Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 July 2021

Moon Society Advancing Multi World Civilization: Property Rights and Lunar Acreage

Led by President Michael Mealling (R) with Support from President Emeritus Peter Kokh (C) and Vice President James Burk (L), The Moon Society Grew out of Artemis Project, Now Hosts Physical ‘Outposts’ in CA, AZ, WI, MO, TN, WA, TX and Virtual Mare Cognitum (Sea of Knowledge) Collaborating on Slack Workspace Platform with Goal of Lunar Settlement; Moon Miners’ Manifesto Published 1986-2019, Work Being Carried on by Luna City Press with Outbound Newsletter and Lunarpedia; Moon Base Design Contest Awards SGAC Team First Place for Domi Inter Astra (At Home Among the Stars) with Focus on ‘Polycentric’ Governance / Ownership Principles, Blockchain Intellectual Property Protections in Addition to Technical Life Support

Credits: The Moon Society, Space Generation Advisory Council Team, The Futurist Foundation

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 Jan 2021

‘Engage With China Through UN, Retain Space Council’ Say Prominent USA Scholars And Commercial Space Figures

As Chang’e-5 Begins Extended Solar Observation Mission With Bearing Toward Sun-Earth L1 Point, Princeton Professor Emerita Anne-Marie Slaughter (L) Makes Studied Argument For Broadly Inclusive, Multilateral Lunar Resources Treaty With Global Stakeholders Including China / Zhongguo, Suggests Implementation Via COPUOS / UNOOSA To Avoid “Race To Bottom” Competition For Strategic South Pole Territory, Water Ice And Rare Earth Elements; Mandy Vaughn (R) President Virgin Orbit Subsidiary VOX Space Promotes National Space Council Continuity, Voicing Opinion At NewSpace New Mexico Event NSC Critical For Interagency Cohesion

Credits: New America, NASA, NSSA

New Year 2021 Edition
Thur-Mon / 24 Dec 2020 – 4 Jan 2021

2020s Multi World Civilization: The Moon, Global Revolutions, Egalitarian Considerations

USA, Canada, China, India, Russia, Japan Commercial / National Efforts Towards Projecting Human Action To Moon Surface Are To Occur 2021; Crewed 2020s Landings Including First Woman On The Moon, Will Expand Sphere Of Female Activity Nearly 1,000,000,000X; Social / Moral / Legal Structure In Process Of Formation With Varied Approaches To Central Question Of Ownership – Viewed As Birthright Of Every Earth Inhabitant, A Land Share Arrangement Between ~8B Humans Allocating 9,383,748,198 Lunar Acres With Deference To ‘Right To Roam’ Of Antiquity And In Spirit Of Homesteading, Ensuring Access To Resources / Habitat, Would Be Equitable, Inclusive

Credits: NASA, CNSA, UN

Tuesday / 22 Dec 2020

‘Breaking Ground’ Trust Signs Agreement With Intuitive Machines, Aims To Be First Private Purchaser Of Lunar Material

Open Lunar Foundation Of Silicon Valley, Through ‘Purpose Trust’ Breaking Ground, Intends To Buy Moon Regolith From Multiple Sources, Experiment With Various Management Strategies; Privately Funded Group Cites 2015 USA, 2017 Luxembourg, 2020 UAE Space Legislation Interpreting Commercialization Of Extraterrestrial Resources As In Accordance With 1967 Outer Space Treaty; Trust Fashioned Along ‘Steward-Ownership’ Model; Transaction Between Private Parties Will Establish Norms / Framework For Earth-Moon Commerce; IM R&D VP Timothy Crain Says Initial Agreements Are “Building Blocks For Future Trade In The Solar System”

Credits: IM, OLF, ILOA Hawai’i, CSYS

Thanksgiving Weekend Edition
Wed-Mon / 25-30 Nov 2020

Proactive Measures On Property Rights Needed To Achieve Harmonious Lunar Development

Thought Leaders At Center For Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian, King’s College London And Missouri University Of Science & Technology Urge Serious Consideration Of Finite Materials (Water, Helium, Iron) And Locations (Peaks Of Eternal Light, Cold Traps, Level Building Sites) On Moon; Artemis Accords And Outer Space Treaty Need To Be Enhanced With Clear Guiding Principles Such As Those Set Forth By Moon Village Association To Avoid “Diverse Actors Pursuing Incompatible Ends” Vying For Areas “Both Few And Small” With Unfavorable Outcomes

