The exploitation of natural resources of the moon and other celestial bodies represents one of the most fascinating developments in the fields of space law and space related activities. The mining and use of extraterrestrial mineral resources may not only contribute to the betterment of conditions of people on earth but may also enable the realization of projects such as those envisaging a permanent human presence on the surface of the moon and other celestial bodies. The exploitation of lunar and other celestial bodies’ resources, however, requires an appropriate legal framework for it to develop in an orderly and peaceful manner, taking into consideration also such broader public concerns as regards security, safety and the environment. The current legal regime regulating activities in outer space lacks the required specific rules to govern the extraction and use of natural resources of the moon and other celestial bodies once being removed from their original location. This book tries to fill this gap by proposing a legal regime aimed at regulating the mining and exploitation of extraterrestrial natural resources for commercial purposes.

The purpose of this book is to propose a legal regime to govern the exploitation of natural resources of the moon and other celestial bodies. Considering, on the one side, the interest shown by states and private operators to extract and use extraterrestrial natural resources and, on the other, the absence of specific rules dealing with such an option, the establishment of a legal framework to regulate the exploitation of natural resources of the moon and other celestial bodies is needed so as to ensure its peaceful, safe and orderly development.

The Earth has limited material and energy resources. Further development of the humanity will require going beyond our planet for mining and use of extraterrestrial mineral resources and search of power sources. The exploitation of the natural resources of the Moon is a first natural step on this direction. Lunar materials may contribute to the betterment of conditions of people on Earth but they also may be used to establish permanent settlements on the Moon. This will allow developing new technologies, systems and flight operation techniques to continue space exploration. In fact, a new branch of human civilization could be established permanently on Moon in the next century. But, meantime, an inventory and proper social assessment of Moon’s prospective energy and material resources is required. This book investigates the possibilities and limitations of various systems supplying manned bases on Moon with energy and other vital resources. The book collects together recent proposals and innovative options and solutions. It is a useful source of condensed information for specialists involved in current and impending Moon-related activities and a good starting point for young researchers.

This work investigates the permissibility and viability of property rights on the - lestial bodies, particularly the extraterrestrial aspects of land and mineral resources ownership. In lay terms, it aims to ?nd an answer to the question “Who owns the Moon?” The ?rst chapter critically analyses and dismantles with legal arguments the issue of sale of extraterrestrial real estate, after having perused some of the trivial claims of celestial bodies ownership. The only consequence these claims have on the plane of space law is to highlight the need for a better regulation of extraterrestrial landed property rights. Next, thebook addresses theapparent silenceofthelawinthe?eldofextraterr- trial landed property, scrutinizing whether the factual situation on the extraterrestrial realms calls for legal regulations. The sources of law are examined in their dual dimension – that is, the facts that have caused and shaped the law of extraterrestrial real estate, and the norms which express this law. It is found that the norms and rules regarding property rights in the celestial realms are rather limited, failing to de?ne basic concepts such as celestial body.

This book assesses the present status of space activity regulation against the background of the progressive commercialization of outer space. The basic legal framework for outer space activity was established during a time when space endeavour was still in its infancy and a critical reassessment of its principles therefore forms the basis of this publication. The outcome of this analysis and the legal implications which result from applying it to practical space utilization yield an insight into the legal questions pertaining to space commercialization and its practical implementation. Commercial Utilization of Outer Space will be of great interest to academics and practitioners in the field of space activities, as well as to government policy makers in different sectors of space commercialization ranging from space transportation, satellite communication and remote sensing to space insurance and manufacturing in outer space. Wherever appropriate and feasible practical aspects have been dealt with against the background of present-day realities and developments foreseen for the future.

Set against a backdrop of terrorism, rogue states, non-conventional warfare, and deteriorating diplomacy, this encyclopedia offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, up-to-date reference on the recent history and contemporary practice of arms control and nonproliferation. Arms Control: History, Theory, and Policy features in-depth, expert analysis and information on the full spectrum of issues relating to this critical topic. The first major reference on arms control in over a decade, the two-volume set covers historical context, contemporary challenges, and emerging approaches to diplomacy and human rights. Noted experts provide a full spectrum of perspectives on arms control, offering insightful analysis of arms-control agreements and the people and institutions behind them. Volume 1 provides an accessible historical overview of the subject and a more detailed conceptual analysis of the foundations of arms control. Volume 2 covers the contemporary and practical issues of arms control, focusing on global issues that arms control advocates have been forced to address with varying degrees of success: a burgeoning international trade in conventional weapons; a closely related flood of small arms and light weapons used to fuel intrastate conflicts and even genocide; and the spread of nuclear weapons to potentially unstable regions of the world.