seats on Soyuz Missions” (January 28, 2021), spacenews.com
  50. Francesca Street, “First Space Tourist Dennis Tito: ‘It Was the Greatest Moment of My Life’” (July 20, 2021), cnn.com
  51. Jackie Wattles, “NASA, SpaceX Launch Astronauts From U.S. Soil for the First Time in a Decade” (May 30, 2020), cnn.com
  52. Space Adventures, “Blog: The 20th Anniversary of Private Spaceflight” (April 23, 2021), spaceadventures.com
  53. Space Adventures, “Astronaut Advisory Board” (accessed April 23, 2025), spaceadventures.com
  54. Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, “Mark Shuttleworth” (September 13, 2024), britannica.com
  55. SpaceX, “Starships Are Meant to Fly” (September 10, 2024), spacex.com
  56. Elizabeth Howell, “Blue Origin: Everything You Need to Know About the Private Spaceflight Company” (November 21, 2023), space.com
  57. Concordia, “Sir. Richard Branson” (September 22, 2015), concordia.com
  58. Josh Dinner, “Who Is Virgin Galactic and What Do They Do?” (May 30, 2023), space.com
  59. Virgin Galactic, “Watch Live: Galactic 01 Spaceflight” (June 29, 2023), youtube.com
  60. Michael Sheetz, “Virgin Galactic Completes First Commercial Flight in Major Step for Space Tourism Company” (June 29, 2023), cnbc.com
  61. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, “Gregory Olsen” (April 16, 2025), britannica.com
  62. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, “Anousheh Ansari” (September 7, 2024), britannica.com
  63. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, “Charles Simonyi” (October 1, 2024), britannica.com
  64. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, “Richard Garriott” (June 30, 2024), britannica.com
  65. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, “Guy Laliberté” (Aug 29, 2024), britannica.com
  66. David Kravets, “Wannabe Space Tourist Wants $21 Million Back Over Scuttled Mission” (September 24, 2008), wired.com
  67. Deana L. Weibel, “Following the Path That Heroes Carved into History: Space Tourism, Heritage, and Faith in the Future” (January 2, 2020), Religions, mdpi.com
  68. Steven Bertoni, “Why Cirque Du Soleil Billionaire Guy Laliberte Traveled To Space” (July 9, 2011), forbes.com
  69. Doug Adler, “Why Did NASA Retire the Space Shuttle?” (May 18, 2023), astronomy.com
  70. Kenneth Chang, “NASA Hitches a Ride on a Russian Craft, and Begins a New Dependent Phase” (November 12, 2011), nytimes.com
  71. NBC News, “Russia: No More Space Tourists After 2009” (January 21, 2009), nbcnews.com
  72. Marcia Dunn, “Tech Billionaire Pulls Off First Private Spacewalk High Above Earth” (September 12, 2024), apnews.com
  73. Kenneth Chang, “To Get on This SpaceX Flight, You Don’t Have to Be Rich, Just Lucky” (February 1, 2021), nytimes.com
  74. Eric Berger, “SpaceX Announces First “Free Flyer” Human Spaceflight” (February 1, 2021)
  75. Amy Thompson, “SpaceX Launches Four Civilians into Orbit on Historic Inspiration4 Flight” (September 16, 2021), space.com
  76. Julia Musto, “Inspiration4 Leader Places First-Ever Sports Bet from Space” (September 17, 2021), foxbusiness.com
  77. The Connor Group, “Dayton Entrepreneur First to Reach Space, Ocean Depths in a Year” (accessed April 30, 2025), connorgroup.com
  78. Axiom Space, “Axiom Mission 3” (accessed April 30, 2025), axiomspace.com
  79. Space Adventures, “ Space Adventures’ Clients, Yusaku Maezawa and Yozo Hirano, Return From the ISS” (December 20, 2021), spaceadventures.com
  80. NASA, “Station Visitors” (accessed May 1, 2025), nasa.gov
  81. Kenneth Chang, “First Private Craft Docks With Space Station” (May 25, 2012), nytimes.com
  82. William Harwood, “Russian Actress and Director Return to Earth After a Movie Shoot in Space” (October 17, 2021), cbsnews.com
  83. Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, “Space Shuttle” (April 18, 2025), britannica.com