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takyon writes:

NASA's 'Artemis Accords' set forth new and old rules for outer space cooperation

NASA's plan to return to the Moon is ambitious enough on its own, but the agency is aiming to modernize international cooperation in space in the process. Today it published a summary of the "Artemis Accords," a new set of voluntary guidelines that partner nations and organizations are invited to join to advance the cause of exploration and industry globally.

Having no national affiliation or sovereignty of its own, space is by definition lawless. So these are not so much space laws as shared priorities given reasonably solid form. Many nations already take part in a variety of agreements and treaties, but the progress of space exploration (and soon, colonization and mining, among other things) has outpaced much of that structure. A fresh coat of paint is overdue and NASA has decided to take up the brush.

[...] First, the rules that could be considered new. NASA and partner nations agree to:

• Publicly describe policies and plans in a transparent manner.
• Publicly provide location and general nature of operations to create "Safety Zones" and avoid conflicts.
• Use international open standards, develop new such standards if necessary and support interoperability as far as is practical.
• Release scientific data publicly in a full and timely manner.
• Protect sites and artifacts with historic value. (For example, Apollo program landing sites, which have no real lawful protection.)
• Plan for the mitigation of orbital debris, including safe and timely disposal of end-of-life spacecraft.

Also at The Verge, Ars Technica, and Reuters.

Original Submission