Samantha Harvey’s Orbital (2024) presents the thoughtful reimagining of humanity through the surprising spatial setting of the International station. The novel is structured around the sixteen orbits of Earth within a single day. The novel has not traditional plot-driven narration which always occurs in favour of lyrical observation, philosophical introspection and meditative attitude. It relocated the human consciousness out of terrestrial boundaries. Harvey, through his narration, invites the scholars and critics towards the novel to re-evaluate agency, human identity, and responsibility in the present world. This research paper evaluates how Orbital forms the concepts of humanity with the help of the interrelated themes of collective consciousness, spatial distancing, ecological awareness and existential vulnerability. Harvey in his book crosses the political borders and nationalist identities, foregrounding humanity as a shared planetary presence rather than a disjointed grouping of competing nations. She depicted cooperative life aboard the International space station. The novel presents the microcosm of earth where human societies’ features of interdependence, restraint and responsibility are needed to live at space stations. On the basis of ecocritical theory, humanistic ethics and posthumanist philosophy, this study explains that Harvey reframes humanity not as a governing planetary force but as a breakable and morally responsible type rooted within delicate ecological systems. The novel focuses on the environmental fragility, memory and affective experiences. These issues locate humanity within the wider context of the Anthropocene. It also focuses on the concerns of human action on planetary life. Orbital promotes a re-established planetary consciousness grounded in care, cooperation, attentiveness, and humility, offering a quiet yet urgent ethical vision for thinking humanity’s place in the cosmos.
Dr. Bharat Shamarao Sakate (2026) studied this question.