What business do we have in outer space?

About the lecture

Humans have always looked towards space with curiosity, fascination and sometimes fear. Many of us have wondered whether we would dare to travel beyond the atmosphere, and we may even think that, before spending so much money on sending astronauts, there are other problems to solve here on Earth.

Juan de Dalmau, president of the International Space University and former director of Ariane rocket launch operations in French Guiana, has also asked himself these questions and will try to give some answers to questions such as:

- Why are we fascinated by what lies beyond?
- Why do so many scientists study space sciences?
- Have they found intelligent life and are not telling us?
- What are so many artificial satellites for?
- What happens if two of them collide, or if a piece falls on our heads?
- Are there laws for that, and are they respected?
- Why do people talk about a "space race" between countries?
- Are there military activities in space, like in Star Wars?
- Can climate change be understood from space, in order to fight it?
- What problems on Earth can be solved from space?
- Is it only rich countries that benefit?
- Are the new companies emerging to exploit space resources and send tourists all American?
- Where can you study to work on these subjects?

Text of the official description published by IAA-CSIC on YouTube.