Editing Space settlement (section)

==Definition==
A space settlement is any large-scale [[space habitat (facility)|habitation facility in]] [[outer space]], or more particularly in an orbit.

The [[International Astronautical Federation]] has differentiated space settlements to space habitats and space infrastructure the following way:
{{quote|
*''Habitat'': pressurized volume(s) within which humans live and work, including relevant facilities for life support.
*''Settlement'': group of permanently inhabited habitats installed near each other, possibly interconnected.
*''Infrastructure'': set of constructed elements supporting habitats and/or settlements such as (and not limited to): power plant, water plant, greenhouse and waste management facilities, communication facilities, transportation facilities, EVAs, roads, spaceport, research platforms, and so on.<ref name="Federation 2024 q644">{{cite web | last=Federation | first=International Astronautical | title=IAF : Space Habitats Committee | website=IAF | date=2024-02-08 | url=https://www.iafastro.org/about/iaf-committees/technical-committees/space-habitats-committee.html | access-date=2024-04-25}}</ref>}}

While not automatically constituting a colonial entity, a space settlement can be an element of a [[space colonization|space colony]]. The term "space colony" has been viewed critically, prompting [[Carl Sagan]] to propose the term ''space city.''<ref name="Bartels 2018">{{cite web | last=Bartels | first=Meghan | title=People are calling for a movement to decolonize space-here's why | website=Newsweek | date=May 25, 2018 | url=https://www.newsweek.com/should-we-colonize-space-some-people-argue-we-need-decolonize-it-instead-945130 | access-date=Oct 31, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Scharmen pp. 184–196">{{cite journal | last=Scharmen | first=Fred | title=Highest and Best Use: Subjectivity and Climates Off and After Earth | journal=Journal of Architectural Education | publisher=Informa UK Limited | volume=71 | issue=2 | date=Jul 3, 2017 | issn=1046-4883 | doi=10.1080/10464883.2017.1340775 | pages=184–196| s2cid=115502023 }}</ref>