  The prioritization and improvement of ethics, planetary protection, and
safety standards in the astro-sciences is the most critical priority as our
scientific and exploratory capabilities progress, both within government
agencies and the private sector. These priorities lie in the belief that every
single science mission - crewed or non-crewed, ground-based or not - should
heed strict ethical and safety standards starting at the very beginning of a
mission. Given the inevitability of the private sector in influencing future
crewed missions both in and beyond low-Earth orbit, it is essential to the
science community to agree on universal standards of safety, mission assurance,
planetary protection, and especially anti-colonization. These issues will
impact all areas of space science. Examples that are particularly relevant to
the Astro2020 Decadal Survey include but are not limited to: light pollution
from satellites, the voices and rights of Native people when constructing
telescopes on their lands, and the need to be cognizant of contamination when
searching for and exploring habitable environments beyond Earth. Ultimately,
moving international space law and domestic space policy from a reactive nature
to a proactive one will ensure the future of space exploration is one that is
safe, transparent, and anti-imperialist.
