"As NASA plans to send astronauts to an asteroid or even to Mars in the coming decades -- missions that could last well beyond 30 days -- they’re grappling with an ethical dilemma. How do they handle decisions on long-distance space exploration when it could expose astronauts to high or unknown health hazards? To help develop an ethical framework for venturing into this unknown territory, the space agency asked the Institute of Medicine to convene a panel of experts to offer some helpful guidelines. The results in a 187-page report were released Wednesday... Among the report's recommendations: Avoid harm by minimizing risk to astronauts. Missions should be valued for the benefits they provide. Make sure the benefits outweigh the risks enough for the mission to be worthwhile. Operate in a transparent and accountable way, and keep astronauts informed of the risks they face. Basically: Act in a responsible and transparent manner."
Showing posts with label grappling with ethical dilemmas of long-term space trips and health risks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grappling with ethical dilemmas of long-term space trips and health risks. Show all posts
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Ethics report could help NASA weigh risks of long-term space travel; Los Angeles Times, 4/2/14
Amina Khan, Los Angeles Times; Ethics report could help NASA weigh risks of long-term space travel:
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