Answer:
Space exploration is motivated by scientific curiosity and discovery. In recent years, space exploration has been scaled up through government agencies as well as through private companies and commercial space exploration looks like an immediate possibility.
However, commercial space exploration has various ethical implications, such as:

• Consequentialism: Space exploration would require a lot of resources and the outcome of such commercial space exploration is still not established. The resources could have been used for human development and welfare of the Earth.
• Uneven distribution of benefits: Benefits of space exploration and development will be accrued to those countries that have the resources to finance such commercial space exploration and underdeveloped and poor countries will remain behind in accessing resources and getting benefits in this regard.
• Space privatization: Privatization of space exploration might result in the polarization of space research and formation of an oligopoly in space. Instead of being industry-wide, growth can become lop-sided and biased. Also, absence of a government which provides a firm sense of accountability for space projects might be detrimental.
• Ecocide in outer space: Ecocide means mass damage and destruction of an ecosystem which is widespread, severe or systematic. Deliberate release of space debris and human activities will lead to damage, which will impact the future generations and their prospects of life on Earth.
  • It might lead to contamination of other terrestrial bodies with biomatter from the Earth and vice-versa. The results of such contamination are still unknown.
• Policy and legal issues: As outer space becomes commercialized and crowded, the current multilateral framework may become obsolete and can lead to disputes and issues of emerging nature.

However, commercial exploration must also be assessed in the light of economic endeavours, profits and proliferation of the industry. It will enhance innovation and advancement of scientific research and technology, which will potentially improve the quality of life. In the light of prospective benefits and ethical issues, mankind has to decide on the future of space exploration by drawing a balance between benefits to be accrued from it and its harmful consequences.