Re:Journey to Mars: Pioneering Next Steps in Space Explorati...
by bewatson on Friday October 09, 2015 @03:35PM
(#10362741)
In the movie "The Martian" (not a spoiler), there is a part where they describe Mars as international waters. I think it is a pretty interesting take on the subject:
"There’s an international treaty (the Outer Space Treaty signed by the US and Soviet Union in 1967) saying no country can lay claim to anything that’s not Earth. And by another treaty, if you’re not in any country’s territory, maritime law applies. So Mars is “international waters.” NASA is an American nonmilitary organization, and it owns the Hab. So while I’m in the Hab, American law applies. As soon as I step outside, I’m in international waters. Then when I get in the rover, I’m back to American law."
If and when this becomes a legitimate issue, it will be interesting to see who claims what, or if it will be it's own independent place.
Re:Journey to Mars: Pioneering Next Steps in Space Explorati...
by stevesearer on Friday October 09, 2015 @02:03PM
(#10362115)
I wonder how things might be handled differently depending on whether public interests (NASA) or private interests (SpaceX) colonize first.
But, to be honest, not particularly all that more major than any number of issues that arise on Earth all the time, and we generally muddle through them. It'll be a long time before anyone would have any reason to start a shooting war over an off-planet resource.
And science fiction has been predicting the near inevitability that eventually the off-planet colony will demand independence anyhow, a position I see no reason to modify or disagree with, personally. The structural forces in favor of that outcome are just overwhelming.