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Moon Laws



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 7th 07, 01:53 PM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
Space Cadet[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 99
Default Moon Laws

Hi All
Got this email from a friend of mine:

Hi all, I am working on a new lesson for my second graders focusing on Moon Laws. If YOU were given the task of creating a constitution, laws, bill of rights for people in a future lunar colony what would YOU include? I'd love to have your input! Thanks,


My first thought is that doesn't the OST say or at least imply that
the country that launches an object/probe/spacecraft is responsible
for said object? And whatever rule of law applies to that country
would apply to said object?
Even if you would go with a privately funded moon colony. That
company would be based on some nation on Earth, and whatever laws
apply to that country would apply to the colony?
What about an international colony, would it be the country that funds
most of the colony? Or do international laws/treaties apply hear?
What is the setup for ISS?


Just my $0.02

Space Cadet

derwetzelsDASHspacecadetATyahooDOTcom


Moon Society - St. Louis Chapter

http://www.moonsociety.org/chapters/stlouis/

The Moon Society is a non-profit educational and
scientific foundation formed to further scientific
study and development of the moon.

  #2  
Old October 7th 07, 07:40 PM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
Logan Kearsley
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 14
Default Moon Laws

"Space Cadet" wrote in message
ps.com...
Hi All
Got this email from a friend of mine:

Hi all, I am working on a new lesson for my second graders focusing on
Moon Laws. If YOU were given the task of creating a constitution, laws,
bill of rights for people in a future lunar colony what would YOU
include? I'd love to have your input! Thanks,


My first thought is that doesn't the OST say or at least imply that
the country that launches an object/probe/spacecraft is responsible
for said object? And whatever rule of law applies to that country
would apply to said object?
Even if you would go with a privately funded moon colony. That
company would be based on some nation on Earth, and whatever laws
apply to that country would apply to the colony?


Yes, but... that doesn't mean that the people living in the colony have to
agree with the Earthlings who signed that treaty. They could just declare
themselves soveriegn and say "*we* never signed the OST, so bugger off". Or,
if they don't form an independent nation, there's still nothing to stop the
originating nation from passing new space-specific laws different from those
that operate in their territory on Earth.

What about an international colony, would it be the country that funds
most of the colony? Or do international laws/treaties apply hear?
What is the setup for ISS?


-l.
------------------------------------
My inbox is a sacred shrine, none shall enter that are not worthy.


  #3  
Old October 7th 07, 08:19 PM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
BradGuth
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 21,544
Default Moon Laws

On Oct 7, 11:40 am, "Logan Kearsley"
wrote:
"Space Cadet" wrote in message

ps.com...

Hi All
Got this email from a friend of mine:


Hi all, I am working on a new lesson for my second graders focusing on
Moon Laws. If YOU were given the task of creating a constitution, laws,
bill of rights for people in a future lunar colony what would YOU
include? I'd love to have your input! Thanks,


My first thought is that doesn't the OST say or at least imply that
the country that launches an object/probe/spacecraft is responsible
for said object? And whatever rule of law applies to that country
would apply to said object?
Even if you would go with a privately funded moon colony. That
company would be based on some nation on Earth, and whatever laws
apply to that country would apply to the colony?


Yes, but... that doesn't mean that the people living in the colony have to
agree with the Earthlings who signed that treaty. They could just declare
themselves soveriegn and say "*we* never signed the OST, so bugger off". Or,
if they don't form an independent nation, there's still nothing to stop the
originating nation from passing new space-specific laws different from those
that operate in their territory on Earth.


China and possily a small share dominated by India will most likely be
in charge of that moon and of its L1. Get used to it.

If we're lucky and being nice for a change, our NASA might get a
tethered access (for a fee paid to China) to utilize the moon's L2.
- Brad Guth -

  #4  
Old October 8th 07, 12:45 PM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
Space Cadet[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 99
Default Moon Laws

On Oct 7, 1:40 pm, "Logan Kearsley" wrote:
Yes, but... that doesn't mean that the people living in the colony have to
agree with the Earthlings who signed that treaty. They could just declare
themselves soveriegn and say "*we* never signed the OST, so bugger off". Or,
if they don't form an independent nation, there's still nothing to stop the
originating nation from passing new space-specific laws different from those
that operate in their territory on Earth.


-l.
------------------------------------
My inbox is a sacred shrine, none shall enter that are not worthy.


