Trump signs ‘space order’ paving way for US to mine Moon and Mars for minerals and water

The US President signed an executive order on Tuesday that brushes aside historic treaties that view space as a “global commons” to be governed by international bodies.

Instead, the vast stores of water and minerals on the Moon, Mars and asteroids are ripe for the taking by Nasa and other international space agencies, according to the directive.

The move paves the way for a new space race in which agencies stake claims to parts of space objects brimming with mineable resources, such as oxygen and metals.

Trump signs ‘space order’ paving way for US to mine Moon and Mars for minerals and water

I hope this kicks the commercial space race into high gear.

This should really boost the space race between the US and China. As China and other countries race to claim their share of the moon, Mars and other space rock and ice.

Lets hope this is a peaceful space race. I am sure some countries are not going to be very happy that the US is doing this, at this time.

I think the US has a pretty good head start in this race. China, Russia and a few others may be able to team up and give the US a run for their money.





A deadly virus, big meteor or one of many other things could send humanity back to the stone age. I think we need to become an interplanetary civilization ASAP.

Competition has been the mother of invention since the first tribe . Maybe this will finally kick start a robust space program. I HOPE SO.

I once had faith in this fantasy. Years ago. So now, that published plan basically offers the very same agenda that was accomplished back in the late sixties, fifty years ago. Except for a woman, what an advance.

If Obama had signed an executive order like this I would have asked what he was smoking. But now that Trump has, I will ask ''who is he trying to smoke? As in smoke and mirrors.

Does America now own the moon and Mars?

originally posted by: carewemust
Does America now own the moon and Mars?

Only the parts we land on, plant a flag and claim.

It's a new land rush or gold rush, I hope.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

bout time the U.S. got back into making further out manned missions other than ISS. although i would like more of a mil spec/NASA approach.

i have nothing against private companies going or even taking us there and doing the mining. but they would have to have strict oversight. private companies or even publicly traded ones tend to start taking short cuts, when it comes to profit.

Typical Trump crap.
The president's order:

In carrying out this section, the Secretary of State shall seek to negotiate joint statements and bilateral and multilateral arrangements with foreign states regarding safe and sustainable operations for the public and private recovery and use of space resources.

The "Moon Treaty"

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.

Trump's order changes nothing, actually. Since, as has been pointed out the US didn't ratify the "Moon Treaty" in the first place. So what's the point?



Here's something in the "Moon Treaty" that doesn't seem to be in Trump's EO.

1. The moon shall be used by all States Parties exclusively for peaceful purposes.

2. Any threat or use of force or any other hostile act or threat of hostile act on the moon is prohibited. It is likewise prohibited to use the moon in order to commit any such act or to engage in any such threat in relation to the earth, the moon spacecraft, the personnel of spacecraft or man-made space objects.

3. States Parties shall not place in orbit around or other trajectory to or around the moon objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kind of weapons of mass destruction or place or use such weapons on or in the moon.

4. The establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of military manoeuvres on the moon shall be forbidden. The use of military personnel for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes shall not be prohibited. The use of any equipment or facility necessary for peaceful exploration and use of the moon shall also not be prohibited.

disarmament.un.org...
www.whitehouse.gov...

Yay. Space war.

a reply to: Phage

If you would have listened to the video. You would know that the US and other countries did not sign the 1979 moon treaty.

ETA - You never used to bring the mud pit into a thread like this. What up with you, everything ok?

There are speculations, that there may be ''vast stores of water beneath the surface of the moon. Speculations.
So the plan is what? To spend trillions of monies to get to the moon, billions of monies to transfer moon gravity designed mining equipment to the moon, not to mention the billions that are spent on manufacturing this equipment. Then have it prospect for water?

And water for what exactly. Sending back to Earth? Not. Used to help fuel further rockets into space to go where, Mars? The Astroids? To mine? And then what.

The cost of all of this would be one thing for governments to attempt, taxing the hell out of citizens. But international corporations? Yeah right, guess again. Corporations are capitalist enterprises that rely upon almost immedate profit from a cash outlay. Just how long would a corporation need to hold off on profit in order to bennifit from an enormous out lay like that. Would stock holders put up with no dividends while all of this is going on, only to offer a few people the ability to fly out to Mars? This is a pipe dream.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Yes I know. Nor did a lot of countries.
So what's the point of this stupid EO?

originally posted by: LookingAtMars

originally posted by: carewemust
Does America now own the moon and Mars?

Only the parts we land on, plant a flag and claim.

It's a new land rush or gold rush, I hope.

Baloney, I distinctly remember signing that thing that said I own an inch of the moon..

Keep off my rocks..

a reply to: Phage

To put the rest of the world on notice.

We gonna mine!

a reply to: LookingAtMars

You never used to bring the mud pit into a thread like this. What up with you, everything ok?

What's mud pit about it?

I can't say it's a stupid EO and typical of Trump?

a reply to: LookingAtMars

We gonna mine!

There was nothing that said we weren't going to. Nothing that said we couldn't,


It's puffery. That's all. It's Trump.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Keep lookin' ya damn yanky!!!

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
There are speculations, that there may be ''vast stores of water beneath the surface of the moon. Speculations.
So the plan is what? To spend trillions of monies to get to the moon, billions of monies to transfer moon gravity designed mining equipment to the moon, not to mention the billions that are spent on manufacturing this equipment. Then have it prospect for water?

And water for what exactly. Sending back to Earth? Not. Used to help fuel further rockets into space to go where, Mars? The Astroids? To mine? And then what.

The cost of all of this would be one thing for governments to attempt, taxing the hell out of citizens. But international corporations? Yeah right, guess again. Corporations are capitalist enterprises that rely upon almost immedate profit from a cash outlay. Just how long would a corporation need to hold off on profit in order to bennifit from an enormous out lay like that. Would stock holders put up with no dividends while all of this is going on, only to offer a few people the ability to fly out to Mars? This is a pipe dream.

Good chance we would of never had home pc's, let alone smart phones and the internet, without the space program.

a reply to: Phage

What's mud pit about it?

Sounded like Trump bad, to me anyway. I try to stay away from that kind of stuff. Sorry If I took it wrong.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Good chance we would of never had home pc's, let alone smart phones and the internet, without the space program.

don't forget Tang, if it wasn't for the space race Tang more than likely would have folded.

a reply to: LookingAtMars
Sounded like I think the EO is stupid, to me. I didn't know discussion of Trump was restricted to the mud pit.
I accept your apology.