Human migration to space will be the most profound catalyst for evolution in the history of humankind, yet this has had little impact on determining our strategies for this next phase of exploration. Habitation in space will require extensive technological interfaces between humans and their alien surroundings and how they are deployed will critically inform the processes of adaptation. As humans begin to spend longer durations in space—eventually establishing permanent outposts on other planets—the scope of technological design considerations must expand beyond the meager requirements for survival to include issues not only of comfort and well‐being, but also of engagement and negotiation with the new planetary environment that will be crucial to our longevity beyond Earth. Approaching this question from an interdisciplinary approach, this dissertation explores how the impact of interior space architecture can meet both the physical and psychological needs of future space colonists and set the stage for humankind to thrive and grow while setting down new roots beyond Earth.

Emigrating Beyond Earth puts space colonization into the context of human evolution. Rather than focusing on the technologies and strategies needed to colonize space, the authors examine the human and societal reasons for space colonization. They make space colonization seems like a natural step by demonstrating that if will continue the human species' 4 million-year-old legacy of adaptation to difficult new environments. The authors present many examples from the history of human expansion into new environments, including two amazing tales of human colonization - the prehistoric settlement of the upper Arctic around 5,000 years ago and the colonization of the Pacific islands around 3,000 years ago - which show that space exploration is no more about rockets and robots that Arctic exploration was about boating!

Mass human migrations into outer space may begin this century! Are Earth’s inhabitants prepared for this next giant leap? Millions of tax dollars are being employed in NASA and Defense Department research facilities to answer this urgent question. Can humankind migrate to space intelligently, in a civilized manner without real Star Wars? Are these justifiable economic, political, and philosophical reasons for undertaking such a vast project? What legal and institutional implications will surface in distinguishing Earthkind from Spacekind? The immediate and long-range effects of space migration—on earth and its inhabitants, on the solar system and its pioneers—are brought into sharp focus here, within the perspective of the heated debates now taking place in the highest government, scientific, business, and academic circles. From the development of the space shuttle Enterprise and the uses and objectives of the Space Transportation System to the U.S. and Soviet space arsenals of hunter-killer satellites and Fractional Orbit Bombardment Systems (FOBS)—all known aspects of space migration and colonization are examined and presented with a depth and clarity appreciated by laymen, popular scientist, and aerospace engineer alike.

This book weaves together essays by twenty-five noted scholars from the social and space sciences which examine the human as well as the technological side of our future beyond Earth.

This interdisciplinary collection of essays focuses on the ways in which movements of people across natural, political, and cultural boundaries shape identities that are inexorably linked to the geographical space that individuals on the move cross, inhabit, and leave behind. As conflicts over identities and space continue to erupt on a regular basis, this book reads the relationship between migration, identity, and space from a fresh and innovative perspective.

Sir Arthur Clarke Award Winner Many environmentalists think going into space detracts from solving problems on Earth. Most space explorers feel environmentalism hampers their exploration of space. Leading astro-biologist Prof. Cockell argues that environmentalism and space exploration have one and the same objective, to ensure humanity has a home.