I'm guessing, who their Sovereignecy(sp) be reconized by anyone
else? Since the formation of the UN, has there be a case of a former
colony declaring itself independence? What mechanisms are in place at
the UN to reconize a new country. The only new country that comes
mind off the top of my head is Israel and there has been 'some'
controversy over its formation ;^)
I don't see any problem with Laws that are specific to life on a
colony, like maybe an Air/Oxygen/life support tax, thou I could see a
few that might become controversal back home, like for a Lunar colony
to become more selfsufficent it might decide to legalize the growing
of hemp for all its useful by products. Also maybe to increase
tourism, some intrepid explorer(s) might discover that zero gee sex is
overrated and Lunar gravity is where its at! ;^)

Just my $0.02

Space Cadet

derwetzelsDASHspacecadetATyahooDOTcom


Moon Society - St. Louis Chapter

http://www.moonsociety.org/chapters/stlouis/

The Moon Society is a non-profit educational and
scientific foundation formed to further scientific
study and development of the moon.


  #5  
Old October 8th 07, 04:03 PM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
Logan Kearsley[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Moon Laws

"Space Cadet" wrote in message
ps.com...
On Oct 7, 1:40 pm, "Logan Kearsley" wrote:
Yes, but... that doesn't mean that the people living in the colony have
to
agree with the Earthlings who signed that treaty. They could just declare
themselves soveriegn and say "*we* never signed the OST, so bugger off".
Or,
if they don't form an independent nation, there's still nothing to stop
the
originating nation from passing new space-specific laws different from
those
that operate in their territory on Earth.


-l.
------------------------------------
My inbox is a sacred shrine, none shall enter that are not worthy.


I'm guessing, who their Sovereignecy(sp) be reconized by anyone
else? Since the formation of the UN, has there be a case of a former
colony declaring itself independence? What mechanisms are in place at
the UN to reconize a new country. The only new country that comes
mind off the top of my head is Israel and there has been 'some'
controversy over its formation ;^)


Why does it matter if the UN recognizes them?
OK, sure, it might be a practical problem if they get reconquered, or if
they need things from Earth and no one will supply them. But even then, they
could be effectively independent for, oh, probably a week, at least.

-l.
------------------------------------
My inbox is a sacred shrine, none shall enter that are not worthy.


  #6  
Old October 10th 07, 04:34 AM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
Janne Tuukkanen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 14
Default Moon Laws

Since the formation of the UN, has there be a case of a former
colony declaring itself independence? What mechanisms are in place at
the UN to reconize a new country. The only new country that comes
mind off the top of my head is Israel and there has been 'some'
controversy over its formation ;^)


Small world you have. Here is a few more from

http://geography.about.com/od/lists/...endenceday.htm

Most of these are former colonies. The Mandate of Palestine
(which later became Israel and Jordan) wasn't strictly
speaking "a colony", but something League of Nations put
together after the collapse of Ottoman Empire.

Btw, UN doesn't recognize countries. Individual member
states do. But becoming member of UN you need both General
Assembly and Security Council approval.

