Posted on 02/04/2015 8:49:24 AM PST by Jack Hydrazine
It's very early days, but the US government is apparently looking to encourage commercial development of the moon, offering to assist investment by helping companies to claim territory through existing space launch licensing. According to Reuters, which has spied related documents, the Federal Aviation Administration state that it intends to "leverage the FAA's existing launch licensing authority to encourage private sector investments in space systems by ensuring that commercial activities can be conducted." The letter to Bigelow Aerospace could mean that the company's inflatable living spaces and other structures built or established on the moon could confer exclusive rights to that territory - possibly even extending to mining and exploration.
That said, the letter also mentions that the US State department was already worried that the current framework was "ill-equipped" to follow what the government agreed to in the UN's Outer Space treaty way back in 1967. The treaty requires countries to both authorize and supervise any non-governmental activities occurring in space: it also prohibits nation claims to celestial bodies and demand that anything occurring out there (including on the Moon) should benefit call countries.
"We didn't give [Bigelow Aerospace] a license to land on the moon. We're talking about a payload review that would potentially be part of a future launch license request. But it served a purpose of documenting a serious proposal for a U.S. company to engage in this activity that has high-level policy implications," said the letter's author, George Nield, associate administrator for the FAA's Office of Commercial Transportation.
"It just means that somebody else isn't licensed to land on top of you or land on top of where exploration and prospecting activities are going on." - Robert Bigelow
Issues including lunar property and mineral rights still need to be resolved, internationally. Company founder Robert Bigelow told Reuters that the FAA's decision "doesn't mean that there's ownership of the moon". "It just means that somebody else isn't licensed to land on top of you or land on top of where exploration and prospecting activities are going on."
what sort of Pricing have they decided on??
Did they get God to deed the land over to them?.../s
They’re going to have a conflict with China ... in terms of recognizing those rights.
Name it and claim it, blab it and grab it!
Ive got a crazy idea. How about we restrict the US governments legal authority to THIS planet only?
Considering how insane the Feds have become I certainly agree!
In addition... if you ACT TODAY... you will also receive an Authentic Revrunt Al Sharpton..Prayer Cloth!
The fact that the FAA “lets” anyone do anything on the moon is a real problem.
Homer Hickam is right. NASA should be a subversive agency supporting the rebellion against Earth.
If I get to the moon, I do anything I please. Try to sue me or prosecute me and watch the jurisdictional appeal.
what business is it of the government what is done off world? are they usurping the universe now?
I thought the moon was the equivalent of international waters.
But I could be wrong.
FAA can hold muh beer and watch me.
SCORE AGAIN!!!! LOL
My single favorite Heinlein novel addresses this issue - The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress. It will be the Loonies who make the call one day, and they'll be the ones with the right to.
Space ping.
Will We Never Return to the Moon?
AGREEMENT GOVERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF STATES ON THE MOON AND OTHER CELESTIAL BODIES is toxic to investment.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1168932/posts
You're way too late on that one. The Moon is the legal possession of "all mankind." Socialism is guaranteed by treaty.
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