Living_in_space Space_exploration

the european space agency s columbus module @ international space station, launched space on space shuttle mission sts-122 in 2008



artist s conception of interior of bernal sphere

space colonization, called space settlement , space humanization, permanent autonomous (self-sufficient) human habitation of locations outside earth, of natural satellites or planets such moon or mars, using significant amounts of in-situ resource utilization.

to date, longest human occupation of space international space station has been in continuous use 7003623800000000000♠17 years, 29 days. valeri polyakov s record single spaceflight of 438 days aboard mir space station has not been surpassed. long-term stays in space reveal issues bone , muscle loss in low gravity, immune system suppression, , radiation exposure.

many past , current concepts continued exploration , colonization of space focus on return moon stepping stone other planets, mars. @ end of 2006 nasa announced planning build permanent moon base continual presence 2024.

beyond technical factors make living in space more widespread, has been suggested lack of private property, inability or difficulty in establishing property rights in space, has been impediment development of space human habitation. since advent of space technology in latter half of twentieth century, ownership of property in space has been murky, strong arguments both , against. in particular, making of national territorial claims in outer space , on celestial bodies has been proscribed outer space treaty, had been, of 2012, ratified spacefaring nations.