Space Exploration - An Update for Earthlings

What’s really happening in the world of space exploration? Should we be worried about the impacts of mining and human settlements on the Moon? Should the Moon be recognised as a legal entity? Will we soon be living on Mars? What impact will any of this have on humans and life on Earth? What obligations do human beings have, to care for and protect our cosmic neighbours? Who's making these decisions, and should more people have a say over the governance of space exploration?

Join us for our 2024 webinar series: "Space Exploration: An Update for Earthlings". These webinars will bring together space engineers, space archaeologists, space lawyers and governance experts, to provide updates about humanity’s plans for the Moon and Mars, and what the potential costs and impacts will be for Earth and beyond.

These events are being hosted by the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA), in order to make information about space exploration and its potential impacts, more publicly accessible. The webinars are being hosted from 17-22 July 2024, in conjunction with celebrations for 'Moon Day' on 20 July. International Moon Day was endorsed by the UN General Assembly in December 2021, and has been celebrated every 20 July, from 2022. Recordings from AELA's 2022 Space Exploration Webinar Series can be viewed here.

ABOUT THE WEBINARS

** ALL TIMES ARE IN AUSTRALIAN EASTERN STANDARD TIME/AEST - PLEASE BE SURE TO CONVERT THESE TIMES TO YOUR OWN TIMEZONE **

• WEBINAR 1: "Our Ancient Relatives: Indigenous Perspectives on the Moon and Cosmos" - Wednesday 17 July, 12noon to 2pm AEST
• WEBINAR 2: "Plans for the Moon and Mars (Part 1)" - Thursday 18 July, 6pm to 8pm AEST (Speakers from Europe and Asia)
• WEBINAR 3: "Plans for the Moon and Mars" (Part2)" - Friday 19 July, 10am to 12noon AEST (Speakers from USA, Canada)
• WEBINAR 4: "What will be the impacts of space exploration on Earth, the Moon and beyond?" Monday 22 July, 12noon to 1.30pm AEST 
• WEBINAR 5: "How should we govern humanity's plans for space exploration?" - Monday 22 July, 6pm to 8pm AEST
  

GUEST SPEAKERS

Speaker details will be available soon. Speakers will be joining us from NASA, the Australian Space Agency, other space institutions and universities around the world. Each webinar will feature topic experts who will speak for 10-15 mins, followed by ample time for Q&A.

WEBINAR HOSTS

This webinar series is being co-facilitated by Dr Alice Gorman and Dr Michelle Maloney, and hosted by the Australian Earth Laws Alliance.

For more information: please email aela@earthlaws.org.au

• DR ALICE GORMAN
  
  Dr. Alice Gorman is an internationally recognised leader in the field of space archaeology and author of the award-winning book Dr Space Junk vs the Universe: Archaeology and the Future (MIT Press, 2019). Her research focuses on the archaeology and heritage of space exploration, including space junk, planetary landing sites, off-earth mining, and space habitats.
  
  
• DR MICHELLE MALONEY
  
  Dr Michelle Maloney is an environmental lawyer and Co-founder/National Convenor of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA). She is a Director of Future Dreaming and the New Economy Network Australia (NENA), an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Griffith Law Futures Centre and a member of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature Advisory Group. She is based in Brisbane, Queensland (Australia). Details about her work, including her public speaking, publications and affiliations can be found on her profile page here.
  
  
• ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN EARTH LAWS ALLIANCE
  
  The Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) works to increase the understanding and practical implementation of Earth centred governance, with a focus on creating ecocentric systems change across law, economics, education, civil society participation and ethics. AELA is interested in how we care for life on Earth and how we interact with the wider universe and cosmos. Humanity's potential plans for the Moon, Mars and beyond will have a direct impact on Earth - and all Earthlings - and space exploration raises a range of ethical and other issues that humans need to consider
  
  To stimulate discussion about, and wider engagement in these issues, AELA was one of the drafters of the 'Declaration for the Rights of the Moon' - visit the website to find out more - https://www.earthlaws.org.au/m...

Join us as we get some real facts about what's happening in the world of space exploration.

Questions? Please email us anytime: aela@earthlaws.org.au