"Oh, you're a riot Alice. A regular riot. I hope they like that joke on the moon 'cause that's where you're goin!!!"
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Posted on 07/10/2004 2:04:56 PM PDT by frithguild
I vividly remember watching Neil Armstrong stepping onto the surface of the moon. It was about 12:05 Eastern time and the next morning my entire fourth grade classroom had been decorated in an Apollo theme, with “A SMALL STEP FOR A MAN, A GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND” in block letters carefully placed above the chalk board. Has mankind simply stumbled after such a great leap, or have unnecessary obstacles stagnated our progress?
The technology presently exists for individuals or corporations to profit from the resources on the moon. The flat lowlands, or "mare" regions formed about 4 billion years ago when immense asteroid impacts fractured the crust, allowing the lavas from 200 miles deep to erupt through the impact fractures and form vast seas of lava. The resulting lava seas, which were rich in iron and magnesium, mixed with predominantly aluminum silicates. The result, after billions of years of pounding by meteorites, micrometeorites and solar and cosmic radiation is a powder 2 to 10 meters deep in the lowlands, and 100s to 1000s of meters (kilometers) in the highlands. This regolith layer contains minerals containing aluminum, calcium, iron, magnesium and a remarkably high content of titanium. These and other abundant minerals are the building blocks for ceramics, glass and fiberglass, which can be used in refining and producing metals for structures, tools and export. The absence of an atmosphere makes solar energy abundant, especially at the poles, where ice has recently been discovered.
Profitable operation on the lunar surface would be characterized by a high initial cost, followed by very low operating costs. The present $10,000 per pound cost for exporting materials from the earth’s surface obviously inhibits immediate large-scale lunar activities. Yet, operations could begin with small-scale production of ceramics and metals for structures and tools. Solar panel powered refining using electrolysis in a vacuum could separate materials depending upon the temperature, while producing copious amounts of oxygen. Ceramic refractory manufactured in the same process. In addition to the refining capacity, the mission would need the startup capability to shuttle to a lunar orbiting platform, given the inability of humans to be indefinitely subjected to such low gravity. Once the base takes root, materials for the construction of additional facilities can be exported to the lunar orbiter.
Production capabilities will increase, as the base begins to flower. Centrifuges to mimic 1g environments can be constructed, to enable long-term habitation by humans and their sources of food. Aluminum oxide rockets can be fabricated for transport from lunar surface. Abundant semiconductors are available for constructing photovoltaic cells. Magnetic accelerator can be fabricated to eject materials into orbit for collection by an orbiting facility. Surface operations would continually focus on collection of materials for export to the orbiter and exploration for potentially large quantities of pure materials.
Orbiting facility has the advantage of continuous solar energy for power and thermal applications. Product from the surface will be used as raw material to fabricate larger scale electrolysis refinery. The refined products are used to expand orbital structure, fabricate transport vehicles, tools, etc. and for export back to the surface. Eventually, large quantities of high margin product like titanium can be exported back to earth for commercial sale.
Economic development using only available raw materials located in an undeveloped environment was once central to the national consciousness in the United States. European monarchies made initial capital outlays to explore the west. However, expenditure by national governments did not develop the new world. Economic innovations such as the corporate form enabled almost any entrepreneur to access sufficient capital to finance journeys for commercial benefit. The great fortunes that ensued coincided with aggregate increased longevity, greater knowledge and technical innovations that greatly added to the quality of life of many. In America, the lesson of permitting the free access to capital became central to our national consciousness. In fact, the Massachusetts Bay colony was founded upon an egalitarian system for the distribution of economic benefit. The colony foundered and nearly winked out of existence, until the governor wisely permitted production for profit. The year following resulted in such abundance, that a national day of Thanksgiving is still celebrated today. Sadly, the mostly unrestrained entepreneurism that forged the building of the United States has been a target for many who seek to provide for even greater good. Yet, nearly every attempt to legislate egalitarian ideals has resulted in the restriction of the free access to capital for entrepreneurs. The inevitable result is lost opportunity and economic stagnation.
So, has mankind stumbled or stagnated, when it comes to reaching toward the moon? What follows may surprise you. As you read the following selected quotes from AGREEMENT GOVERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF STATES ON THE MOON AND OTHER CELESTIAL BODIES, ask yourself would you want to buy stock in a company that wanted to develop the moon:
ARTICLE 4
1. The exploration and use of the moon shall be the province of all mankind and shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development. Due regard shall be paid to interests of present and future generations as well as to the need to promote higher standards of living conditions of economic and social progress and development in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
2. States Parties shall be guided by the principle of co-operation and mutual assistance in all their activities concerning the exploration and use of the moon. International co-operation in pursuance of this Agreement should be as wide as possible and may take place on a multilateral basis, on a bilateral basis or through international intergovernmental organizations.
