Humanity has entered a new age of space exploration. By the end of this decade, astronauts will be back on the Moon, and plans are already underway to send future crewed missions to Mars. A Future Spacefaring Society assembles renowned researchers and professionals from the space industry to discuss the major milestones ahead. Together, they take us through the wide-ranging innovations, technologies, and capabilities that will be required for any sustainable presence in space.


The book is divided into three key sections. It begins with Entering the Golden Age of Space Exploration, outlining current plans to return to the Moon and send humans to Mars, as well as our science objectives, the role of commercial space efforts, and national security. The second section on Creating Sustainability in Space discusses the technologies necessary to make human life self-sufficient beyond Earth, and ongoing experiments that are aiding this effort. Finally, the third section on Achieving Civilization in Space examines such topics as tourism and hospitality, commerce, art and music, human reproduction, education, design and aesthetics, law, sports and entertainment, and many other elements necessary for a stable society off Earth.


With wide-ranging contributions from experts across these topics, A Future Spacefaring Society provides an overview of the extraordinary steps and people required to make sustained life in space a reality.