Humans want to mine the moon. Here's what space law experts say the rules are [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

Lunar exploration will be a test for space resource management. Will we pass or fail?

Jaela Bernstien · CBC News · Posted: Sep 01, 2022 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

https://i.cbc.ca/1.6568799.1661983013!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_780/illustration-astronauts-moon.jpg

An illustration of what a NASA base camp at the lunar south pole might look like. NASA plans to build a lunar cabin, a rover and a mobile home. The eventual goal is for crew to be able to stay on the surface for up to two months at a time. (NASA )


Mining the moon might sound like a concept that belongs in a science fiction novel, but it's likely to be a part of reality in the not-so-distant future. That's made it a hot topic of discussion among space lawyers — yes, there are space lawyers — on Earth.

When Michelle Hanlon, co-director of the Air and Space Law Program at the University of Mississippi, tells people what she does for a living, she says most people are confused.

"Most people think I'm a real estate lawyer — what kind of space do you sell?" she said, laughing. But in fact, Hanlon is an expert in the law governing outer space.

There are several international agreements governing space, including The Outer Space Treaty, which was drafted during the Cold War and signed by more than 100 countries including the United States, China and Russia.

More:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/moon-mining-outer-space-treaty-1.6568648