August 15, 1945 - Korea, North
August 15, 1945 - Korea, South
August 17, 1945 - Indonesia
Sept. 2, 1945 - Vietnam
April 17, 1946 - Syria
May 25, 1946 - Jordan
August 14, 1947 - Pakistan
August 15, 1947 - India
January 4, 1948 - Burma
February 4, 1948 - Sri Lanka
May 14, 1948 - Israel
July 19, 1949 - Laos
August 8, 1949 - Bhutan
December 24, 1951 - Libya
November 9, 1953 - Cambodia
January 1, 1956 - Sudan
March 2, 1956 - Morocco
March 20, 1956 - Tunisia
March 6, 1957 - Ghana
August 31, 1957 - Malaysia
October 2, 1958 - Guinea
January 1, 1960 - Cameroon
April 4, 1960 - Senegal
May 27, 1960 - Togo
June 30, 1960 - Congo, Republic of the
July 1, 1960 - Somalia
July 26, 1960 - Madagascar
August 1, 1960 - Benin
August 3, 1960 - Niger
August 5, 1960 - Burkina Faso
August 7, 1960 - Cote d'Ivorie
August 11, 1960 - Chad
August 13, 1960 - Central African Republic
August 15, 1960 - Congo, Dem. Rep. of the
August 16, 1960 - Cyprus
August 17, 1960 - Gabon
Sept. 22, 1960 - Mali
October 1, 1960 - Nigeria
November 28, 1960 - Mauritania
April 27, 1961 - Sierra Leone
June 19, 1961 - Kuwait
January 1, 1962 - Samoa
July 1, 1962 - Burundi
July 1, 1962 - Rwanda
July 5, 1962 - Algeria
August 6, 1962 - Jamaica
August 31, 1962 - Trinidad and Tobago
October 9, 1962 - Uganda
December 12, 1963 - Kenya
April 26, 1964 - Tanzania
July 6, 1964 - Malawi
Sept. 21, 1964 - Malta
October 24, 1964 - Zambia
February 18, 1965 - Gambia, The
July 26, 1965 - Maldives
August 9, 1965 - Singapore
May 26, 1966 - Guyana
September 30, 1966 - Botswana
October 4, 1966 - Lesotho
November 30, 1966 - Barbados
January 31, 1968 - Nauru
March 12, 1968 - Mauritius
Sept. 6, 1968 - Swaziland
October 12, 1968 - Equatorial
June 4, 1970 - Tonga
October 10, 1970 - Fiji
March 26, 1971 - Bangladesh
August 15, 1971 - Bahrain
Sept. 3, 1971 - Qatar
November 2, 1971 - United Arab Emirates
July 10, 1973 - Bahamas
Sept. 24, 1973 - Guinea-Bissau
February 7, 1974 - Grenada
June 25, 1975 - Mozambique
July 5, 1975 - Cape Verde
July 6, 1975 - Comoros
July 12, 1975 - Sao Tome and Principe
Sept. 16, 1975 - Papua New Guinea
November 11, 1975 - Angola
November 25, 1975 - Suriname
June 29, 1976 - Seychelles
June 27, 1977 - Djibouti
July 7, 1978 - Solomon Islands
October 1, 1978 - Tuvalu
November 3, 1978 - Dominica
February 22, 1979 - Saint Lucia
July 12, 1979 - Kiribati
October 27, 1979 - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
April 18, 1980 - Zimbabwe
July 30, 1980 - Vanuatu
January 11, 1981 - Antigua and Barbuda
Sept. 21, 1981 - Belize
Sept. 19, 1983 - Saint Kitts and Nevis
January 1, 1984 - Brunei
October 21, 1986 - Marshall Islands
November 3, 1986 - Micronesia, Federated States of
March 11, 1990 - Lithuania
March 21, 1990 - Namibia
May 22, 1990 - Yemen
April 9, 1991 - Georgia
June 25, 1991 - Croatia
June 25, 1991 - Slovenia
August 20, 1991 - Estonia
August 21, 1991 - Kyrgyzstan
August 24, 1991 - Russia
August 25, 1991 - Belarus
August 27, 1991 - Moldova
August 30, 1991 - Azerbaijan
Sept. 1, 1991 - Uzbekistan
Sept. 6, 1991 - Latvia
Sept. 8, 1991 - Macedonia
Sept. 9, 1991 - Tajikistan
Sept. 21, 1991 - Armenia
October 27, 1991 - Turkmenistan
November 24, 1991 - Ukraine
December 16, 1991 - Kazakhstan
March 3, 1992 - Bosnia and Herzegovina
January 1, 1993 - Czech Republic
January 1, 1993 - Slovakia
May 24, 1993 - Eritrea
October 1, 1994 - Palau
May 20, 2002 - East Timor
June 3, 2006 - Montenegro
June 5, 2006 - Serbia

  #7  
Old October 9th 07, 12:14 AM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,465
Default Moon Laws

On Oct 7, 2:40 pm, "Logan Kearsley" wrote:
"Space Cadet" wrote in message

ps.com...

Hi All
Got this email from a friend of mine:


Hi all, I am working on a new lesson for my second graders focusing on
Moon Laws. If YOU were given the task of creating a constitution, laws,
bill of rights for people in a future lunar colony what would YOU
include? I'd love to have your input! Thanks,


My first thought is that doesn't the OST say or at least imply that
the country that launches an object/probe/spacecraft is responsible
for said object? And whatever rule of law applies to that country
would apply to said object?
Even if you would go with a privately funded moon colony. That
company would be based on some nation on Earth, and whatever laws
apply to that country would apply to the colony?


Yes, but... that doesn't mean that the people living in the colony have to
agree with the Earthlings who signed that treaty. They could just declare
themselves soveriegn and say "*we* never signed the OST, so bugger off".


