Posted on 12/26/2002 4:49:04 PM PST by Brett66
Transorbital Announces Successful Moon Test Launch
Now Ready for Routine Moon Travel in October 2003
SAN DIEGO -TransOrbital, Inc and International Space company (ICS)Kosmotras today announced a "perfect launch" of TransOrbital's "Trailblazer" satellite at 8pm Russian time. The launch represents a major milestone in TransOrbitals much -anticipated routine lunar delivery service.
Today's launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan of the "Trailblazer" into low Earth orbit was pronounced a total success by TransOrbital president Dennis Laurie. The mission was designed to test rocket separation, downlink telemetry, spacecraft orientation and mass properties in preparation for the formal lunar launch.
Vladimir A Andreev, Director General of ICS Kosmotras said "We are excited about teaming with TransOrbital's first commercial development of the Moon. ICS Kosmotras Dnepr LV SS-18 ICBM provides a proven cost effective technology for lunar launches.
TransOrbital is on target to begin routine Moon travel starting in October 2003. Laurie stated "Significant commercial demand exists for high definition (HD) video, lunar mapping, data storage, scientific research, communications, and data archiving. Many corporate marketers see their products associated with the first commercial missions to the Moon".
"Additionally, there is worldwide demand from private citizens to send personal items such as photographs, legal documents, business cards, burial ashes, and jewelry to the Moon"
TransOrbital is the first and onnly commercial company licensed by the U.S. Department of State, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) for private sector flights to the Moon.
Sir Arthur C. Clarke noted visionary and renowned writer praised todays mission and commented "all good wishes on TransOrbital's successful TrailBlazer launch"
Support for the Trailblazer program has been provided by a number of companies including Lunar Enterprise Corporation and Space Age Publishing
TransOrbital, Inc. is a privately owned supplier of aerospace design, analysis and launch services. Established in 1998, TransOrbital is the first company of its kind authorized by the U. S. government to photograph, explore and land on the lunar surface. The 2003 Trailblazer spacecraft's primary mission is to return HDTV video and other multimedia content from lunar orbit to market as commercial products, as well as the delivery of both personal and commercial cargo to the moon.
About International Space Company (ICS) Kosmotras (www.kosmotras.com/ru) ICS Kosmotras is a private supplier of launch vehicles. ICS Kosmotras provides launch vehicles for many companies and countries around the world.
ICS Kosmotras activities under the Dnepr program are covered by special decrees by both the Russian and Ukrainian governments. The Dnepr LV is the worlds most powerful SS-18 ICBM. Unique for a light class launch vehicle, the Dnepr is able to deliver 3,500 - 4000 kg of payload into low earth orbit.
Of course, your opinion of Constitutional law is worth exactly what someone else is willing to pay for it: ziltch. And you had previously stated elsewhere that possession of child pornography should be perfectly legal, by the way.
Is it? Yes.
Should it be? No.
Government has the right to regulate corporations located within government boundaries.
No, it doesn't.
You can take your own gear there and bring it back. You can collect data. You can build a lunar hotel for tourists out of your own materials. You might be able to collect moon rocks for analysis. But you can't use celestial materials to build things, not asteroid mining, not Martian water, nothing like that.
That simply isn't so. I don't know why you continue to repeat it. There is nothing in the OST to prevent that.All All it prevents is claims of national sovereignty
It is true if you are an individual under the laws of your state. Free us from this Babylonian captivity!
No, it isn't. There is nothing in the treaty preventing me from mining the Moon. It only prohibits the US from declaring it to be US territory. Please cite the relevant part of the treaty to back up your mistaken assertion.
For example, if you bring back moon rocks to sell as trinkets, you will get no further than the three who ripped the moon rocks from NASA.
Check with D. D. Harriman (The Man Who Sold the Moon, R. A. Hainlein, somtime in the 50's).
Nonsense. Many have done so, and even sell the deeds. They are still walking free, as far as I know.
You can't own any part of a celestial body. You are out of business as far as celestial bodiies are concerned.
You don't have to own a body to mine it.
For example, if you bring back moon rocks to sell as trinkets, you will get no further than the three who ripped the moon rocks from NASA.
Nonsense. They were charged with stealing government property, not with mining the moon. There is no US law to prevent them from doing so, and no one would be charged if they did.
Why do you want so badly to believe this myth? You continue to fail to cite anything in the OST to support your mistaken position. Can you cite a single expert in space law who will agree with you?
Quit-claim deeds only and not recorded in any land office in the country of any Treaty signatory on earth. You buy the deed, you have bought only their interest in the land := NOTHING.
So? What's your point? According to you, they should be in jail. They made a claim.
Details are important in land law. Years of experience are necessary to gain a working knowledge of land law.
That's pretty funny, coming from someone who can't even provide a cite or precedent for his absurd claims.
If you don't care to discuss the issue, fine. The only cite in this case is that the company has a license to walk on the moon. Not to mine it.
I have been discussing it.
The only cite in this case is that the company has a license to walk on the moon. Not to mine it.
Which doesn't mean they couldn't get one if they wanted it. It also doesn't mean that they need one. You still fail to provide any cite, from the treaty or case law, to indicate that they do.
They want it. They can't get it. The US can't issue a license to develop celestial resources. The company can't develop celestial resources without a license.
Regardless of how many times you repeat this, it's not true, and no one will take it seriously until you provide some legal basis for it.
Why has no one tried it?
1. Technology is barely at the point where discussions become meaningful.
2. Funding is unavailable. Lenders won't touch it. Lenders need some proof of ownership, and you can't claim a celestial body and so have no ownership.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.