Whenever we have guests round, there always seems to be two particular books which jump off the shelves and grab their attention: one is How Bad are Bananas? (actually not that bad, all things considered); and the other is AC Grayling’s Who Owns the Moon? Both titles ask seemingly big questions that pique the interest, which is worth noting for when needing titles for our own publications.
The question of Who Owns the Moon – more pertinent to the Space Universities Network than that querying bananas – feels like it should be a pretty easy answer. In fact, Article II of The UN Outer Space Treaty 1967 clearly says that ‘Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use of occupation, or by any other means.’ Case closed. The Stars and Stripes was not placed there to claim it but to show who got there first.
And yet, the book in question asked this question only this year, 2024. If anything, it’s become less clear, and the Treaty perhaps less fit for purpose. Private companies have interests in going to the Moon, who wouldn’t be signatories to the Treaty. Were there to be bases built on the Moon and habitats created on Mars – how does this complicate matters? If someone mines minerals from the lunar surface, what are the consequences of that? Who sets the rules – and who enforces them?
It’s a big topic and it’s only going to become bigger and more complex. For our students, who are to become the future of the sector, it will be something that impacts their work in so many ways, regardless of what part of the industry they work in. That’s why it is important to consider some of these uncertainties and ask the difficult questions.
Alongside Grayling’s excellent and thought-provoking book, another great resource is from Space Center Houston’s Thought Leader Series. A one-hour video of their panel discussion, Future Frontiers: Space Law is fascinating and covers some really important ground. Led by experts such as Dr Michelle Hanlon of the University of Mississippi and attorney Art Dula, this is a great resource to direct students to in order to get a little bit more of an understanding of the nuances of the topic. We really enjoyed watching it and found it very informative. Even if we don’t have all the right answers, at least we now know that we are asking the right questions.
You can find out more about Future Frontiers: Space Law and watch the video here.
Thomas Rowson
Image credits: NASA