Animal welfare issues in space settlement expeditions

Abstract

The ongoing debate on space bioethics has thus far focused primarily on issues pertaining to human beings. However, in the existing literature there is a shortage of articles raising the issue of whether animals can be used for space settlement expeditions. Consequently, the aim of this article is to present some initial considerations regarding the ethics of using animals for this particular purpose. Specifically, four potential reasons for involving animals have been put forth. These can be categorised as follows: (1) to use animals as a food resource; (2) to use animals for research purposes; (3) to use animals for company purposes; and (4) to provide new habitats for those animals whose ecosystems on Earth are endangered. Within the afore-mentioned space bioethics debate, the possibility of genetically enhancing human beings has been a topic of considerable discussion. For this reason, the article also addresses the ethical implications of genetically enhancing the animals used in space expeditions. A Welfarist approach has been adopted to determine which uses of animals are ethically permissible and which are not, with the understanding that any use that compromises the animal’s ability to lead a good life is unacceptable. Accordingly, mere survival is not ethically relevant.