I just started searching For topics related to astronomy and the law. I was amazed at the amount of information that I’ve been missing out on. Evidently there was this thing called the space race, you may have heard about it. Evidently, it started back sometime around 1960. Obviously since I wasn’t born until 1962, I missed the entire thing. Actually, I have very vivid memories of the Apollo 11 mission landing on the moon. I can remember sitting in front of our then massive 19 inch Zenith color console TV with tubes watching those black-and-white images of Neil Armstrong taking his 1st steps on the surface of the moon. Just the year before my aunt had taken me to see a remarkable movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. I can still remember sitting in the Cooper theater in downtown Grand Junction Colorado and being absolutely captivated by the images that were perpetrated on screen. I have to I’ve my aunt credit for starting me down the path of astronomy geekdom. These days, the special effects that so enthralled me as a young boy would not impress any of today’s current generation. Even the next greatest science fiction film, in my opinion, Star Wars, is unimpressive to the current generation. To be young and full of imagination and hope and the skies the limit once again. But now I have to concern myself with the practical matters that all those during men in their flying machines accomplished.
What is to become of space. Obviously it’s still massively expensive to explore space, but lately there are many endeavors to make viable for commercial exploitation. Although the US is a signatory to many treaties regarding the use of space, how will this translate when corporations are flying the heavens. It seems that space may fall under the influence of corporate greed and disregard for anything that doesn’t contribute to the bottom line. So I find myself contemplating brushing up on title 51 of the United States code which deals directly with how the US treats space. Being an attorney, I know the laws slow to evolve, and when it does sometimes it does it completely wrong. So hopefully, I can add my voice to others already in the community to help shape, guide and mold future uses of the space above our heads.
So I have to go now, to start reading, studying and catching up on more than 60 years of space law.
Let me know what you think about the commercialization of space.