Lawyers In Space... 553
colonist writes "The Christian Science Monitor presents an interesting overview of space law. Some want space to be shared by all: 'Outer space is a province of all mankind. There is not, and should not be, any privatization of outer space. It is a common thing that should belong to all.' Some people have claimed parts of the moon or Mars. In response, a lawyer has claimed the sun, 'to show how ridiculous a property-rights system in outer space would be if it were based solely on claims unsubstantiated by any actual possession.' The Space Settlement Initiative wants official recognition of land claims made by those who establish human settlements on the moon or Mars."
Re:Star Registry (Score:4, Informative)
Re:So can I sue (Score:3, Informative)
This is as opposed to the damage done by his rays, of course. You're legally obligated to not harm people by emissions from your property (shelling the neighbors is always considered a bad thing)
"May 06, 2002" ?!?!?! (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Use the historic model (Score:3, Informative)
Claiming something without the ability to take possesion is a waste of oxygen, something lawyers are good at.
Which is why a cursory skimming of the article will show you that the lawyer who claimed the sun did so to demonstrate that a claim without possession is stupid. This guy didn't claim the sun to try and make money -- he did it to prove a point.
The Space Settlement initiative (the other link in the parent) does have some interesting ideas in this arena, attempting to generate a space race to be the first to squat and claim real estate, and then be able to resell it back on Earth.
Reminds me of Antarctica... (Score:5, Informative)
Of course, the treaties around Antarctica would all go to pot if say, something like massive deposits of fuel oil or some other extremely profitable venture were discovered there...
It's safe to say the same about space, too.
Re:Your Sig (OT) (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Headline dissappointed me.... (Score:5, Informative)
I never said someone who studied law shouldn't be allowed to make it, I said someone who is/was recently a lawyer shouldn't be allowed to go into public office.
Science Fiction anticipates... (Score:4, Informative)
Claiming bodies in space.
Claiming space, itself. (sans bodies)
First, a relevant boot was (ISTR) "Inherit the Stars" by Po?l, (Poul Anderson for Frederick Pohl) about the crew of the first (generation-style) starship trying to write a history for their future children, to understand their roots. The rest of the book was a series of vignettes in that frame. Many had legal ramificatons, one in particular was appropriate.
It was about Earth, the Asteroid Republic, and the inhabitants of Vesta. The folks on Vesta felt like members of the Asteroid Republic, and acted that way. But technically, the (leading?) Trojans belonged to Earth, and Vesta was part of that group. So Earth wanted to 'enforce it's rights' and the Vestans weren't happy.
*SPOILER*
They got Earth to see how much easier it would be to ship raw materials off Vesta if it was outside the Trojan's gravity well. So they built a mass engine to change the asteroid's orbit, slightly. As soon as the orbit changed, they were no longer in the Trojans, so no longer part of Earth. Their application to join the Asteroid Republic had already been prepared and submitted, and was quickly granted.
This particular asteroid, being part of the Trojans, was defined by its orbit. Change the orbit, change the asteroid, effectively.
To a more real case - Arthur C. Clarke.
He figured out the concept of geosynchronous orbit. In these days, he could/would have patented it. Perhaps in past/future days he would have claimed it, and tried to rent it out.
IMHO, some form of property rights are necessary in order to move into space. It does no good to do the hard work of improving a place, or even access to that particular space, only to have someone else jump in, claiming 'no property rights in space!' Reward for effort and investment is deserved. Mere gatekeepers are not. Sounds like IP Law.
I have little confidence in Space Property Rights being developed with any more sanity that IP Law.
Re:When did the Communists take over outer space? (Score:3, Informative)
Hmm...perusing the manifests of the ships does betray a lot of long range thinking such as 'How am I going to survive through the winter on several pairs of shoes'. The Pilgrims were overconfident and failed to bring goods enough to survive. Later they achieved trading with natives (remember those?) and managed to bootstrap their colony into existence.
Your daft explanation tends to assume that there was a system of currency that meant a damn, when right from the 1640s, bartering was the commerical method of choice.
"Preventing private property rights in space will provide no incentive to develop it."
This I agree with, but only based on the ability to exploit the property rather than just allowing a vast mineral rights landgrab.
"roll out like America's Western expansion."
And pray that the interstellar sioux aren't belligerent in the face of a human scourge? Hopefully they don't have a system of ownership or it could get messy.
Re:Headline dissappointed me.... (Score:4, Informative)
Hmmm...
Cleaner Water.
Clener Air.
Safer drug distibution (no more snake oil salemen)
The 40 hour work week (employment law).
Automobile and Highway safety standards.
Regulation of the Markets (The SEC is actually prosecuting Enron executives).
Banking and Finance Regulation (no more economic depressions with 25% unemployment).
Better education (well, at least the literacy rate is higher).
Longer life span (the NIH is researching cures to many diseases).
Yeah, nothing good comes out of government. Let's go back to the old days, where corruption ruled in Tammany Hall, there were "runs" on the banks, and the corporate trusts could destroy the individual.
How many cubic light years do you need? (Score:3, Informative)
Excuse me, but isn't there enough [hubblesite.org] for everybody?
(All of this is pie in the sky anyway until we have better space transportation.)