Space advocacy is supporting oradvocatinghuman activity inouter space. The advocated purposes range fromorbital flight,space exploration,commercialization of space andspace settlement, to outrightspace colonization.

There are many different individuals andorganizations dedicated to space advocacy. They are usually active in educating the public^[1] on space-related subjects, lobbying governments^[2][3] for increased funding in space-related activities or supporting private space activities.

They also recruit members, fund projects, and provide information for their membership and interested visitors. They are sub-divided into three categories depending on their primary work: practice, advocacy, and theory.

The idea that space flight was possible and necessary was introduced by groups of thinkers, primarily members of the Russian,^[4] American, British, and German^[5][6] science communities, who formed in the 1920s the first advocacy groups.^[7] Starting in the 1930s, these groups began to share their plans for a future in space to their respective governments and the public.^[8]

Influential books and other media began to emerge which included works containing illustrations byChesley Bonestell (based onWernher von Braun's designs) such asThe Conquest of Space (1949) and magazine articles including the "Man Will Conquer Space Soon!" series of article inColliers magazine between 1952 and 1954. Television shows includedWalt Disney's "Man in Space" and "Man and the Moon" in 1955, and "Mars and Beyond" in 1957.

In 2004 most of the leading US non-profit space organizations joined together to form theSpace Exploration Alliance. The Alliance was formed to "advocate for the exploration and development of outer space" to members of Congress. The Alliance organizes the annual Legislative Blitz to lobby members of Congress for space exploration, and every space enthusiast is encouraged to participate in the Legislative Blitz by calling, emailing, or personally visiting their Congressperson's office.^[9]

An analysis of space advocacy inDark Skies: Space Expansionism, Planetary Geopolitics, and the Ends of Humanity byDaniel Deudney has identified two different paradigms: theBraun-Tsiolkovsky paradigm (VTP), focusing onmigration and militarization of space, and theClarke-Sagan paradigm (CSP), focusing onspace exploration.^[10]

According to Mark Hopkins from theNational Space Society, each space organization has a different priority and short-term objective, but all organizations share the ultimate goal of buildingspace settlements.^[11]

To reach a more inclusive spaceflight andspace science some organizations like theJustSpace Alliance^[12] (seeLucianne Walkowicz) andIAU featuredInclusive Astronomy^[13] have been formed in recent years. Holding events like theunconferenceDecolonizing Mars in 2018.^[14] Advocates of this issue see the need for inclusive^[15] and democratic participation and implementation of any space exploration, infrastructure or habitation.^[16] Questioning the decision making of and reasons for any colonialspace policy, labour^[17] and land exploitation withpostcolonial critique. Private^[18] and state funded advocacy forspace colonization, specifically the rationales and politico-legal regimes^[19] behindspace exploration, like the "New Frontier" slogan, have been criticized for applyingsettler colonialism and themanifest destiny ideology, perpetuating imperialism and the narrative of colonial exploration as fundamental to the assumedhuman nature.^[20][21][22]

Participation and representation of humanity in space is an issue of human access to and presence in space ever since the beginning ofspaceflight.^[12] Even though some rights of non-spacefaring countries to partake in spaceflight have been secured through internationalspace law, declaring space the "province of all mankind", understanding spaceflight as its resource, sharing of outer space for all humanity has been criticized as stillimperialist and lacking.^[12] For example arguments for space as a solution to global problems like pollution and relatednarratives of survival are considered imperialist by Joon Yun.^[18] Having a considerate policy towards space is seen as an imperative to allow a thoroughly sustainable human society also on Earth.^[23]

Organizations that are directly involved in space exploration, having their own active projects.

Organizations that focus mainly on lobbying government agencies and businesses to step up their efforts.

Organisations involved in educating the public, to boost their understanding and enthusiasm about space.

Organisations that focus on advocating theoretical work.

• Space advocacy
• Astropolitics
• Transhumanism
• Spaceflight

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