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Whose Laws Apply On the ISS?
Hugh Pickens writes "Whose laws apply if astronauts from different countries get into a fight, make a patentable discovery, or damage equipment belonging to another country while on the International Space Station? According to the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, ratified by 98 nations, states have legal jurisdiction within spacecraft registered to them. When the space station was assembled from modules supplied by the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency (ESA), partners rejected an initial proposal that US law should prevail throughout the space station. "It was agreed that each state registers its own separate elements, which means that you now have a piece of the US annexed to a piece of Europe annexed to a piece of Japan in outer space, legally speaking," said Dr Frans von der Dunk of the International Institute of Air and Space Law at the University of Leiden. So what happens if a crime is committed in space? "If somebody performs an activity which may be considered criminal, it is in the first instance his own country which is able to exercise jurisdiction," Dr. von der Dunk added."
Didn't he invent the "Coffee and Donut" combination?
a Federation.
..the winner makes the law. Duh.
I had hoped that astronauts would be above this, but, nobody seems to be above anything nowadays.
If a crime is committed in space, we need to execute a nice antique trial-by-fire... if they survive decompression, they must be innocent. If not, they're guilty. It's foolproof!
You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
What do you mean I can't have more air?
Let Sealand claim it :)
Bark less. Wag more.
Wait till the first child gets born. They might be the first people able to claim multinationality, or perhaps to be able to drop the concept of nationality altogether.
Ok, unlikely, but would it not rock?
What happens if you have a joint in the Dutch module and some jolly fellow pushes you over in the Singapore module? Do you get spaced?
Victims of 9/11: <3000. Traffic in the US: >30,000/y
Brannigans Law
Jesus saves souls and redeems them for valuable cash prizes
the law of common decency?
We're all hypocrites. We all have hidden parts, it's the contrast between them that make us more a hypocrite than others
There are documented cases of people born on airplanes who were able to claim citizenship in four countries at once - their home country, the country where the plane took off from, the country where the plane landed, and the country whose airspace the person was in when they were born.
Law? As in rules of civil society? How bout acknowledging the fact that there is no society on a space station and not giving in to lawyers who are trying to con people into thinking that their contribution is necessary in a situation where "law" is, in fact, the least efficient way to solve problems?
Any guest worker system is indistinguishable from indentured servitude.
Why wouldn't they just follow protocols used by ships in international waters?
Please sign petition to restore sanity to our banking system!!!
http://financialpetition.org/
In Space, no one can hear you scream Habeus Corpus. :)
I will shred my adversaries. Pull their eyes out just enough to turn them towards their mewing, mutilated faces. Illyria
We used to joke that, technically, cosmonauts who launched from Baikonur and landed at Canaveral were exactly that.
1.) Provide each astronaut a handgun of personal choice
2.) Place astronauts back-to-back in the center of the longest capsule on board
3.) If velcro boots are provided, order each astronaut to take ten steps toward the edge of the capsule. If not, approximate 10 seconds of floating in opposite directions before turning and firing.
4.) In the event the space station is still intact and both parties are still alive, review tape footage and declare the astronaut with the most matrix-like moves the winner.
-Rob
Biblical fiscal responsibility
In Soviet Russian module, the Party determines the laws.
Have gnu, will travel.
So far its only tenent is that "No one can hear you scream," but they're working on it.
If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
The ISS has an illegal modded "region-free" DVD player, purchased by NASA and shipped up in 2001.
Properly, the ISS should have a Region 8 player. Those are for aircraft, cruise ships, and "international venues". Airlines have to buy Region 8 players and discs for in-flight entertainment. Why isn't the MPAA pursuing this? It sets a bad example.
And exactly what is wrong with NASA? A lot of good science comes out of it. Sure a lot of it isn't immediately obvious as to the benefit, but the country and the world as a whole is better off for having the agency around doing research.
Climate research for example has greatly benefited from the actions of the agency.
It is a fallacy to think you need faith in God to have morals and restraint. A dangerous fallacy.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
For example, should stem cell research (legal in some countries, illegal in others) be permitted. Could it be done in, say, a european module, but not an american one. How about growing GM crops
politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons