Will China Take Over the Moon?

Robert S. Walker, former chairman of the House Science Committee, writes in the Washington Times that the Chinese are planning not only to go to the moon, but to set up a base there and occupy it. When we went to the moon, we erected an American flag there, but we've never claimed it as ours. What will happen if China claims the moon belongs to them?
The European Space Agency is getting ready to go to Mars with robots, just like we did, but neither of us wants to annex Mars as one of our territories. However, as soon as valuable minerals are found on a planet, and an inexpensive method is devised to get them back to Earth, it's inevitable that countries will start to stake claims in outer space. We know that Helium 3, which is rare on Earth, is abundant on the moon.

Walker is convinced that "China intends to be on the moon within a decade and will announce they are there for a permanent stay. An investment of less than 1% of their growth revenues over the next decade would provide revenue for a very robust program." Besides access to Helium 3, annexing the moon would bring international prestige to China, which is something they dearly desire. China's ambitions are waking other countries up to the need to stake their own claims. Walker says, "Many Japanese space observers are convinced that China has a moon program and that, ultimately, Japan may be drawn into the competition. India already has created its own moon mission, in large part because they are monitoring Chinese space efforts." This happened before in Asia, the Caribbean and Africa, so there's no reason it can't happen with nearby planets and satellites. What comes after that?�Will we fight "no trespassing" wars in space?

www.unknowncountry.com...

This should make interesting discussion, personally, if i think it can be done well, we would have already done it or be currently doing it.

There's nothing to discuss, as with Antarctica, no country or person can claim any extra-terrestrial territory for themselves.

People have been buying title to lunar lots for years. Why, I know people that are veritable lunar property magnates.

I'm not sure that I'd call Antarctica 'extra-terrestrial' but it and every other continent and pool of water on our planet gets carved up differently every few years. There are 27 countries (last time I knew) with a stake in Antarctica, and the oil wars haven't even started there yet.

Colonising, revolution and recolonising are part of despotism and human greed. I would be saddened if the moon was claimed by one nation or another instead of by all the good people of our planet. Mars that is.

Uh just for you, the guy that was selling those plots of land, was just arrested and fined MILLIONS and is being sued for Fraud.

Don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.

The UN charter explicitly explains no one shall own ANY property off the earth or in antarctica.

In the case of Antarctica in general, there is no "stakes of land" there are scientific rights that countries get, they don't "own the land" like say US owns it's lands in the states.

They can't sell or make deals over the land nor can they profit there by.

They can only do research.

[Edited on 3-6-2003 by TheWanderer]

Wanderer,

Yes, the lunar land sales were a farce, that's why they are funny. I don't think the vendor should have been fined millions, especially if he was letting on that his stuff was tongue in cheek. Can you site the court case? I'd like to see on what basis the Courts believed he was defrauding anybody.

More importantly, when was the last time you believed that the major world powers would put UN environmental charters above expansionism, greed or political expediency? I don't think there would be many ATS visitors who rate the chance of enforcing a UN charters as any greater than validating a lunar title!

They did sir, as well as putting a restriction on persons making rockets of their own to go into space.

Now while these laws are in place it is hard to tell if they are being enforced...though no one has really pushed the envelope yet.

As for the moon seller, I just made a note that he was charged with fraud and arrested because I thought it was hillarious, and about time.

Though I don't think they should dink him more than what he made, even out you know. Not sure what else they plan for him....

prime example of bullshyt by the feds. oh crap gotta get to the bus. i'll discuss later.

Actually countries do own some parts of antartica, NZ owns a base there so does america, and any crimes comitted in those areas come under the governing countries laws. UN charters dont mean diddly sqwat when law enforcement is concerned. but then again we already knew that.

let's give this one a whirl......

i don't see why we shouldn't be able to land on the moon. if we can't do that, than we can't lay claim to mars when we get there, nor can we clam anything else. too freakin bad. humanity is an exapndatory people, we can't not claim somethin for oursleves! it just won't be proper.

Hmm I think we should have a starting line and have everyone race across and state claims lol.Or we could have huge mech robot battles in space over some lot on the moon.Or we can look at it this way who wants to live on the moon when you can live on earth!!I think we have enough things to worrie about than China,like my pay check at mc donalds.... horrible I know...

Originally posted by seedy_sid
Actually countries do own some parts of antartica, NZ owns a base there so does america, and any crimes comitted in those areas come under the governing countries laws.

They own the base, dude. They don't own the land that it sits on. It's rather like US military bases overseas. They don't actually own the land. They either borrow it or lease it. As for the laws: they follow the same premise as military bases.

I can't see anyone making a legal claim to the moon. It's too late. Neil Armstrong already claimed it "For All Mankind".

Well Leveller, thank you, we actually agreed about something

As for people making rockets of their own: This guy has been working on this for a while. He seems legit. While not actually going into orbit he's got some cajones for even trying this.

rocketguy.com...