In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Michio Kaku discusses the race for the Moon and how China, Japan and India all have plans to land on the surface of the Moon sometime around 2020. Not to be outdone, the European Space Agency (ESA) plans a manned mission to Mars in 2030 called the Aurora Program. (Note: The ESA's own site is calling for an "international human mission" to Mars by 2025, so it seems ESA does not plan to go on its own). Even so, Mr. Kaku seems to be worried about a "traffic jam" on the surface of the Moon. An interesting idea (and less worrisome than an explosion that pushes the Moon away from Earth ala Space 1999).Mr. Kaku also calls a trip the Moon "symbolic," citing its lack of military value, lack of air and water, and expensive-to-retrieve minerals. Finally, he worries about the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, wondering if it is up to the task when all these visits start of occur. Here are the basics:
- 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 activities;
- States shall be liable for damage caused by their space objects; and
- States shall avoid harmful contamination of space and celestial bodies.