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Could corporations control territory in space? Under new US rules, it might be possible:
First, the Artemis Accords go beyond simply rejecting the unpopular 1979 Moon Agreement, which declared lunar resources to be the "common heritage of mankind" and committed parties to establish an international regime to oversee space mining. Only 18 countries have signed the treaty.
In its place, the accords envisage a US-centric framework of bilateral agreements in which "partner nations" agree to follow US-drafted rules.
Second, the accords introduce the concept of "safety zones" around lunar operations.
Although territorial claims in space are prohibited under international law, these safety zones would seek to protect commercial and scientific sites from inadvertent collisions and other forms of "harmful interference". What kinds of conduct could count as harmful interference remains to be determined.
Previously:
(2020-06-02) Third European Service Module for Artemis Mission to Land Astronauts on the Moon
(2020-05-16) NASA Wants Partner Nations to Agree to "Artemis Accords" for Lunar Exploration
(2020-03-12) CoronaVirus (SARS-CoV-2) Roundup 2020-03-12
(2018-07-22) Who Owns The Moon? A Space Lawyer Answers
(2018-03-07) China to Recruit Civilian Astronauts, Partner With Russia on Upcoming Missions
(2018-01-09) Russia Assembles Engineering Group for Lunar Activities and the Deep Space Gateway
(2017-10-18) Bigelow and ULA to Put Inflatable Module in Orbit Around the Moon by 2022
(2015-11-26) Who Owns Space? USA's Asteroid-Mining Act is Dangerous and Potentially Illegal
Robert Heinlein explored the notion in a novel. Does the future of space exploration lie with governments or corporations?
(Score: 2) by BsAtHome on Wednesday June 03 2020, @07:04PM (2 children)
Please note: I already have claimed all of the Andromeda galaxy. Please do not trespass. Entering without authorization will result in singularity attacks and gamma-ray bursts to keep you at an appropriate distance of at least a few thousand lightyears.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Thursday June 04 2020, @12:54PM
What about the people who are already there?
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Friday June 05 2020, @09:54PM
Ah. Very good to meet you! I am the taxation official for galactic entities in the Local Group. Please remit your current back taxes in arrears of 6.8 quadrillion Quatloos immediately. Failure to do so may result in repossession or string displacement to render all the atoms of your galaxy to their quantum particle states. This is your final notice, and we expect your payment by hyperloop transfer to Frogstar B in 36 Rels. Thanks, and have a nice day!
This sig for rent.