Ethical, legal, and social issues associated with using existing airports as spaceports

• Airports are being used as takeoff and landing sites for space vehicles. • A lack of discussion is witnessed on the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI). • Oita Airport started preparations anticipating the economic benefits of spaceports. • We summarize ELSI through a systematic literature review. In recent years, interest in suborbital spaceflight and point-to-point transportation has grown, leading to efforts to use existing airports as horizontal spaceports. This study conducts a systematic literature review to identify and analyze the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) associated with using existing airports as spaceports. From the 17 extracted studies, ten key ELSI categories were extracted, including economic impact, pollution, sonic booms, aviation disruption, safety, public health, and insurance. While many issues are broadly relevant to spaceports, some, such as cost-effectiveness and airspace management, are specific to using airports as spaceports. To contextualize the findings, Oita Airport in Japan was analyzed as a case study. Two projects were reviewed: a satellite launch project (since canceled) and an ongoing spaceplane landing plan. Oita Airport’s coastal location, low air traffic, and existing infrastructure make it suitable for spaceport use, although its lack of medical facilities remains a concern. The study concludes that airports suitable for utilization should (1) be located away from densely populated areas, (2) have low interference with existing aviation operations, and (3) possess or be connected to sufficient medical infrastructure. The analysis underscores the need for a cost-benefit approach when evaluating public investments in such projects, especially considering potential disruptions to aviation and the need for public accountability. The paper highlights gaps in the current literature, such as the lack of empirical data and regulatory clarity, and recommends future research focused on stakeholder engagement, implementation feedback, and the development of standardized ELSI frameworks for emerging spaceports.