1.NASA’s lunar bombing violates space law and must be stopped
NASA’s use of a 2-ton empty Centaur rocket as a kinetic weapon violates space law in multiple ways and must be stopped, in flight or in lunar orbit.
The bombing of the moon with a kinetic weapon to create a 5 mile crater is a per se violation of the U.N. Outer Space Treaty, which the U.S. has ratified, irrespective of its being designed as part of an experiment related to lunar colonization.
The U.N. Outer Space Treaty (Article III) provides that “States Parties to the Treaty shall carry on activities in the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, in accordance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations.”
The Moon Treaty (Agreement Governing The Activities Of States On The Moon And Other Celestial Bodies (1979)) addresses and bans the specific activity bombing of the moon carried out unilaterally by the U.S. The Moon Treaty prohibits disruption of the environment of the Moon. The LCROSS bombing constitutes a disruption of the delicate balance of the lunar ecology. Article 7 of the Moon Treaty states:
Article 7 of the Moon Treaty
“1. In exploring and using the moon, States Parties shall take measures to prevent the disruption of the existing balance of its environment whether by introducing adverse changes in that environment, by its harmful contamination through the introduction of extra-environmental matter or otherwise. States Parties shall also take measures to avoid harmfully affecting the environment of the earth through the introduction of extraterrestrial matter or otherwise.
“2. States Parties shall inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the measures being adopted by them in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article and shall also, to the maximum extent feasible, notify him in advance of all placements by them of radio-active materials on the moon and of the purposes of such placements.
“3. States Parties shall report to other States Parties and to the Secretary-General concerning areas of the moon having special scientific interest in order that, without prejudice to the rights of other States Parties, consideration may be given to the designation of such areas as international scientific preserves for which special protective arrangements are to be agreed upon in consultation with the competent bodies of the United Nations.”
Although the U.S. has not ratified the Moon Treaty, 13 nations have, and it can be construed as a relevant international standard of what constitutes “international law” under the U.N. Outer Space Treaty.
Chandre you are a credit to the cause, but in the way of things I think it unlikely our pleas will make a difference, as the mission objectives are now of great interest (and maybe control) of the military, and although we may call on the conscience of politicians, scholars, and leaders, we have little chance of swaying the Generals given the power of the impactor, but we should still try.
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"Creating a fiction when stating a fact destroys the credibility of the truth one are trying to convey"
good initiative chandre i smell they r going to do all except to try to find water under the surface of the moon. i don't think that for this pourpose the bombing is the more appropiated solution.
Skipper has posted suggestions on how to voice our objections on his web-site. As you can imagine, I wasted no time in expressing my viewpoints and sent a letter out to all of the news contacts he listed (a number have been returned saying invalid e-mail address but most have been acknowledged). I also went to the White House web-site and posted the letter on their interactive 'Contact Us' Forum. As I am not American I could not contact the other sites but I am going to forward my letter to Oprah and the Chinese, Japanese and Indian Space agencies as well as some South African news agencies. Perhaps you may want to do the same locally in your countries ?
I have included a copy of my letter so you can see mypersonal viewpoint on the issue.
Open Letter to : President Barack Obama (posted on the White House Interactive Web-site), the First Lady Michelle Obama, NASA,JPL, US Committee on Science and Technology (Senate) ,US SubComittee on Space and Aeronautics (House),US Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (Senate), US Sub CommitteeScience and Spaceand the US Media and all concerned residents of the Planet Earth
I'm just one of many highly concerned residents of the Planet Earth opposed to the proposed 10/9/2009 bombing planned by NASA and JPL of one or more of the deep permanently dark craters on the Moon to determine any water presence hidden in those places.
There are two reasons why I oppose this action.
The first is that we donot own the Moon ! A few landings on the surface and a few flags planted do not convey ownership in any sense of the word. If you do not own it, you have no right to damage it in any way. We are spending millions of dollars promoting a sense of eco-awareness and responsibility towards our own planet. We are encouraging people to treat the Earth we live on with respect and to try to minimise their impact on this beautiful planet we live on. Surely that should apply to other planets as well ? I would hate to be part of a race that did nothing but destroy everything within our reach. If we don't want to destroy our own world, what gives us the rightto damage other worlds ? We have the technology to ascertain what is at the bottem of the crater without landing on or bombing the Moon, lets use that instead of violently attacking the surface. Lets stop the USA, China and Japan from crashing their vehicles into the surface of the Moon (and maybe Mars next) when it is absolutely unnecessary and immoral to do this !
The second reason is that since it is unknown exactly what is at the bottom of these craters, this blind violent act is foolish, ill advised, and potentially dangerous to all of us living on the Earth. There is simply no logical reason supporting taking such a violent act except economy, expediency and convenience. This exploration should be done via peaceful less intrusive instrument and/or via manned missions conveying a responsible message and setting that standard.
I believe that the Media and Governments of Earthshould be aware that there are many people that share this viewpointand that there is a growing movement afoot to have this aspect of the mission halted.
Please use whatever tools and influence you may have to see that this particular aspect of the mission is stopped and the weapon(s) removed from the Moons' proximity and harmlessly destroyed.
I believe that we need to speak via our actions, both on and off our Planet. We need to present a race that is seen to be ethical, peaceful, cautious, responsible and respectful of our own and other planets and bodies within the Solar system. We need to consider the potential presence of life before we act. If we do not stop this, the next 'bombing' may occur on Mars, and then may continue until we have violated every planet/moon in our Solar system.
Do you really want to promote this message about the inhabitants of Earth, is this the legacy we would like to leave our children ?