Well wait a minute most of the people living there will have been born
on Earth,and be from one of the nations that signed the OST. So,its
not quite that easy. And their children, even if born on the moon,
will likely be claimed as citizens from the country their parents were
born in. Sort of like kids born at military bases in other nations.
Children from parents of two different nationalities, who lived on the
moon their whole life,and having offspring - their kids might be able
to make a claim like this - but you can bet the folks on Earth would
have a thing or two to say about it. Especially if they paid for the
infrastructure that kept them alive all those many decades.

Or,
if they don't form an independent nation, there's still nothing to stop the
originating nation from passing new space-specific laws different from those
that operate in their territory on Earth.


Sure, just like Argentina can go out and claim the Falkand Islands
from Britain. Britain wouldn't care about the 90 or so people living
there would they? haha.. NOT

What about an international colony, would it be the country that funds
most of the colony? Or do international laws/treaties apply hear?
What is the setup for ISS?


-l.
------------------------------------
My inbox is a sacred shrine, none shall enter that are not worthy.


The whole thing is set up to deflect any possibility of private
investment in space. This is something nations don't want to worry
about. They would be far happier if the solar system was just a topic
of research and not a new frontier for humanity - and the law reflects
that.

This approach sticks in the craw of all of those who want to leave the
Earth and try something different out in interplanetary space.

The simplest thing to do is figure out how to fund developments in
space propulsion technology that provide fundamental improvements in
cost benefit, and then figure out how to make a continuing profit in
space. Once that's done, then the profits can be used to fund
development. And once you have real development,then you can push for
changes in the current OST given the changing situation in space that
you've created. That's one approach.

Building Nova class resuable launch vehicles that cut the cost of
getting to space to about 3% today's cost will bring about the sort of
changes you seek. This would allow the following infrastructures to
be contemplated that could make a few bucks, that could be plowed back
into space development;

(1) many to many communication satellite network - global wireless
internet
(2) space hotel and space tourism
(3) lunar hotel and lunar tourism
(4) power satellites
(5) lunar bank

Iridium and Teledesic are both attempts at #1, they lacked the
requisite launch capacity at the price they needed to make it work.
But this is still a valid way to go. Space hotel and space tourismis
getting started in small ways now - given the limitations of our
launch infrastructure. Lunar hotel and lunar tourism need an
improvement along the lines i've described to be workable. Low mass
powersats that use solar pumped lasers, rather than microwaves might
be possible with the same launchers that make lunar hotels possible.
Once a permanent base of any sort - even a hotel - is on the moon,a
lunar bank is possible.

None of this requires changing the OST. Since the OST recognizes the
ownership of improvements. And that gives the owners easement on the
underlying property their improvements are built upon.

The lunar bank is something that's a little more clever. Nations
cannot built bases on celestial bodies or have military personnel
operating a base in space. Nations basically have no rights in
space. So, the easement that a hotel operator has on his property on
the moon, because he has rights to the improvements he erected, gives
him pretty much absolute authority to run that hotel or other asset as
he sees fit - providing he doesn't violate the rules spelled out in
the OST.

He's sort of like a ship flying the flag of a country of his choosing
navigating international waters. Except the ship never comes back to
home port. And many of the laws of the sea that constrain a ship in
international waters - do not apply.

So, the hotel operator could offer a wide range of services and
products, that might be illegal to offer in his home country,or any
home country.

The most profitable of these would be banking services. The most
valued would be a place for former dictators and so forth to retire
to.

With global communications satellites and reliable digital signalling
to a banking computer on the moon, a lunar bank could provide a wide
range of banking and insurance services from virtual branches in the
global wireless broadband service - and basically create a micro-
banking version of the major international banks that operate in tax
havens throughout the world.

In this way trillions of dollars could be deposited in the lunar bank
and the availability of liquid assets would provide a great deal of
stability out of all proportion to the size of the lunar colony or its
population. Fewer than 7 million people live in Switzerland but that
nation by virtue of its banking laws and status as a tax haven hold
the majority of the assets of 7 billion.

A lunar bank could be set up with little more than a grounded solar
powered communication satellite with perhaps an inflatable hut nearby
- which would grow in power and prestige as time went on and the hut
grew to a collection of outbuildings and a town a village and
ultimately a great metropolis.

This could all be done without mining the moon or violating the treaty
in any way.

