The Moon to have no-fly zones by month end

LateX'Dog

LateX'Dog

LateX'Dog

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No-fly zones will come into effect on the moon for the very first time by the end of this month! Why, even buffer zones that spacecraft may have to avoid will come into existence. The reason: avoiding any spraying of rocket exhaust or dust onto certain historical sites and artefacts on the moon.

The historical sites are of course the Apollo landing sites and artefacts present on the moon. And the “recommendations” are for preserving and protecting these historical sites. There are currently more than three dozen historical sites that preserve the more than four-decade-old remains.

“Apollo 11 and 17 sites [will] remain off-limits, with ground-travel buffers of 75 metres and 225 metres from each respective lunar lander,” states the July 20 guidelines of NASA. Science journal had obtained the guidelines.

No legal binding

According to Science, by the end of this month NASA is expected to come up with a set of “recommendations” for spacecraft and astronauts visiting the “U.S. government property on the moon.” Of course, these recommendations will not be legally binding as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty makes it clear that the lunar surface has no owner.

Despite the lack of ownership, NASA is hopeful that other countries will respect the U.S. sentiments. Incidentally, the restriction list contains more than the historical sites. For instance, the list includes studying discarded food and abandoned astronaut faeces.

Study of bacteria

Though these restrictions may appear preposterous, there are clear scientific compulsions to collect and study them. For example, studying the discarded food will reveal the viability of bacteria on the moon and, if present, how they have mutated and survived after years of exposure to solar radiation.

It is worthwhile to remember that all scientific experiments conducted on board during space travel are of a few days duration and pale in comparison with decades of constant exposure to several stressful lunar conditions/environment.

Similarly, there are other scientific compulsions to study the artefacts left behind on the moon. For instance, any metallic objects would reveal how these materials have degraded after prolonged exposure to solar radiation and other peculiar conditions prevailing on the moon.

What prompted the space agency to act was the Google Lunar X prize for those landing a robot that moves 500 metres and sends images from the moon. Precise landing near the Apollo sites would get them more money.

Very recently, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured the sharpest images ever taken from space of the Apollo 12, 14 and 17 landing sites. The paths made when the astronauts explored the lunar surface have been very clearly captured by the images.

According to NASA, at the Apollo 17 site, the tracks laid down by the lunar rover are clearly visible, along with the last foot trails left on the Moon. The images also show where the astronauts placed some of the scientific instruments that provided the first insights into the Moon's environment and interior.
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http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article2432999.ece

No idea if this is even serious, regardless its crazy talk. No fly zone on the moon? Who even owns the moon?
 
No one owns the moon due to the UN treaty, im sure it will change after awhile

No one said corporations couldn't.

Either way, seems logical to protect such things until we can preserve them more thoroughly under a base perhaps.
 
Got to stop all those pesky Chinese and Japanese tourists from taking home the odd souvenir.
 
Its not crazy talk it makes absolute sense, I for one hope that all the apollo landing sites, bar one perhaps for scientific investigation are totally off limits and are never disturbed, its a rare environment that allows preservation of history on a scale never seen before, hopefully one day when we start living on the moon they will be 'bubbled' off and remain intact for as long as possible.
 
I own the moon! I've decided there's a fee for looking at it as well, I'll be round with my "$ bag" to collect my revenue after tonight.
 
StriderX said:
No one owns the moon due to the UN treaty, im sure it will change after awhile
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The Wikipedia article on the Moon Treaty says that no space faring country has signed or ratified the treaty, so it's pretty much utterly irrelevant.

StriderX said:
No one said corporations couldn't.
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The treaty says no "organization" may claim ownership, which would likely include a corporation.

StriderX said:
Either way, seems logical to protect such things until we can preserve them more thoroughly under a base perhaps.
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Agreed. The landing sites should be preserved for historical value.
 
Can the OP please put in massive, bold block capitals NASA RECOMMENDED NO FLY ZONES WITH NO LEGAL STANDING.

Just to try and stop all the "LOL AMERICA TRYING TO POLICE SPACE NOW LOL!" responses from people too lazy to read a few sentences.

Oh wait, looks like the OP was too lazy to read the article he posted, nevermind....
 
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LateX'Dog said:
No idea if this is even serious, regardless its crazy talk. No fly zone on the moon? Who even owns the moon?
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Did you even read it?


According to Science, by the end of this month NASA is expected to come up with a set of “recommendations” for spacecraft and astronauts visiting the “U.S. government property on the moon.” Of course, these recommendations will not be legally binding as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty makes it clear that the lunar surface has no owner.
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It's purely a cutesy thing NASA wants people to follow to prevent damage to equipment.

like your neighbour asking you to stop letting your cat **** on his lawn.



Thread title needs editing to "LOL MISREPRESENTATION OF FACT FOR RETARDED CONSPIRACY IMPLICATION"
 
The Outer Space Treaty doesn't appear to prohibit private ownership of the moon, though it does restrict its uses. Info taken from The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs says:

UNOOSA said:
The Outer Space Treaty provides the basic framework on international space law, including the following principles:

- the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all mankind;
- outer space shall be free for exploration and use by all States;
- outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means;
- States shall not place nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies or station them in outer space in any other manner;
- the Moon and other celestial bodies shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes;
astronauts shall be regarded as the envoys of mankind;
- States shall be responsible for national space activities whether carried out by governmental or non-governmental entities;
- States shall be liable for damage caused by their space objects; and
- States shall avoid harmful contamination of space and celestial bodies.
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So it's more about what you do there, and how open it is, rather than whether you can own a piece of it.
 
While i do agree its good to preserve the landing sites. I am wondering why hey want for a no-fly zone in place now?

Have the heard another country is launching new missions to the moon?
 
They want to stop Groen going up there to sweep away the evidence of them having been there, because science dictates that it's impossible to get there.
 
mysticsniper said:
While i do agree its good to preserve the landing sites. I am wondering why hey want for a no-fly zone in place now?

Have the heard another country is launching new missions to the moon?
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THERE IS NO NO-FLY ZONE


It's amazing how many people will read the title and just accept it as fact despite it always being the OP's massive misrepresentation.
 
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