ONLINE FIRST
published on October 11, 2022
Kelly C. Smith, Michael Doyle, Anna Dueholm, Aundrea Gibbons, Austin Macdonald-Shedd, Isabela Parise
Adding Space to Your Class Discussions
Case Studies in Space Exploration and Astrobiology
Our capabilities in space are growing almost as fast as our ambitions. Many nations, companies, and private actors are currently vying to secure historic “firsts” in space, raising complex social and ethical questions. There is surprisingly little serious analysis of these issues, however, and they are rarely discussed in undergraduate class discussions, despite their popularity with students. To help correct this deficit, a student research team designed 11 case studies to help instructors across the curriculum introduce space into their classes. These are designed for ease of use, with self-contained background information, suggested readings/movies, and a series of juicy questions.