United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UN-OOSA)

Astromart ^ | 10/18/2004 | Paul Walsh

[Nick Danger]

Outer Space Affairs

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just go to some low-rent motel?

[King Prout]

ferengi
or andorians

[King Prout]

not if your leches run to slaves of the green animal-woman persuasion

[jriemer]

Per Treaty, the US must regulate private space enterprises originating on its territory.

That's fine for private space enterprises that originate from US terra firma; however, one company has been launching satellites beyond the twelve-mile limit where US laws (or anyone else's) do not apply.

So much for pesky domestic space regulations.

[festus]

"Office for Outer Space Affairs"

No wonder Bill wants to run the place. Thats about the only spot he hasn't had an affair yet.......

[boris]

"There are four things I don't want the UN to touch.. Our country, our military, space, and the oceans."

But the rest of the world is fair game?

--Boris

[boris]

"So much for pesky domestic space regulations."

Are you aware that Sea Launch has announced that up to half their launches will be from Baikonur? As an ex-Navy guy told me, "whatever you do in the ocean costs twice as much as doing it on land."

Sea Launch is a stupid, money-losing, anti-American program, and I hope the entire lousy thing sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

--Boris

[boris]

"So much for pesky domestic space regulations."

Are you aware that Sea Launch has announced that up to half their launches will be from Baikonur? As an ex-Navy guy told me, "whatever you do in the ocean costs twice as much as doing it on land."

Sea Launch is a stupid, money-losing, anti-American program, and I hope the entire lousy thing sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

--Boris

[boris]

Sorry for the double-post.

[Truthsayer20]

"Now that corporations / individuals have a self-sufficient manned space program, that cannot be permited without some level of governmental and / or UN interference."

They have? SpaceShipOne does not come close to providing orbital access which is a whole different ballgame.

[jriemer]

I was just pointing out that there are companies with the ability can avoid the "land use" tax by launching from the ocean even if it is initially more expensive. In the future, there maybe a point were Russia, French Guiana or other launch site countries may increase the "departure fee" or want more say in operations as those governments want more money for the use of their dirt.

Certainly When the UN starts regulating private space enterprise more so than America, it won't matter where on the globe you shoot the moon.

[jriemer]

They have? SpaceShipOne does not come close to providing orbital access which is a whole different ballgame.

SpaceShipOne is on par with the Freedom 7 phase of the Mercury project. It is not designed as an orbital craft; however, it still a manned spaced program.

Since 1990, The Pegasus commercial rocket system has been building a niche for small satellite launches over the ocean via an air-launched rocket.
Pegasus
Upcoming Pegasus launch info

[RightWhale]

Such operations are fine as far as they go. But, there isn't much business in the open ocean. The market is in the city and there they have you totally regulated. Besides that, a businessman might want to have the protection of the country's military against pirates at least. Sea Launch mainly goes for equatorial launch to get the maximum gain for payload. Sea Launch is not a major contender for space business, but even if it were it must have a land base somewhere; the rockets come from somewhere; the staff lives somewhere.

The Partners:
Boeing Commercial Space Company, Seattle, Washington, USA
Aker Kvaerner, Oslo, Norway
RSC-Energia, Moscow, Russia
SDO Yuzhnoye/PO Yuzhmash, Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine

Hardly independent of national interests. These are some of the signatories to the UN Outer Space Treaty.

[coconutt2000]

Pretty much. Without our country, our military, space and ocean resources... The UN has nothing but a bunch of dictatorships, pansies and banana republics.

[monkapotamus]

Just had a sudden vision of residents of future space colonies declaring independence, no taxation without representation, etc. It'll happen.