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Taking Issue With The Outer Space Treaty

Posted by timothy on from the at-least-get-rid-of-the-income-tax dept.

tekan writes: "The National Review has an interesting article about the challenges ahead for the settlement of Mars (or the Moon), as well as how Law and sovereignty issues factor into colonizing these bodies." Perhaps most interesting are the reasons cited for entering into the treaty at all -- which had little to do with keeping space a peaceful utopia.

2 of 605 comments (clear)

  1. Re:jeeze by SatanLilHlpr · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Oh, but you *can* see borders from space...

    Look at the border between North and South Korea visible here, my friend:

    http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0011/eart hl ights_dmsp_big.jpg

  2. Outer space treaties and nukes by Chairboy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The US is a signatory to treaties which prohibit the use of nuclear devices outside the atmosphere. While originally intended to prevent further nuclear bomb testing in orbit (which would have disastrous effects on todays world), it has also limited legit research into technologies like NERVA.

    NERVA rockets (which use a reactor to superheat hydrogen for propulsion, at much higher efficiency levels than chemical rockets) are the key to exploration and exploitation of the Solar System. Our chemical rockets have hit peaks of efficiency limited by the physics of combustion that are not surmountable, and they fall far short of the ISP (a measure of efficiency and power) needed for manned exploration of our neighborhood.

    The US should either formally leave these treaties or push for amendements to exclude limits on peaceful use of nuclear propulsion.