It's probably 90% joke, and 10% looking for free research from people like this author, on what SpaceX can and cannot get away with, once they do get to Mars. However, it is worth remembering that...
It's probably 90% joke, and 10% looking for free research from people like this author, on what SpaceX can and cannot get away with, once they do get to Mars.
However, it is worth remembering that I once thought Google was an awesome company that would help save the world ...
I have been extremely curious as to whether Musk/SpaceX are going to push for a universal right to posses weapons on a theoretical Mars colony. This certainly hints that perhaps they would.
I have been extremely curious as to whether Musk/SpaceX are going to push for a universal right to posses weapons on a theoretical Mars colony. This certainly hints that perhaps they would.
The sci-fi Red Mars suggests that it's impossible to live on Mars without weapons. In such a hostile environment survival requires a bubble of engineered technology. To live there you need the...
The sci-fi Red Mars suggests that it's impossible to live on Mars without weapons.
In such a hostile environment survival requires a bubble of engineered technology. To live there you need the competence and technology to maintain your bubble. That competence can be repurposed to destroy other bubbles.
Of course this assumes no dystopian technology of control.
The article implies that they're contemplating severing the mars colony from US / Earth international laws:
The article implies that they're contemplating severing the mars colony from US / Earth international laws:
Starlink’s beta ToS to include the following provision:
“For services provided on Mars, or in transit to Mars via Starship or other colonization spacecraft, the parties recognize Mars as a free planet and that no Earth-based government has authority or sovereignty over Martian activities. Accordingly, Disputes will be settled through self-governing principles, established in good faith at the time of the Martian settlement.”
Given a Mars colony will be completely dependent on Earth for likely a century or more, an immediate severing, with all the legal implications that holds: forcible revocation of citizenship,...
Given a Mars colony will be completely dependent on Earth for likely a century or more, an immediate severing, with all the legal implications that holds: forcible revocation of citizenship, passport being cancelled and shredded, prevention of international/interplanetary transit, denial of launch service rights from Earth, etc. seems like an awfully bad idea.
Frankly it seems like Musk wrote that and had it copyedited by an employee in the closest legal department he had available, since it has all his hallmarks: bad and rash decision making, a display of ego, and a dismissal for existing authority.
This is a problem - of course existing nations claim that one cannot create a new one; they'd naturally want to freeze out potential new nations, especially in the potentially-lucrative realm of...
This is a problem - of course existing nations claim that one cannot create a new one; they'd naturally want to freeze out potential new nations, especially in the potentially-lucrative realm of space. Such treaties imply that as there is no more land left on Earth, no one can create a new nation (without deposing an existing one.) There's too much conflict of interest to take seriously existing nations' assertions.
It is probably at least partially a publicity stunt (and how much so is open to debate), but technically, we do already have a brand new nation that exists entirely in outer space and, to some...
It is probably at least partially a publicity stunt (and how much so is open to debate), but technically, we do already have a brand new nation that exists entirely in outer space and, to some degree at least, is recognized and acknowledged by the existing countries of Earth.
It's probably 90% joke, and 10% looking for free research from people like this author, on what SpaceX can and cannot get away with, once they do get to Mars.
However, it is worth remembering that I once thought Google was an awesome company that would help save the world ...
I have been extremely curious as to whether Musk/SpaceX are going to push for a universal right to posses weapons on a theoretical Mars colony. This certainly hints that perhaps they would.
The sci-fi Red Mars suggests that it's impossible to live on Mars without weapons.
In such a hostile environment survival requires a bubble of engineered technology. To live there you need the competence and technology to maintain your bubble. That competence can be repurposed to destroy other bubbles.
Of course this assumes no dystopian technology of control.
I hope so, along with other basic and essential rights. If SpaceX remains governed by the Constitution, that won't be too much of an issue.
The article implies that they're contemplating severing the mars colony from US / Earth international laws:
Given a Mars colony will be completely dependent on Earth for likely a century or more, an immediate severing, with all the legal implications that holds: forcible revocation of citizenship, passport being cancelled and shredded, prevention of international/interplanetary transit, denial of launch service rights from Earth, etc. seems like an awfully bad idea.
Frankly it seems like Musk wrote that and had it copyedited by an employee in the closest legal department he had available, since it has all his hallmarks: bad and rash decision making, a display of ego, and a dismissal for existing authority.
This is a problem - of course existing nations claim that one cannot create a new one; they'd naturally want to freeze out potential new nations, especially in the potentially-lucrative realm of space. Such treaties imply that as there is no more land left on Earth, no one can create a new nation (without deposing an existing one.) There's too much conflict of interest to take seriously existing nations' assertions.
It is probably at least partially a publicity stunt (and how much so is open to debate), but technically, we do already have a brand new nation that exists entirely in outer space and, to some degree at least, is recognized and acknowledged by the existing countries of Earth.
Asgardia
If nothing else, it is a genuine attempt to figure out how to define/expand the concept of sovereign nations beyond Earth.
To what degree? As far as I can see it's not recognised by any country.
Can we do one of these but for Mars?
We already have. It is kind of the main point of the article that SpaceX is effectively ignoring the existence of this treaty.