Preamble
This document is the synthesis of a seminar organized on June 23, 2022 by the Academy of Air and Space (AAE), in the framework of the preparation of a symposium on “Space Exploration” planned for May 10-12, 2023 in Turin. With the aim of debating the philosophy and motivations of this exploration, the Academy has gathered 14 participants from different backgrounds:
- Eric Dautriat, former Director of Launchers at CNES, author of L’espace en quelques mots : d’Aventure à Zénithand of Le Brisement de la Mer, AAE Vice-President, moderator of this seminar and author of the present synthesis
- Jacques Arnould, in charge of ethical questions at CNES, author of Oublier la Terre?, Le voyage dans l’espace, petites extrapolations sans gravité, and many other works
- Philippe Berthe, Project Coordination Manager, Orion-ESM program, ESA
- Jean-Pierre Bibring, astrophysicist at IAS, Orsay, author of Seuls dans l’Univers ?(to be published), Mars, planète bleue ? and other books, AAE correspondent
- Christophe Bonnal, senior expert at CNES Strategy Department, author of Pollution in space, a state of emergency, AAE member
- Roger-Maurice Bonnet, former Director of Scientific Programs at ESA, Honorary Director of the International Science Institute, Bern, author of Les Horizons chimériques, AAE member
- Jean-François Clervoy, astronaut, ESA, President of Novespace, author of Histoire(s) d’espace, AAE member
- Christian Clot, explorer, Director of the Human Adaptation Institute, author of Au cœur des extrêmes, et autres récits
- Giancarlo Genta, Professor of mechanical engineering, University of Turin, author of Space, the final frontier?and numerous science fiction novels
- Etienne Klein, physicist, philosopher of sciences, host of the program La science en questionson France-Culture, author of numerous books including Discours sur l’origine de l’Univers, Matière à contredire, Psychisme ascensionnel
- Franco Malerba, astronaut, former member of the European Parliament, author of Professione astronauta, la lunga strada per arrivare allo spazio, AAE member
- Adrien Normier, pilot, author of Des ailes pour la science, doctoral student in epistemology, with a thesis on Epistemology, moral philosophy and philosophy of action, applied to the question of the expansion of the field of consequences of human decisions, on very large scales of space and time, due to space technologies
- Xavier Pasco, Director of the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, author of Le nouvel âge spatial, de la guerre froide au New Spaceand other geostrategic works
- Julie Patarin-Jossec, sociologist, associated researcher with Centre Emile-Durkheim, Bordeaux, author of the thesis Le vol habité dans l’économie symbolique de la construction européenne
- Michel Praet, Head of the ESA office in Brussels, author of Défis européens, a series of conferences as Advisor to the President of the EU, member of the EAA
- Ji Wu, former Director General of the China Space Science Center, President of the Chinese Academy of Space Research, author of The Rainy Sea Hotel
Since this is a synthesis, we have avoided the form of a verbatim where each person’s words are attributed to him or her. On the other hand, boxes from place to place allow to quote the words of the different participants, not necessarily expressing an opinion shared by all, by particularly representative of their author’s viewpoint, or striking.
Eric Dautriat