Not a Misprint

NASA To The World: Don’t Tread On Our Parts Of The Moon

by Jill Pantozzi | 11:10 am, May 29th, 2012

Science-fiction has long held onto the notion that colonization of Earth’s Moon was inevitable. Turns out they were probably right but before you strap on your personalized rocket to set up your new vacation getaway, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration would like a word with you.

Now that private space flights (like the one that put the ashes of Star Trek’s Scotty in orbit) are going to start happening more frequently, NASA, and I’m assuming others, are having minor freak outs about what kind of rules should govern space travel. Particularly trips to the Moon.

So they decided to put out a press release giving a few suggested guidelines in order to protect historical sites on the surface of the Moon.

“The Google Lunar X Prize is recognizing guidelines established by NASA to protect lunar historic sites and preserve ongoing and future science on the moon. The foundation will take the guidelines into account as it judges mobility plans submitted by 26 teams vying to be the first privately-funded entity to visit the moon,” they wrote. “NASA recognizes that many spacefaring nations and commercial entities are on the verge of landing spacecraft on the moon.”

One such nation is Russia, who recently announced plans to build a permanent base on the lunar surface. ”We’re not talking about repeating what mankind achieved 40 years ago,” said Vladimir Popovkin, head of Russian space agency Roscosmos. ”We’re talking about establishing permanent bases.”

The statement was made at the Global Space Exploration Conference in Washington, D.C. in which NASA representatives did not attend because they were witnessing the private launch by SpaceX to the International Space Station.

To be clear, the U.S. doesn’t seem to have any interest in colonizing the Moon at this time, they just don’t want anyone touching what they’ve already touched.

They write, “The guidelines do not represent mandatory U.S. or international requirements. NASA provided them to help lunar mission planners preserve and protect historic lunar artifacts and potential science opportunities for future missions.”

What do you think about NASA’s suggestions? Do we need to preserve historic lunar landmarks or should we pave way for those who want to actually use the area? If you’re interested, you can read their full guidelines in this PDF.

(via Digital Trends, io9)

Previously in Space

TAGS: moon | NASA | space | space tourism | space travel

Anonymous

Seems to me that if the USA is interested in protecting what it’s done, they should go and protect it. Otherwise, it’s all salvage.

(Would a reference to Mono-Hydrazine and the Trans-Linear Vector Principle here stir any brain cells?)
Mack Knife

This is space, not a country where anyone can lay claims to anything. The arrogance in even asking to stay away from any place other than sovereign land is pure BS.

Arrogance is the height of human self interest and a belief that somehow in all that is the Universe, we actually matter, we do not.
http://profiles.google.com/dstruve Daniel Struve

Law, without force, is impotent.
Pascal, Blaise
Anonymous

The moon doesn’t belong to NASA…
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LMM67H2BEIRJLH3WDACMUOV3DI reefers the clown

next for the moon “NO TRESPASSING” signs littering its surface, just like the wealthy put up no trespassing signs saying “PRIVATE BEACH” wtf do you think you bought the ocean also, or did the 4 sale sign say, OCEAN FRONT PROPERTY. i see the moon falling out of the sky before too long
Anonymous

I believe the proper term is “Space Dibs”.
http://www.facebook.com/ReferenceSystemK Walter Bishop

The politicians of different countries are now trying a land
grab of the Arctic on Earth. They will soon get into the picture to
amplify their own lobby group of commercial interests for the moon. And,
commercial interests are the ones that will be footing the bill to the new
frontier. Some guidelines or laws need to be established
(? if you are a Ron Paul supporter, or ! if you are an Elizabeth Warren
supporter). What, where and when is the
political fight of our future.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1780916799 Jennifer Dougherty

>>(Would a reference to Mono-Hydrazine and the Trans-Linear Vector Principle here stir any brain cells?)

I wondered if anyone else would remember this! For those who haven’t seen Salvage 1 –

Narrator:[opening narration] Once upon a time, a junkman had a dream.

Harry Broderick[Andy Griffith]: I want to build a spaceship, go to the moon, salvage all the junk that’s up there, bring it back, sell it.

Narrator: So he put together a team. An ex-astronaut. A fuel expert. They built a rocketship, and they went to the moon. Who knows what they’ll do next.
Ben Gerard

I mostly think they’re off their rockers, though preserving a small area of the original moon landing (we’re talking square feet, not vast areas) for history’s sake? Hundreds of years from now, the US may not exist as it is, but there will still have been the first humans to land/walk on the moon, and I for one think that it’s pretty neat. Not that I’ll get to see it in my lifetime. Haha.
Anonymous

I understand where you’re coming from (especially given the Outer Space treaty of 1967). HOWEVER, keep in mind that these weren’t mandates, merely suggestions, and any private entity trying to get to the moon is going to need support from the US or Russia (and the US’s space infrastructure is significantly better). So go where ever you want on the moon. Just don’t expect NASA or US space command to help you out in any way whatsoever.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_R7GVNIKWG3S2UTHEQOMSZXT4M4 Anna B

I can’t help it. I keep picturing Paula Danziger’s vision of a moon community in “This Place Has no Atmosphere.”
Nick Gaston

In the immortal words of Shakespeare; “You’re full’a shit. If you were really so righteous, it’d be YOU up there!”

…or that might have been Wolverine. Either way.
http://twitter.com/diefrankenmaus Kate

Did anyone actually READ the recommendations? Asking that people not enter a 75 meter radius of the Apollo (11 and 17) landings and not do a close flyover within 2 miles of the sites isn’t some horrible draconian claim. The moon is BIG. There is a lot of room to land on it and these “restrictions” aren’t all that restrictive. NASA is just trying to preserve historic sites.
http://twitter.com/WorkerDrone1138 Mike Andrews

The NASA landing sites are, in a way, similar to nature reserves or places of special scientific interest. As sites of historic significance, I can understand why the want them preserved.
Marian Hilliard

I’m amazed at all the vitriol. What’s wrong with asking–not demanding or commanding, just asking–that sites of historical significance be left undisturbed?

I’d like to visit Tranquility Base as a tourist, someday.
Anonymous

Nobody suggested they were draconian, or even unreasonable. The point is, we have no interest in going back to the moon ourselves, we just want to coast on the fact we did it first.

That this country, and the people running it, do not grasp the importance, in pride, prestige and profit in an active space program is a shame of Omega level.

If people understood exactly how much of the modern world is based on technology that was created or improved by the country’s space program, they mght grasp what effects the lack of one may have on our future.

Might.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Warren-Platts/100000204557926 Warren Platts

Actually, I think the “recommendations” are a clever way to evolve the customary law in space so as to allow reasonable, real property claims on the Moon by both governments and private individuals/organizations.
http://twitter.com/myurbangen Eliza Harris

Absolutely. If travel becomes common some sort of rules will have to be put in place whether they are more like property right or more like “international waters” type rules.
Anonymous

What more is there to save except the flag and the tracks/footsteps?
That’s like… at MOST the size of a small warehouse in area.

Of course that should be saved, it’s a pretty huge fucking step. It’s when Man finally decided to explore the universe, even if it’s taken a long time to actually get back, the fact is that it’s the beginning of the space age, and that has to be preserved for as long as possible.