Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site amdahl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!oliveb!3comvax!bnrmtv!amdahl!ems From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) Newsgroups: net.space Subject: Re: Private Space Miners Message-ID: <2182@amdahl.UUCP> Date: Fri, 1-Nov-85 14:06:05 EST Article-I.D.: amdahl.2182 Posted: Fri Nov 1 14:06:05 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 06:37:12 EST References: <8510291721.AA00286@s1-b.ARPA> Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca Lines: 40 > There is really nothing to stop you from mining the asteroids. Since the US > (and the USSR) declined to sign the treaty with the 'common heritage' > clause, there are no restrictions on such utilizations. The only restriction > is that there can be no 'national expropriation', ie the US cannot plant a > flag and claim the body. There is at present a controversy over the 'common heritage' clause in the law of the sea treaty. Some interpret it to mean 'owned in common by all - hands off for private exploitation' others think it means 'all have equal right to exploit the resource'. Isn't language wonderful? ... > There have already been two private test firings of large 'sounding' > rockets. Two companies are now backed with large amounts of money to develop > private launch vehicles, one of which is a manned vehicle with the intent of > taking tourists into space for two day trips. The scuttlebut is that Soceity > Expeditions has agreed to set up a funding package of up to $280M to back > Pacific American Launch Services (Gary Hudsen) in design and construction of > the reusable VTVL-SSTO Phoenix. Vessel is modular and refuelable, so unlike > the shuttle, it can leave LEO. A Phoenix is projected to cost about the same > as a 747. Completion supposedly by the early 1990's. Maybe you can book a > flight to watch NASA put up it's space station. > Tell me more!! And where do I sign up to work long hours at low pay g to to assure an early seat aboard ('Steward? Me? Yes, that would be a fine also job. How much do I have to pay to be hired?' :-) ... > And there is another point: given that you can get there and they can't, who > cares what they say anyway? That's the WHOLE POINT of frontiers!!! But you do have to come in to 'town' for supplies ... -- E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems 'If you can dream it, you can do it' Walt Disney This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything. (Including but not limited to: typos, spelling, diction, logic, and nuclear war)