Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia:

A. D. Ursul, Director of Global Research Center, Professor, Doctor of Philosophy

National University of Science and Technology MISIS, Moscow, Russia:

T. A. Ursul, Head of Chair, Professor, Doctor of Philosophy, ursult@mail.ru

In the article sustainable development of mining is seen as one of the most important issues of achieving global sustainability is the main socio-natural contradiction between the growing needs of humanity and the limitations and even the inability of the biosphere to provide them without further more irreversible soil degradation. It is expected that sustainable development of mining will continue in both the earth and space dimensions, and these processes will unfold in close cooperation. The hypothesis is expressed and argued that without the development of space mining, it will be impossible in principle to continue the sustainable development of space, as well as to ensure geocosmic security. The main reason for the future relocation of the energy and other types of industry beyond the Earth is the transition to sustainable development and the need to ensure the environmental security of civilization, especially with global warming. Therefore, the development of any new terrestrial spaces, such as the ocean, is not just temporarily economically inefficient, but even in principle environmentally inappropriate in terms of the transition to sustainable development. It is necessary to prepare in such a way for the use of space objects and their resources so as not to violate international space law and to develop national legislation allowing for non-commercial space mining. Once incorporated into space, sustainable space mining will contribute to the formation of extraterrestrial foundations of the future of the wider space exploration by mankind. Thanks to the future development of space mining, it is possible to divide the past and future of space exploration into two historical stages – before the development of space mining and the continuation of space activities with the deployment of the mining industry outside the Earth.

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