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Journals / Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 25 Sayı: 3

Space Tourism and Global Sustainability: Theoretical Perspectives on the Integration with the Sustainable Development Goals

Uzay Turizmi ve Küresel Sürdürülebilirlik: Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Hedefleri ile Entegrasyonun Teorik Perspektifleri

Vahit Oğuz Kiper(Sakarya Uygulamalı Bilimler Üniversitesi, Turizm Fakültesi)0000-0001-5558-2341
Emrah Taşarer(Batman Üniversitesi, Turizm Fakültesi)0000-0001-6858-2981
Feridun Duman(Batman Üniversitesi, Turizm Fakültesi)0000-0002-0524-638X
Pages
1312–1327
Publication Date
2026-07-30
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Furthermore, this study presents several practical implications, strategic recommendations, and suggestions for future research.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Space tourism, which has gained increasing popularity in recent years with the advancement of global technologies and the growing accessibility of outer space, emerges as an innovative type of tourism that is rapidly expanding under the leadership of companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic.
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Key Findings & Data:On the other hand, issues such as high energy consumption, carbon emissions, space debris, and access inequalities associated with space tourism raise significant concerns regarding the sustainability of the sector.
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Conclusion & Impact:Furthermore, this study presents several practical implications, strategic recommendations, and suggestions for future research.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Uzay turizmi · Sürdürülebilir Turizm · Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Hedefleri

Abstract

Space tourism, which has gained increasing popularity in recent years with the advancement of global technologies and the growing accessibility of outer space, emerges as an innovative type of tourism that is rapidly expanding under the leadership of companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic. A review of the literature indicates that studies on space tourism have predominantly focused on technological developments, consumer/tourist behavior, or economic potential. The lack of sufficient studies that evaluate space tourism together with “sustainability,” one of the most important issues of our time, suggests a gap in the literature in this regard. On the other hand, issues such as high energy consumption, carbon emissions, space debris, and access inequalities associated with space tourism raise significant concerns regarding the sustainability of the sector. In this context, the study aims to evaluate the compatibility of space tourism activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within a theoretical framework. It seeks to reveal the potential of space tourism to contribute to the SDGs, its contradictory aspects with these goals, and the strategies required to enhance the sustainability of the sector. The study aims to develop a conceptual model that links the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of space tourism with SDG targets, thereby supporting the integration of the sector into global sustainability objectives. The proposed model provides a conceptual framework that integrates the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of space tourism with the SDGs. Based on the literature review conducted, this study offers an interdisciplinary contribution to the sustainable tourism literature by matching the environmental (e.g., carbon emissions, space debris), social (e.g., access inequalities, educational opportunities), and economic (e.g., innovation, employment) impacts of space tourism with the SDGs, while providing a theoretical guide for policymakers. Furthermore, this study presents several practical implications, strategic recommendations, and suggestions for future research.

Özet

Özellikle son yıllarda küresel anlamda gelişen teknoloji ile uzayın daha erişilebilir olmasıyla birlikte popülaritesi artan bir alan olan uzay turizmi, SpaceX, Blue Origin ve Virgin Galactic gibi şirketlerin öncülüğünde hızla büyüyen yenilikçi bir turizm türü olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Literatürde uzay turizmi alanında yapılan çalışmaların çoğunlukla teknolojik gelişmeler, tüketici/turist davranışları veya ekonomik potansiyel çerçevesinde gerçekleştiği görülmektedir. Çağımızın en önemli gündemlerinden biri olan “sürdürülebilirlik” ile uzay turizmini birlikte değerlendiren yeteri kadar çalışmanın olmaması, literatürde bu yönde bir boşluk olduğunu düşündürmektedir. Öte yandan uzay turizmiyle birlikte ortaya çıkan yüksek enerji tüketimi, karbon emisyonları, uzay çöpü ve erişim eşitsizlikleri gibi unsurlar, sektörün sürdürülebilirliği konusunda ciddi soru işaretleri yaratmaktadır. Bu doğrultuda çalışma, uzay turizmi faaliyetlerinin Birleşmiş Milletler’in Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Hedefleri/Sustainable Development Goals (SKH/SDGs) ile uyumluluğunu teorik bir çerçevede değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Uzay turizminin SKH’ne katkı sağlama potansiyelini, bu hedeflere aykırı yönlerini ve sektörün sürdürülebilirliğini artırmak için gerekli stratejileri ortaya koymayı hedeflemektedir. Çalışma uzay turizminin çevresel, sosyal ve ekonomik boyutlarını SKH maddeleriyle ilişkilendirerek, sektörün küresel sürdürülebilirlik hedeflerine entegrasyonuna yönelik kavramsal bir model geliştirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Önerilen bu model uzay turizminin çevresel, sosyal ve ekonomik boyutlarını SKH ile entegre eden kavramsal bir çerçeve sunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada yapılan literatür incelemesi doğrultusunda, uzay turizminin çevresel (ör. karbon emisyonları, uzay çöpü), sosyal (ör. erişim eşitsizlikleri, eğitim fırsatları) ve ekonomik (ör. inovasyon, istihdam) etkilerini SKH ile eşleştirerek, sürdürülebilir turizm literatürüne disiplinler arası bir katkı sağlanmış ve politika yapıcılar için teorik bir rehber sunulmuştur. Bununla birlikte bu çalışma ışığında birtakım pratik açılımlar, stratejik öneriler ve gelecek araştırmalar için tavsiyeler de ortaya konulmuştur.

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Cite This Article

Kiper, V. O., Taşarer, E., Duman, F. (2026). Space Tourism and Global Sustainability: Theoretical Perspectives on the Integration with the Sustainable Development Goals. Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, Cilt: 25 Sayı: 3, 1312–1327. https://doi.org/10.21547/jss.1868906

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