Hello again, JustSpace fans, and welcome to Outer Space October!

We’ve been dreaming up some ways to connect with everyone out there who wants to see a world where more ethical, inclusive space exploration is not only possible, but real— in that spirit, this month we’re kicking things off with conversations around the Outer Space Treaty, or the OST for short. The OST is arguably the most important document ever written about space exploration: since 1967 (its 53rd birthday is this month), the OST has set not only international policies for space exploration, but also the framing of how we think about space, who space is for, and what humans should (or shouldn’t!) do in space.

If you find it hard to get stoked about a 53 year old international legal document, consider this: the OST is responsible for many of our best ideas about space futures. The idea that space should be the province of peaceful exploration? That we should be careful not to mess with life on other planets? That we shouldn’t put nuclear weapons in space? You see those ideas in science fiction, but the implementation of those ideas in modern space exploration was formalized by the OST. While all treaties should be taken with a grain of salt, the vision of the OST is almost utopian in its embrace of space as a realm of possibility, a place beyond borders, where the peaceful cooperation that so often eludes us on this planet might find its full expression. 

So, here’s how Outer Space October works: every week, we’ll be taking a deep dive into some aspect of the OST. During the week, we’ll be putting out interesting resources (e.g. articles, videos, etc) via this newsletter, on Twitter, and on Instagram. We’re especially excited to hear from YOU: please join us on Twitter on Fridays at 10:30am PT/1:30pm ET (5:30pm GMT, or find your timezone here) starting Oct 9th for a live discussion of not just anything you’ve ever wanted to know about the OST, but your hopes and dreams for what a shared vision of future exploration might look like. 

To break it down a bit more, here’s our themes by week: 

Week of Oct 5th: What is outer space for? 

Week of Oct 12th: Who does outer space belong to?

Week of Oct 19th: What can(‘t) you do in outer space?

Week of Oct 26th: The OST+53: how are things going now?

We’re so excited to not only be serving up some fresh perspectives from our point of view, but to hear from you, and to help build our community. If you know someone who’d be excited about this too, please share this newsletter and encourage them to join in! 

In solidarity to the stars,

Lucianne & Erika