No more American manned spaceflights

[Webstral]

Originally Posted by RN7

The Antarctic model would seem the best way for any future colonisation of the Moon and other heavenly objects, but if private industry gets involved expect trouble.

Agreed. However, capital brings to the table some things that development of the new frontier needs. The trick will be to create a framework in which the constructive power of capital can be given harnessed and the destructive power of capital managed. No easy task, I know.

Originally Posted by RN7

…and the militarisation of space is an inevitability.

I don’t believe I have yet disagreed with the prospect of militarization. As I wrote to Matt, I’m neither a peacenik nor a flower child. I also don’t see things in black-and-white. What matters is degree and climate. There is a lot of room between demilitarization and an arms race. Getting back to my spectrum analogy, I think we’ll all be better off by pushing for a level of militarization that is as minimalist as possible.

Originally Posted by RN7

Most if not all countries would consider any facility, colony or instalation in orbit or beyond to be their own soveriegn territory, and are likely to be overtly hostile to any other country or organisation attempting to enter, inspect or take control of it. A commercial facility owned by a large corporation might be a grey area, but if their using the resources or infrastructure of a host country to maintain it then their likely to be considered some countries property.

Here nuance matters. A US carrier is four acres of US territory. But every little speck of an island belongs to someone, regardless of who is actually standing on it at the moment. A facility in orbit is like a ship at sea. A facility on the Moon is like a base on dry land. If a legitimate colonial government is established ahead of time, then there is effectively no difference between an Italian company building a factory in Eretria. The Italians may legally own the piece of land, but the host nation exercises sovereignty over that land. The same logic applies to the Moon. At the risk of repeating myself until the whole board is tired of reading it, the key is to get the global community to sign on before anyone has vested interests. Once a treaty has been put into place that establishes the charter for the lunar colonial government, the other pieces will fall into place much more easily.

Originally Posted by Matt Wiser

The people on Spacepolitics.com are fanatical, no doubt about that. A lot of them have the "my way or the highway" mentality… For these people, it's a religion, and nothing is going to sway them from it.

That explains the unusual tone in your writing. You’ve been conversing with zealots. I experience the same phenomenon when I engage elsewhere. I’ll have to go see for myself.

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I often say that the next man on the moon will be Chinese.

I very honestly hope so. Math and science teachers will be set until I retire. Also, it will be very entertaining to see the tax-me-not crowd and the flag-waving-patriot crowd, who are customarily in bed together, find a way to make peace with each other after the Chinese landing.