StrictlyVC Download Working in orbit: what happens when space goes blue-collar?
Jan 20, 2026
Mary Jane Rubenstein, a professor at Wesleyan University and author of "Worlds Without End," dives into the ethics of space exploration. She critiques current space industry priorities that mirror Earth’s worst values, like militarization and resource extraction. Rubenstein emphasizes the importance of imagining alternative worlds through science fiction, warns against treating space workers as disposable, and advocates for international cooperation to address orbital debris. Lastly, she explores how religious narratives shape our approach to space, offering a nuanced view of its potential.
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Imagining Worlds To Improve This One
- Imagining other worlds helps us change this world by testing different values and social arrangements.
- Mary-Jane Rubenstein says speculative fiction reveals alternatives we can apply here to make life more livable.
Three Science-Fiction Playbooks Shape Space
- Science fiction splits into conquest, dystopian warning, and alternative-society strands that shape space priorities.
- Rubenstein observes Silicon Valley often follows the conquest strand, pushing expansionist goals into space.
Law Lets Companies Claim Lunar Resources
- U.S. law lets companies keep what they extract from the moon, creating a contested interpretation of the Outer Space Treaty.
- Rubenstein warns this unilateral move prompted objections and the Artemis Accords as a partial response.
