NASA’s Roman Telescope: How colonial astronomy erases Indigenous stargazing while deepening extractive cosmic exploitation
Original framing: “How NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will open a window into the Milky Way” — The Conversation - Global
Marginalized voices—such as those of Indigenous astronomers, climate justice activists, and space ethics scholars—are entirely absent from the framing. For example, Dr. Kaʻiu Kimura (UH Mānoa), a Hawaiian astronomer, has criticized how telescopes on Mauna Kea disrespect Indigenous sacred sites, yet her work is not referenced. Similarly, the Roman Telescope’s environmental impact (e.g., launch emissions, orbital debris) disproportionately affects Global South communities, who bear the brunt of climate change yet have no say in space policy. The narrative’s silence on these issues reflects a broader erasure of those most affected by the telescope’s indirect consequences, from light pollution disrupting Indigenous ceremonies to satellite collisions threatening low-orbit communications relied upon by developing nations.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is not merely a scientific instrument but a node in a centuries-old system of colonial extraction, where celestial bodies are framed as resources to be mapped, claimed, and exploited.
The original narrative’s focus on 'discovery' erases Indigenous astronomical traditions—such as the Anishinaabe *giizhigoog* or Māori *mātāwaka*—while ignoring historical parallels like the British 'Great Survey' of India, which used astronomy to justify territorial conquest. This pattern persists today, as the telescope’s data could enable asteroid mining or militarized surveillance, reinforcing a model where 'progress' is measured by capital accumulation rather than relational ethics. The solution lies in centering Indigenous stewardship, demilitarizing space data, and integrating artistic and spiritual perspectives to redefine our relationship with the cosmos—not as objects to be observed, but as living relatives whose stories have been stolen for too long. By restoring these dimensions, we move from extraction to reciprocity, from colonialism to cosmic justice.