Just as the fellow who was not permitted to leave the Paris Airport
was a man without a country because he didn't want to return to his
native land, so too, could people who renounce their birth citizen
ship and do not seek to be citizens of any other nation, could live in
limbo at the colony - and be the first lunar citizens. Like the first
settlers at Botany Bay they may be the most successful and notorious
criminals of the age, but their offspring will be the citizens of a
new off-world Republic of the Moon. And they will definitely have
claim that they didn't sign the OST in the middle fo the 20th century.



  #8  
Old October 9th 07, 12:47 AM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
Logan Kearsley[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Moon Laws

wrote in message
ups.com...
On Oct 7, 2:40 pm, "Logan Kearsley" wrote:
"Space Cadet" wrote in message

ps.com...

Hi All
Got this email from a friend of mine:


Hi all, I am working on a new lesson for my second graders focusing on
Moon Laws. If YOU were given the task of creating a constitution,
laws,
bill of rights for people in a future lunar colony what would YOU
include? I'd love to have your input! Thanks,


My first thought is that doesn't the OST say or at least imply that
the country that launches an object/probe/spacecraft is responsible
for said object? And whatever rule of law applies to that country
would apply to said object?
Even if you would go with a privately funded moon colony. That
company would be based on some nation on Earth, and whatever laws
apply to that country would apply to the colony?


Yes, but... that doesn't mean that the people living in the colony have
to
agree with the Earthlings who signed that treaty. They could just declare
themselves soveriegn and say "*we* never signed the OST, so bugger off".


Well wait a minute most of the people living there will have been born
on Earth,and be from one of the nations that signed the OST. So,its


Yes. So? Most of them probably wouldn't *want* to declare independence;
there are lots of very good practical reasons *not* to. But there's nothing
to stop them from doing so if they *did* want to. There's nothing magical or
more special about nations than any other group of people that causes them
to exist on their own or by Authoritative Permission of someone else.

not quite that easy. And their children, even if born on the moon,
will likely be claimed as citizens from the country their parents were
born in. Sort of like kids born at military bases in other nations.


Why should they care if some other nation considers them to be citizens? It
just means they get double citizenship for free.

Children from parents of two different nationalities, who lived on the
moon their whole life,and having offspring - their kids might be able
to make a claim like this - but you can bet the folks on Earth would
have a thing or two to say about it. Especially if they paid for the
infrastructure that kept them alive all those many decades.

Or,
if they don't form an independent nation, there's still nothing to stop
the
originating nation from passing new space-specific laws different from
those
that operate in their territory on Earth.


Sure, just like Argentina can go out and claim the Falkand Islands
from Britain. Britain wouldn't care about the 90 or so people living
there would they? haha.. NOT


You seem to be responding to the wrong part of my post there. It would be
more like England saying that people in the New World colonies have to pay
some extra taxes that those in England itself do not. Except we're talking
about much more than just tax law here.

You might make that analogy in the case of the colony declaring itself
independent. And indeed, you will see that I later said:

OK, sure, it might be a practical problem if they get reconquered, or if
they need things from Earth and no one will supply them. But even then,
they
could be effectively independent for, oh, probably a week, at least.


There's nothing to stop them from doing the claiming and making their own
laws. And the reconquering would be rather more expensive than war in the
Falklands, unless you have the option to just starve them out.

-l.
------------------------------------
My inbox is a sacred shrine, none shall enter that are not worthy.


  #9  
Old October 10th 07, 02:14 AM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
John Schilling
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 391
Default Moon Laws

On Mon, 8 Oct 2007 17:47:58 -0600, "Logan Kearsley"
wrote:

wrote in message
oups.com...
On Oct 7, 2:40 pm, "Logan Kearsley" wrote:
"Space Cadet" wrote in message


ps.com...


Hi All
Got this email from a friend of mine:


Hi all, I am working on a new lesson for my second graders focusing on
Moon Laws. If YOU were given the task of creating a constitution,
laws,
bill of rights for people in a future lunar colony what would YOU
include? I'd love to have your input! Thanks,


My first thought is that doesn't the OST say or at least imply that
the country that launches an object/probe/spacecraft is responsible
for said object? And whatever rule of law applies to that country
would apply to said object?
Even if you would go with a privately funded moon colony. That
company would be based on some nation on Earth, and whatever laws
apply to that country would apply to the colony?


Yes, but... that doesn't mean that the people living in the colony have
to agree with the Earthlings who signed that treaty. They could just declare
themselves soveriegn and say "*we* never signed the OST, so bugger off".


