Some expensive advertising space

The US State Department and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have just granted the TransOrbital Corporation rights to start commercial development on our lunar counterpart. The launch is scheduled for June of 2003 from Kazakhstan.

Something I’ve never understood about space: why does the US seem to have exclusive rights to everything that goes on there? Does the US border leave Earth’s surface and extend to envelope the entirety of the universe? No siree: according to the UN, no one can claim ownership of the moon or any other celestial body.

NSU: First commercial Moon landing gets go-ahead

Transorbital: Dedicated to the commercial development of space

United Nations: Agreement Governing the Activites of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies

September 9, 2002 #
3 comments

2 Comments

  1. Charles Radley
    Posted September 18, 2002 at 5:49 pm | Permalink

    Dear Sir / Madam,

    I am a consultant for Transorbital and a shareholder, but not an official spokesperson.

    The US NOAA has not granted any lunar property rights to Transorbital, not were any requested. The USA does not claim ownership of the Moon.

    The USA and Transorbital are in full compliance with all international treaties in this matter, which guarantee free passage of all properly registered spacecraft. This is based on identical language of the UN ocean treaties which also permit free passage of all properly registered vessels.

    I hope this clarifies your question.

    Sincerely,

    Charles F. Radley.

  2. cameron
    Posted September 24, 2002 at 9:45 am | Permalink

    Thanks Charles, your explaination is greatly appreciated (and utterly surprising).

    God I love the internet.

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