Space Mining and Its Regulation

This book addresses the complex technical challenges presented by remote space mining in terms of robotics, remote power systems, space transport, IT and communications systems, and more. It also addresses the difficult oversight and regulatory issues that face states and non-state enterprises that would take on the perilous task of obtaining natural resources from the Moon and asteroids.

An increasing number of countries are becoming involved in space-related activities that were previously carried out primarily by the United States and the USSR (now the Russian Federation). How these regulatory endeavors might be handled in international treaties, standards, codes of conduct or other means have become a truly international political issue. And there is yet another issue.

In the past, space activities traditionally fell under the exclusive domain of government. But the last few years have seen the emergence of the private sector of "space entrepreneurs." This poses many challenges for the pre-existing governance regimes and state-based conceptions of international law. This book examines the adequacies and ambiguities in treaty provisions and national laws and in currently accepted practices involving the growing exploration and exploitation of space-based natural resources.

Disseminates all the relevant information about space natural resources missions from various countries and their legal aspects, both international and national Uses evidence-based information from the space missions of all the key space-faring nations, with systematic description of missions and regulatory regimes followed by critical analysis Written by leading international experts in space law Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autorentext

Joseph N. Pelton, Ph.D., Principal of Pelton Consulting International. He currently serves as President of the International Space Safety Foundation and as a member of the Executive Board of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety. He is the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Vice President and Dean of the International Space University as well as the Director Emeritus of the Space and Advanced Communications Research Institute (SACRI) at George Washington University. Dr. Pelton also served as Director of the Accelerated Masters of Science Program in Telecommunications and Computers at the George Washington University from 1998 to 2005. Dr. Pelton was the founder of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation and remains as the Vice Chairman on its Board of Directors. Pelton is a widely published and award winning author with over 30 books written or co-authored or co-edited with colleagues. His book Global Talk was nominated for a Pulitzer and won the Eugene Emme literature award. Dr. Pelton is a full member of the International Academy of Astronautics, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a Fellow of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS). He was the Founding President of the Society of Satellite Professional International (SSPI) and a member of the SSPI Hall of Fame. For the last two years he has served as President of the Comsat Alumni and Retirees Association (COMARA). He received his degrees as follows: BS from the University of Tulsa, MS from the New York University and his doctorate from Georgetown University. Prof. Ram S. Jakhu is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Air and Space Law, Faculty of Law, of McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where he teaches and conducts research in international space law, law of space applications, law of space commercialization, government regulation of space activities, law of telecommunications and Canadian communications law, and public international law. He served as Director, Centre for the Study of Regulated Industries, McGill University, 1999-2004. He served as the First Director of the Masters Program of the International Space University, Strasbourg, France, 1995-1998. Dr. Jakhu authored a book, more than 60 articles and edited three books. Dr. Jakhu chaired three international interdisciplinary congresses dealing with space debris mitigation, remediation and on-orbit serving and presented their reports to the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. He is a Member of the Space Security Council of the World Economic Forum and a 'Fellow' as well as the Chairman of the Legal and Regulatory Committee of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety. In 2007, he received a "Distinguished Service Award" from the International Institute of Space Law for significant contribution to the development of space law. Dr. Jakhu holds Doctor of Civil Law (Dean's Honours List) and Master of Law (LL.M.) degrees from McGill University, Canada, as well as LL.M., LL.B., and B.A. degrees from Panjab University, India.

Inhalt
Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: The United States Government and Private Enterprise: Past and Current Efforts to Search for and Exploit Space Natural Resources.- Chapter 3: Transport Systems and Targeting of Locations for Space Mining.- Chapter 4: Power and Robotic Systems for Space Mining Operations.- Chapter 5: The Current Status of Legal or Regulatory Provisions Related to Space Mining and Exploiting Space Natural Resources.- Chapter 6: Pending Issues and Problems and Regulatory, Technical and Financial Challenges.- Chapter 7: Conclusions and Top Ten Challenges for Future Space Mining Initiatives Challenges.- Glossary of Key Terms and Acronyms .- Appendices.