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ARTICLE 7
1. In exploring and using the moon, States Parties shall take measures to prevent the disruption of the existing balance of its environment, whether by introducing adverse changes in that environment, by its harmful contamination through the introduction of extra-environmental matter or otherwise. States Parties shall also take measures to avoid harmfully affecting the environment of the earth through the introduction of extraterrestrial matter or otherwise.
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ARTICLE 11
2. The moon is not subject to national appropriation by any claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or byany other means.
3. Neither the surface nor the subsurface of the moon, nor any part thereof or natural resources in place, shall become property of any State, international intergovernmental or non-governmental organization, national organization or non-governmental entity or of any natural person. The placement of personnel, space vehicles, equipment, facilities, stations and installations on or below the surface of the moon, including structures connected with its surface or subsurface, shall not create a right of ownership over the surface or the subsurface of the moon or any areas thereof. The foregoing provisions are without prejudice to the international regime referred to in paragraph 5 of this ARTICLE.
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5. States Parties to this Agreement hereby undertake to establish an international regime, including appropriate procedures, to govern the exploitation of the natural resources of the moon as such exploitation is about to become feasible….In order to facilitate the establishment of the international regime referred to in paragraph 5 of this ARTICLE, States Parties shall inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations as well as the public and the international scientific community, to the greatest extent feasible and practicable, of any natural resources they may discover on the moon.
6. The main purposes of the international regime to be established shall include:
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d. An equitable sharing by all States Parties in the benefits derived from those resources, whereby the interests and needs of the developing countries, as well as the efforts of those countries which have contributed either directly or indirectly to the exploration of the moon, shall be given special consideration.
ARTICLE 15
1. Each State Party may assure itself that the activities of other States Parties in the exploration and use of the moon are compatible with the provisions of this Agreement. To this end, all space vehicles, equipment, facilities, stations and installations on the moon shall be open to other States Parties.
ARTICLE 20
Any State Party to this Agreement may give notice of its withdrawal from the Agreement one year after its entry into force by written notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Such withdrawal shall take effect one year from the date of receipt of this notification.
Interesting post!
The Senate never ratified the Moon Treaty, but the 1967 Treaty did get approval. The Moon Treaty was worse, but the 1967 Treaty was bad enough. Amazing that so many think the Moon Treaty is in force.
Ping
Well, the essay still needs work then! Thanks.
There's nothing wrong with the essay that an alarm clock wouldn't fix.
Amazing also that this administration has caved in over the International Court on the only thing keeping any of us from being prosecuted and tried by an International Kangaroo Court comprised of Lord Haw Haws and Michael Moores....
It is time for a REALLY bold reassertion of national sovereignty.
It's pretty obvious how things are going. I just wonder why we are being kept from developing outer space. The socialists know quite well that private property rights or lack thereof is the only reason private industry is still missing from outer space, and they know that gov't will never develop outer space. So it is clear that we are being prevented from developing outer space. Why?
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Not until they have a Starbucks.
I already look at the $10,000/lb. to LEO number as an anachronism harking back to the big government era of space exploration. With new, private means of getting into space, the old era is rapidly coming to a close.
We are starting to see a small shift in regards to space to stop thinking about it as a playground for government and scientists only.
It is starting to be viewed as a place for commercial development, human settlement and the occasional exploration.
We should see this shift occur gradually as more people realize that private space development is the way to go and government activity for propaganda and exploration only was a historical dead end.
China is on a mad dash to get to the Moon ... why?
Energy.
Whoever developes the Moon first will control the Earth.
"Oh, you're a riot Alice. A regular riot. I hope they like that joke on the moon 'cause that's where you're goin!!!"
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Back when the One Small Step quote was made, it was interpreted to be "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Only later were we told that is was actually "for a man" due to radio interference obscuring the "a." Personally, having heard this replayed numeerous times, I don't think there was any interference, merely revisionists trying to cover up the mistake that Armstrong made during the excitement of the moment.
Would you lay out for us a profitable outer space operation private industry is missing out on?
Was there year-round school anywhere in the US in 1969? Because the landing was on July 20. And...July 20 was a SATURDAY that year. Methinks this gent is in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
Think of the competition should the moon be mined for its cheese. ;-)
It would be wonderful if this administration could
assert national sovereignty through a space program
that captivates and inspires Americans just as the
Mercury,Gemini and Apollo programs did decades earlier.
Unfortunately I don't think so.
Go USA!
In the Heinlein science fiction novel The Moon is a Harsh Mistress there is a terrible scenario where large rocks (asteroid size) are launched from the moon against the earth. The impact is equivalent to large nuclear weapons. There would be no way to stop such an attack.
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