On Fri, 19 Jan 2007 15:39:39 -0600, Rand Simberg wrote
(in article ):

On 19 Jan 2007 13:35:31 -0800, in a place far, far away, "Ed Kyle"
made the phosphor on my monitor glow in such a
way as to indicate that:

They wouldn't be any more liable than the U.S. for the two Delta
stages that fragmented and created clouds of debris in LEO last
year. Or Japan for its H-2A upper stage that blew up last year.
Or Russia, which blew up a Kosmos satellite in LEO late last
year.

It's interesting that there's no distinction made between accidents
and a deliberate act.

I think the liability would be the same either way.

Yes, but as I said, it's interesting. In a civil case, a deliberate
act would carry a higher penalty, perhaps with punitive damages.

Don't play lawyer, Rand. In civil cases, the factors to be considered in
awarding punitive damages vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and the
intent of the actor is but one factor to consider.


--
You can run on for a long time,
Sooner or later, God'll cut you down.
~Johnny Cash