(In)hospitable Space Conference 2026

An interdisciplinary conference cooperatively organized by representatives from Carnegie Mellon University's Department of English, the Society for Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology, and the European Astrobiology Institute. This conference aims 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. Key topics include making outer space amenable to human exploration and habitation, the concept of space as a "wilderness", guiding ethics for engagement with extraterrestrial life forms, regulation and enforcement of space activity, balancing diverse cultural perspectives in space research, the moral status of extraterrestrial microbes, and the reflection of aspirations and future for human communities in space through film, literature, art, and music.