During the Cold War, the possibility of countries claiming territory on the moon or other planets was considered realistic enough that the 1967 Outer Space Treaty was enacted to prevent it. Washington is wearing blinders, though, if it thinks this piece of paper will prevent a Chinese lunar land grab. And if China is tempted to seize some territory, such a move would surely be a game-changer for international security. A new realm of competition beyond Earth's orbit would alter great-power politics back home as dramatically as the 1957 launch of Sputnik spurred the Soviet-American race to the moon in the first place. Read more
Ed ~ Article may contain propaganda.
China's space program catalysed by US technology blockade
Plans to mine minerals on celestial bodies could violate many aspects of international space law Should asteroids rich in precious metals be regarded, in legal terms, like the fish in the sea? That is one approach the United Nations could take as it struggles to come to terms with mining plans announced by Planetary Resources, a start-up company based in Seattle. Read more
The Outer Space Treaty, formally the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, is a treaty that forms the basis of international space law. The treaty was opened for signature in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union on January 27, 1967, and entered into force on October 10, 1967. As of October 2011, 100 countries are states parties to the treaty, while another 26 have signed the treaty but have not completed ratification. Read more
Why is it so difficult to motivate politicians to appropriate sufficient money to explore space? The current space exploration effort, which is supposed to return astronaut explorers to the Moon by 2020, was been short changed by President George W. Bush from the moment he proposed it in 2004. Indications are, especially in the wake of proposals by the Augustine Committee, are that President Obama will do the same, but more so, abandoning the Moon goal to visit an asteroid. Read more