How To Use The Moon: NASA Proposes Artemis Accord On Who Can Do What On Moon Exploration
NASA on Friday initiated an international pact for moon exploration called the Artemis Accords. If agreed upon by other nations the pact will act as a law to govern human activities on the lunar surface. It will help the US establish safety zones on the moon surrounding the countrys future moon bases.
Upcoming space programs of several countries are eyeing the moon as the next big destination in space. While some mean to explore the lunar surface for potential resources, others want to establish a base on the moon for later deep space explorations. A crucial aspect for all the involved countries to carry out such practices in harmony is to have an international pact on such lunar explorations.
NASA, on Friday, initiated the same. The US space agency released the main tenets of an international pact for moon exploration, called the Artemis Accords. As and when agreed upon by other nations, the pact will act as a law to govern human activities on the lunar surface.
As for the US¡¯ own operations on the Earth¡¯s satellite, the Artemis Accords will help it to establish 'safety zones' on the moon surrounding the country¡¯s future moon bases. The safety zones will prevent any "harmful interference" from rival countries or companies operating in close proximity to the US base formed during the Artemis mission. For those unaware, NASA Artemis program aims to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024.
(Representative Image: NASA)
The Artemis Accords also put forward an interesting ownership proposal. As per it, countries or companies can own the lunar resources they mine. The US has such a national law in place since 2015. If followed by other countries or internationally, the proposal can be a boost for space companies to pursue lunar exploration missions with their resources. In effect, this will also allow NASA to source resources for its mission to Mars right from the moon¡¯s surface.
Artemis Accords are in line with the Outer Space Treaty opened for signature in the United States and other countries in 1967. The purpose of the treaty was to lay down a code of conduct for outer space exploration that would promote a peaceful, scientific use of space rather than for military applications.
(Representative Image: NASA)
Some, however, question the alignment of the Artemis Accords with the Outer Space Treaty. The idea of safety zones, for instance, flout the very nature of the treaty. As per the treaty, moon and other celestial bodies are "not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means."
This would in turn raise the question of the size of these safety zones. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine told Reuters that the size would vary depending on the nature of the site. The safety zones would then just follow a basic principle of ¡°I'm gonna stay out of your way, you're gonna stay out of my way, and we can all operate in this space," said Bridenstine.
