Orbiting Global Health: Navigating the Nexus of Space and Health

Space exploration has accelerated in recent years with multiple Lunar and Mars Missions by the government space agencies, and the promotion of space tourism and commercialization of space activities by private players. This trend has catalyzed innovation and application of technology in the domain and has also facilitated the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in health.

Space technologies have enabled monitoring of environmental and climate change, disaster risk management, studying and forecasting disease transmission, telemedicine, and transportation through various satellite imagery, communication, and navigation systems. This synergy of health and space technologies has also facilitated the cost-effective development of healthcare equipment.

However, the geopolitical competition and the “space race” among global players could hinder progress. For instance, the establishment of the Space Forces by a few global players indicates that space is increasingly militarized. This is despite the presence of the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, the Outer Space Treaty, and others which have iterated that space is a ‘global commons’. The increased commercialization and weaponization of space by private players also have the risk of introducing mutated disease-causing agents to Earth and carrying harmful microbes to extra-terrestrial regions. There is also a need for a more accountable mechanism on the issue of Space Debris.

Thus, a renewed framework for space applications and governance is needed to ensure the responsible use of space and its applications in global health.