1) The process by which corporations, governments and individuals promote the development of space technologies and programs to
mask extractive and exploitative
industrial practices, distract attention from social, environmental or economic problems, and/or to gain financial, military or political advantage.
2) Sending our dirty
laundry to space.
cf: greenwashing
The
race between
Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos is at best a dick measuring contest and at worst spacewashing of the first order - it leverages
science fictions to hide corporate greed and military interests, whilst simultaneously distracting us from the imminent environmental collapse of the Earth.