May 25-27, 2026: (In)hospitable Space Conference
Exploring the human dimensions of space exploration
An interdisciplinary conference cooperatively organized by representatives from 黑料正能量’s Department of English, the Society for Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology, and the European Astrobiology Institute. May 25-27, 2026.
Cost: $250 per Faculty/Postdocs/Non-academic professionals
The conference fees include:
- Access to all talks, panels, and keynotes
- Catered lunch on all three days of the conference
- Coffee and tea service
- Access to the conference reception
Refund Policy
Refunds of registration fees can be offered before the registration deadline of April 24. Inquiries about refunds can be directed to Jaime Rzepecki rzepecki@andrew.cmu.edu. No refunds, full or partial, can be made after April 24.
Click here for More Information!
As the economic barriers to outer space shrink and opportunities for access expand, concerns about humans thriving in extraterrestrial environments and the impacts of humankind on those environments become less theoretical and more urgent. This conference endeavors to bring together scholars, technologists, policy specialists, artists, and other stakeholders to explore the ethical, legal, economic, cultural, biological, psychological, and environmental issues associated with the New Space era.
We plan to host presenters addressing a wide range of topics and questions like…
- How do we make the inhospitable environs of outer space physically, psychologically, and socially amenable to human exploration and habitation?
- Is space a “wilderness” in the same sense as wilderness on Earth?
- Can/Should terrestrial ethics guide our engagement with extraterrestrial life forms?
- How should we regulate space activity through law and how could those laws be enforced?
- How do we balance diverse cultural perspectives in space research?
- What is the moral status of an extraterrestrial microbe?
- What do representations of space exploration and habitation in film, literature, art, music, etc. reveal or reflect about our aspirations, social commitments, and imagined future for human communities in space?