🚀 go-pugleaf

stu5s33@bnr.ca (Robert Nychka) writes:

>I am looking for information concerning the "Moon Treaty" or some sort
>of treaty drafted by the UN dealing with "...the Use of the Moon 
>and Other Celestial Bodies".

>Specifically I'm looking for limitations on private exploration and
>exploitation of space, and if there are - if they are enforcable, and by
>whom?

If I remember correctly, the Moon Treaty declares the Moon (and maybe all
other celestial bodies) the inheritance of all mankind or something like
that - very similar to what they've done in Antarctica.  Meaning, no
companies can own land, and it's only to be used for scientific investigation.

Now as to enforcement, well, if you can get there in the next 5 years, I think
you'd have a few years _at least_ before any government could even get
anything there.  Think if you tried to set up a factory in Antarctica.  YOu'd
get kicked off pretty quick, and taken before some international court, all
by an international military force.  This would be harder to do on the Moon,
but if you had any sort of requirements from Earth, they'd starve you out to 
get you to come back.  If they did get up there, though, they'd probably 
bring enough force (eventually) to kick you off.    

There is one point though:  I don't think the U.S. ever signed the Moon Treaty.
I'm not sure, however.  I also could have mis-stated what the Treaty actually
says.  This is what I remember, however.

-- 
Tom Nugent	voice:(217)328-0994	e-mail:tjn32113@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu 
"To be average scares the hell out of me." -- Anonymous