Many of the proposed and foreseeable activities on the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere in our solar system will require construction and similar actions. Most will, by intent, alter those natural environments in a variety of ways. Some impacts may foreclose future options for use of the area, hinder sustained access to resources, impede long-term human occupation, interfere with scientific or other purposes, harm cultural assets, create unsafe conditions, or cause other detriments. A long-proven method for reducing adverse effects here on Earth has been to assess the proposed actions in a structured manner during the planning process, to identify adverse impacts, and to seek opportunities to avoid, minimize, and mitigate harm. However, such a process is currently not required for space actions and has been largely ignored by space industries, academic and scientific organizations, and governments. In addition to advocating the need for an appropriate assessment and review process, this article proposes a simple framework as a starting point for discussion. While it draws upon environmental assessment procedures developed in the US under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), it does not recommend that NEPA be applied to extraterrestrial actions. In fact, NEPA may be counterproductive. Rather, it suggests that space industries and other space actors themselves should consider developing and using an appropriately structured assessment process.

在月球，火星和我们太阳系其他地方进行的许多拟议和可预见的活动将需要进行建设和采取类似的行动。大多数人有意通过各种方式改变那些自然环境。某些影响可能会阻止该地区未来的使用选择，阻碍资源的持续获取，阻碍人类的长期占领，干扰科学或其他目的，损害文化财产，创造不安全的条件或造成其他损害。长期以来，减少对地球不利影响的方法一直是在规划过程中以结构化的方式评估拟议的行动，确定不利影响，并寻求避免，减少和减轻伤害的机会。但是，太空行动目前并不需要这种程序，而太空产业大都忽略了这一程序，学术和科学组织以及政府。除了主张需要适当的评估和审查过程之外，本文还提出了一个简单的框架作为讨论的起点。虽然它借鉴了美国根据《国家环境政策法》（NEPA）制定的环境评估程序，但不建议将NEPA应用于地外行动。实际上，NEPA可能适得其反。相反，它建议太空工业和其他太空参与者本身应考虑制定和使用适当结构化的评估程序。虽然它借鉴了美国根据《国家环境政策法》（NEPA）制定的环境评估程序，但不建议将NEPA应用于地外行动。实际上，NEPA可能适得其反。相反，它建议太空工业和其他太空参与者本身应考虑制定和使用适当结构化的评估程序。虽然它借鉴了美国根据《国家环境政策法》（NEPA）制定的环境评估程序，但不建议将NEPA应用于地外行动。实际上，NEPA可能适得其反。相反，它建议太空工业和其他太空参与者本身应考虑制定和使用适当结构化的评估程序。