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Re: Moon Wars: International law could let China own the moon
With commercial spaceflight (literally) launching soon, the U.S. private sector isn't the only group stepping up its space game. China just sent its 8.5-ton Tiangong-1 space station module skyward, and now the country could be poised to stake out the moon for its own.
At the 2011 International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight, aerospace entrepreneur and commercial space expert Robert Bigelow made the case that the U.S. is just resting on its lunar laurels — and China might make a big move. In the scenario, China will continue to ramp up its space program for the next ten years, a trend the country has already expressed clear interest in pursuing. Then, based on murky international space laws, China could actually take ownership of the moon — especially if it were able to defend its claim with a constant lunar human presence. Of course, the U.S. could do the same, but is limited by a tightening space budget and a much higher level of national debt.
But who does own the moon? Technically, either no one or anyone who says they do. In 1967, the United Nations published a document (Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies) declaring that space is "the province of all mankind" and can't be divvied up, according to international space law. Many space-faring countries signed onto the agreement, but some enterprising commercial groups are still in the business of "selling" parcels of the moon to private entities, claiming that space law only applies to nations.
While the broader Outer Space Treaty found wide international support (China and the U.S. included) when it was drafted, nations have been reluctant to commit to a more recent U.N. document known as the Moon Treaty (or Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies). The treaty stipulates that no state can claim sovereignty over any territory of celestial bodies, but nations like China, the U.S. and Russia are conspicuously absent. To date only 13 nations have been signed on and ratified, none of which have an established space presence.
Re: Moon Wars: International law could let China own the moon
What does it matter. Just another place for capitalists to make money.
No one should be able to own the moon, as well as water rights and other natural resources.
But yet... they do? Wonder why... it's all fixed against us.
- Randall Flagg
- Rep: 139
Re: Moon Wars: International law could let China own the moon
Look up tragedy of the commons. Someone has to maintain ownership
Re: Moon Wars: International law could let China own the moon
Would you advocate the US pulling out of the various space based treaties? Since we're more than likely already in violation in all of them, I dont see the harm in doing so. On the flip side of the coin, not withdrawing allows plausible deniability.
- Randall Flagg
- Rep: 139
Re: Moon Wars: International law could let China own the moon
Treaties really don't benefit the US. Think about it, we're really holding every nation we enter into a treaty with up. NAFTA, garbage. The US gets the shaft on that. NATO, stupid in today's world. Europe has no military to do anything, so it's the US on the hook to bail them out in the rare chance anything happened.
Karzai saying he'd back up Pakistan? Fuck him. If Obama had any balls, he'd order us out of Afghanistan within 90 days. Refuse anyone a visa coming from that area of the world unless given intense scrutiny. The smalles violation or affiliation with anti-US groups, get's them sent home on the next thing smoking.
The US should enter into temporary agreements that are beneficial to our nation. That's it. Saving starving people in the third world or bringing democracy to those who will install some oligarchy is a waste of tax dollars and American energy.
In other words, fuck em.
Re: Moon Wars: International law could let China own the moon
Agreed. Another is the ABM treaty. Seemed dangerous to withdraw from but Bush was right. He saw it for the relic that it was. Even if he hadn't done so, Putin would have eventually. A functioning SDI is an AMAZING deterrent......
