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Old July 22nd 08, 06:58 PM posted to sci.space.history,sci.space.shuttle,sci.space.policy
BradGuth
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Default United Nations 1979 Moon Treaty -- Prohitbiting themilitarization of the Moon, Mars and asteroids.

How about China taking full command over the Selene/moon L1?

- Brad Guth Brad_Guth Brad.Guth BradGuth


On Jul 22, 12:19 am, J Waggoner wrote:
Resolution 34/68.
Agreement Governing the Activities of States
on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies

The General Assembly,

United Nations logo

Reaffirming the importance of international cooperation in the field
of the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space, including the
moon and other celestial bodies, and of promoting the rule of law in
this field of human endeavour,

Recalling its resolution 27779 (XXVI) of 29 November 1971, in which it
requested the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its
Legal Sub-Committee to consider the question of the elaboration of a
draft international treaty concerning the moon, as well as its
resolutions 2915 (XXVII) of 9 November 1972, 3182 (XXVIII) of 18
December 1973, 3234 (XXIX) of 12 November 1974, 3388 (XXX) of 18
November 1975, 31/8 of 8 November 1976, 32/196 A of 20 December 1977
and 33/16 of 10 November 1978, in which it, inter alia, encouraged the
elaboration of the draft treaty relating to the moon,

Recalling, in particular, that in resolution 33/16 it endorsed the
recommendation of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
that the Legal Sub-Committee at its eighteenth session should continue
as a matter of priority its efforts to complete the draft treaty
relating to the moon,

Having considered the relevant part of the report of the Committee on
the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, in particular paragraphs 62, 63 and
65,

Noting with satisfaction that the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of
Outer Space, on the basis of the deliberations and recommendations of
the Legal Sub-Committee, has completed the text of the draft Agreement
Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial
Bodies,

Having considered the text of the draft Agreement Governing the
Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,

1. Commends the Agreement Governing the Activities of States the text
of which is annexed to the present resolution;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to open the Agreement for signature
and ratification at the earliest possible date;

3. Expresses its hope for the widest possible adherence to this
Agreement.

89th plenary meeting, 5 December 1979
Annex
Agreement Governing the Activities of States
on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies

The States Parties to this Agreement,

Noting the achievements of States in the exploration and use of the
moon and other celestial bodies,

Recognizing that the moon, as a natural satellite of the earth, has an
important role to play in the exploration of outer space,

Determined to promote on the basis of equality the further development
of co-operation among States in the exploration and use of the moon
and other celestial bodies,

Desiring to prevent the moon from becoming an area of international
conflict,

Bearing in mind the benefits which may be derived from the
exploitation of the natural resources of the moon and other celestial
bodies,

Recalling the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States
in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and
Other Celestial Bodies, the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the
Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer
Space, the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by
Space Objects, and the Convention on Registration of Objects Launched
into Outer Space,

Taking into account the need to define and develop the provisions of
these international instruments in relation to the moon and other
celestial bodies, having regard to further progress in the exploration
and use of outer space,

Have agreed on the following:
Article 1

1. The provisions of this Agreement relating to the moon shall also
apply to other celestial bodies within the solar system, other than
the earth, except in so far as specific legal norms enter into force
with respect to any of these celestial bodies.

2. For the purposes of this Agreement reference to the moon shall
include orbits around or other trajectories to or around it.

3. This Agreement does not apply to extraterrestrial materials which
reach the surface of the earth by natural means.
Article 2

All activities on the moon, including its exploration and use, shall
be carried out in accordance with international law, in particular the
Charter of the United Nations, and taking into account the Declaration
on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and
Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United
Nations, adopted by the General Assembly on 24 October 1970, in the
interests of maintaining international peace and security and
promoting international co-operation and mutual understanding, and
with due regard to the corresponding interests of all other States
Parties.
Article 3

1. The moon shall be used by all States Parties exclusively for
peaceful purposes.

2. Any threat or use of force or any other hostile act or threat of
hostile act on the moon is prohibited. It is likewise prohibited to
use the moon in order to commit any such act or to engage in any such
threat in relation to the earth, the moon, spacecraft, the personnel
of spacecraft or man-made space objects.

3. States Parties shall not place in orbit around or other trajectory
to or around the moon objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other
kinds of weapons of mass destruction or place or use such weapons on
or in the moon.

4. The establishment of military bases, installation and
fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of
military manoeuvres on the moon shall be forbidden. The use of
military personnel for scientific research or for any other peaceful
purposes shall not be prohibited. The use of any equipment or facility
necessary for peaceful exploration and use of the moon shall also not
be prohibited.
Article 4

1. The exploration and use of the moon shall be the province of all
mankind and shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests
of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or
scientific development. Due regard shall be paid to the interests of
present and future generations as well as to the need to promote
higher standards of living and conditions of economic and social
progress and development in accordance with the Charter of the United
Nations.

2. States Parties shall be guided by the principle of co-operation and
mutual assistance in all their activities concerning the exploration
and use of the moon. International co-operation in pursuance of this
Agreement should be as wide as possible and may take place on a
multilateral basis, on a bilateral basis or through international
intergovernmental organizations.
Article 5

1. State Parties shall inform the Secretary-General of the United
Nations as well as the public and the international scientific
community, to the greatest extent feasible and practicable, of their
activities concerned with the exploration and use of the moon.
Information on the time, purposes, locations, orbital parameters and
duration shall be given in respect of each mission to the moon as soon
as possible after launching, while information on the results of each
mission, including scientific results, shall be furnished upon
completion of the mission. In the case of a mission lasting more than
thirty days, information on conduct of the mission, including any
scientific results, shall be given periodically at thirty days'
intervals. For missions lasting more than six months, only significant
additions to such information need be reported thereafter.

2. If a State Party becomes aware that another State Party plans to
operate simultaneously in the same area of or in the same orbit around
or trajectory to or around the moon, it shall promptly inform the
other State of the timing of and plans for its own operations.

3. In carrying out activities under this Agreement, States Parties
shall promptly inform the Secretary-General, as well as the public and
the international scientific community, of any phenomena they discover
in outer space, including the moon, which could endanger human life or
health, as well as of any indication of organic life.
Article 6

1. There shall be freedom of scientific investigation on the moon by
all States Parties without discrimination of any kind, on the basis of
equality and in accordance with international law.

2. In carrying out scientific investigations and in furtherance of the
provisions of this Agreement, the States Parties shall have the right
to collect on and remove from the moon samples of its mineral and
other substances. Such samples shall remain at the disposal of those
States Parties which caused them to be collected and may be used by
them for scientific purposes. States Parties shall have regard to the
desirability of making a portion of such samples available to other
interested States Parties and the international scientific community
for scientific investigation. States Parties may in the course of
scientific investigations also use mineral and other substances of the
moon in quantities appropriate for the support of their missions.

3. States Parties agree on the desirability of exchanging scientific
and other personnel on expeditions to or installations on the moon to
the greatest extent feasible and practicable.
Article 7

1. In exploring and using the moon, States Parties shall take measures
to prevent the disruption of the existing balance of its environment
whether by introducing adverse changes in that environment, by its
harmful contamination through the introduction of extra-environmental
matter or otherwise. States Parties shall also take measures to avoid
harmfully affecting the environment of the earth through the
introduction of extraterrestrial matter or otherwise.

2. States Parties shall inform the Secretary-General of the United
Nations of the measures being adopted by them in accordance with
paragraph 1 of this article and shall also, to the maximum extent
feasible, notify him in ...

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