Well wait a minute most of the people living there will have been born
on Earth,and be from one of the nations that signed the OST. So,its


Yes. So? Most of them probably wouldn't *want* to declare independence;
there are lots of very good practical reasons *not* to. But there's nothing
to stop them from doing so if they *did* want to.


All the things that stop most terrestrial separatist groups from declaring
independence and forming their own nations, would still apply. You will
note that most separatist groups do *not* in fact declare independence,
and when one does it's a fairly traumatic process with a high failure
rate. And it's not just a matter of brute force being used to squash
the separatists, either. Building a nation, or nation-substitute, is
hard even when nobody is opposing you.


There's nothing magical or more special about nations than any other group
of people that causes them to exist on their own or by Authoritative Permission
of someone else.


However, nations that *do* exist, tend to be pretty good about continuing
to exist. Part of that is not just politely waving bye-bye when a bunch
of separatists decide to lop off a chunk of the nation's territory. Heck,
an even bigger part is arranging things so that the separatists are never
a local majority and/or never manage to make the case for independence.


not quite that easy. And their children, even if born on the moon,
will likely be claimed as citizens from the country their parents were
born in. Sort of like kids born at military bases in other nations.


Why should they care if some other nation considers them to be citizens? It
just means they get double citizenship for free.


Citizenship, free? Citizenship means having to pay taxes. And comes
with other obligations like obeying laws and serving on juries or even
in armies. Being so obligated to two nations, is more expensive than
one, even if both governments are being nice and cooperative about it.

If they're *not* being cooperative, dual citizenship can be an enormous
hassle. For example, and not hypothetical, you can be required to spend
the years between age 18 and 20 serving in the armies of two different
nations. Pick one, and for the rest of your life risk prison if you
ever set foot in a country that has an extradition treaty with the other.


--
*John Schilling * "Anything worth doing, *
*Member:AIAA,NRA,ACLU,SAS,LP * is worth doing for money" *
*Chief Scientist & General Partner * -13th Rule of Acquisition *
*White Elephant Research, LLC * "There is no substitute *
* for success" *
*661-951-9107 or 661-275-6795 * -58th Rule of Acquisition *

  #10  
Old October 10th 07, 03:19 AM posted to sci.space.policy,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.station
Logan Kearsley[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Moon Laws

"John Schilling" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 8 Oct 2007 17:47:58 -0600, "Logan Kearsley"
wrote:

wrote in message
roups.com...
On Oct 7, 2:40 pm, "Logan Kearsley" wrote:
"Space Cadet" wrote in message


ps.com...


Hi All
Got this email from a friend of mine:


Hi all, I am working on a new lesson for my second graders focusing
on
Moon Laws. If YOU were given the task of creating a constitution,
laws,
bill of rights for people in a future lunar colony what would YOU
include? I'd love to have your input! Thanks,


My first thought is that doesn't the OST say or at least imply that
the country that launches an object/probe/spacecraft is responsible
for said object? And whatever rule of law applies to that country
would apply to said object?
Even if you would go with a privately funded moon colony. That
company would be based on some nation on Earth, and whatever laws
apply to that country would apply to the colony?


Yes, but... that doesn't mean that the people living in the colony have
to agree with the Earthlings who signed that treaty. They could just
declare
themselves soveriegn and say "*we* never signed the OST, so bugger
off".


Well wait a minute most of the people living there will have been born
on Earth,and be from one of the nations that signed the OST. So,its


Yes. So? Most of them probably wouldn't *want* to declare independence;
there are lots of very good practical reasons *not* to. But there's
nothing
to stop them from doing so if they *did* want to.


All the things that stop most terrestrial separatist groups from declaring
independence and forming their own nations, would still apply. You will


Never said otherwise.

note that most separatist groups do *not* in fact declare independence,
and when one does it's a fairly traumatic process with a high failure
rate. And it's not just a matter of brute force being used to squash
the separatists, either. Building a nation, or nation-substitute, is
hard even when nobody is opposing you.


And yet we do know that it is in fact possible to declare independence and
establish a new nation, even though it doesn't happen very often, because
every once in a while those separatist groups *do* in fact declare
independence, and sometimes they even succeed. That won't change just
because you're on the Moon.
I have never claimed anything stronger than that.

-l.
------------------------------------
My inbox is a sacred shrine, none shall enter that are not worthy.


 




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