 

Credits: NASA, SETI

Tuesday / 22 Sep 2020

AIAA In Conjunction With Dynetics Publishes Report On Requirements Of A Sustainable Moon Economy

Ensuring Economically Viable Lunar Settlement, Released 19 Sep, Summarizes Contributions Of 200+ Individuals From Academia, Industry And Government During ASCENDxCo-Lab On Economically Viable Lunar Settlements 29 July, Moderated By Kathy Laurini; Document Urges Engagement Of Terrestrial Expertise (e.g. Telecommunications, Mining, Energy, Transport, Logistics) And “Prompt Development Of Clear Regulatory And Legal Standards” From Government / Space Agencies Along With Funding Of Long Term Projects Such As Lunar Telescope; Defines Economic Viability As “Ultimately Underwritten By Private Capital”; Recognizes “New Figures Of Merit” Will Be Required To Evaluate Business Cases

Credits: ESA, NASA, AIAA ASCEND

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 Sep 2020

Who Owns The Moon?

Administrator Bridenstine Says In Order “To Stimulate And Normalize The Extraction And Sale Of Lunar Resources” NASA Will Pay US$15,000-$25,000 For In-Situ Collection / Cataloguing 50-500g Of Material; USA Moon Expert Clive Neal Declares Action A “Paradigm Shift”; Canada, Russia Leaders And Scholars Expressing Concerns, As Are Europe Officials, Moon Village Association; Asia Spacefaring Powers India, China, Japan Have Yet To Comment On Possible Egalitarian Considerations And Solutions; China Chang’e-5 Moon Sample Return Mission Late 2020 Readies Attempt To Mine Up To 2kg Of Regolith, Return To Earth, Long Before Any American Or Other Moon Lander Is Expected To Touch Down

Credits: NASA, UND /  Washington Post

Friday / 1 May 2020

USA Declaration Of Intent To Mine Moon Generates Interest Among Earthbound Industry

Executive Order Signed 6 April Prompts Consideration Of Imminent Lunar In-Situ Resource Utilization And Recovery As CNSA Chang’e-5 Mission To Collect 2.2 kg Of Regolith Approaches; Terrestrial Mining Powers Such As Canada, Rich In Both Natural Resources And Human Expertise, Recipient Of World-Leading US$7.9B Annual Investment In Mineral Extraction, Will Play Vital Role In Adaptation Of Remote Mining Technology To Moon Conditions; CSA Distributes $150M Through Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP), Fostering Lunar Geology Science

Credits: TransAstra Corp, Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science, NASA, JPL, Caltech, GSFC, Roscosmos, SVS

Friday / 10 Aug 2018

For All Moonkind, Preserving The Past For The Future, May Become Observer To UN COPUOS

Nonprofit Organization ‘For All Moonkind’ Recommended By UNOOSA To UN General Assembly To Be Granted Status Of Observer To COPUOS, Which Would Allow For Participation In International Discussions On All Space Topics; The Team Of Volunteer Space Lawyers & Policymakers Is Working To Create Protocols To Identify & Protect Universal Lunar / Space Heritage Sites, While Planning For Development; Status With UN Committee Could Help Advance Vital Issues Of Property Rights And Resource Extraction

Pictured: For All Moonkind Founders: Michelle and Tim Hanlon; Credits: For All Moonkind, NASA, UNOOSA, COPUOS, M. and T. Hanlon via Twitter

Friday / 30 Mar 2018

Updates To Outer Space Treaty Could Define Space Regulations

During COPUOS 57th Legal Subcommittee Session 9-20 April At Vienna International Center, Countries To Discuss General Principle Consensus On Space Resource Policy Which May Be Necessary To Enable Moon And Mars Settlements, Potentially Prevent Conflict Of Interest In Space; Vidvuds Beldavs Proposes International Regime Could Govern Moon Resource Extraction Focused On Safety, Sustainability, Equitable Sharing By All Countries; Common Heritage Of Mankind Concept Inclusion To Prevent Exploitation, Encourage Preservation For Future Generations 

Credits: NASA, Space, UN, Vidvuds Beldavs