The comments section of a previous post has been taken over by a discussion of an unrelated article on space commercialization that appeared in Wednesday’s issue of the Springfield (Mass.) Republican. The article reads something like a high school essay, perhaps because it was, apparently, written by a high school student. Alex Dalsey gets credit for mentioning HR 3752 in his essay, but otherwise this is a pedestrian essay about how “Capitalism” (as Dalsey calls it) could work for good or evil in space. I think the problem of unbridled capitalism running rampant in space is something most space commercialization advocates would love to have. In the end Dalsey calls for “an environment of controlled capitalism, with restrictions on pure ownership of property, and protection of natural order systems.” I’m not sure what exactly that means, and I’m not sure the author does, either.
http://www.lasvegasmercury.com/2004/MERC-Jul-08-Thu-2004/24250261.html
Bob Bigelow is definetly working very hard on the inflatable habitats that Nasa dropped form the ISS build a few years ago.
Bigelow has already lined up launch vehicles for a couple of deliveries to orbit.
SpaceShipOne Back on Course X Prize contender Burt Rutan says his team has solved a control problem that threw its spacecraft off course during a historic flight last month. The prize requires a privately funded craft to fly into suborbital space twice within two weeks to win the $10 million jackpot. But Rutan said his team plans to do more. “We’ll do three flights in two weeks,” he said.
http://www.wired.com/news/space/0,2697,64123,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_4
Sorry, Jeff, but as you can see, trying to keep a comments section on topic is like holding back the tide.
Especially when folks use other people’s comments sections as their own personal blog. Lots of free blog hosting services out there….
Rand/Michael: Message NOT received.
I would say an asteriod only fits under the mineral rights section of any property rights granded to any individual or corporation. The reason that I say this is; an asteriod is one of small size as compared to a planet. Once that last bucket of ore is on the transport ship an asteriod is no more.
Then that only leaves what must be paid for while in space. Water, Oxygen, Rocket fuels(not counting water derived), Food and shelter these things would never be free and would be of very high cost. So what would be the currency of choice or would it be a barter system at first?
Aren’t the laws for space the same as Antarctica international laws? Am I right in thinking that nobody owns mineral rights in Antarctica?