Assessing a Mars Agreement Including Human Settlements

This book explores the legal aspects of human exploration and settlement of Mars, including intellectual property rights, contact with extraterrestrial intelligence, freedom of exploration, and the International Space Station agreement. It also focuses on creating and managing a new society on Mars, including reproductive rights, human rights in privately-funded settlements, a Martian power grid, and criminal justice. As technology advances, international space law must adapt to ensure safe and responsible exploration of Mars.

Format: Hardback
Length: 205 pages
Publication date: 16 May 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This book is a groundbreaking contribution to the emerging field of legal considerations surrounding human exploration and potential settlement of Mars. It offers fresh insights and innovative ideas in two critical areas. The first section delves into the broader aspects of current space law, encompassing intellectual property rights in outer space, the legal implications of contact with extraterrestrial intelligence, the freedom of exploration and use, and the International Space Station agreement as a precedent for Mars. The second section focuses on the establishment and governance of a new society on Mars, addressing topics such as human reproduction and childbirth, the protection of human rights in privately-funded settlements, legal aspects of a Martian power grid, and criminal justice on the red planet. As numerous national space agencies and commercial enterprises actively pursue Mars missions, there is a growing likelihood that human presence will be established on the red planet in the coming decades. While the foundation of international space law, established primarily by the Outer Space Treaty, remains the framework for human interaction with Mars, new and unforeseen challenges have emerged, driven particularly by the rapid pace of technological advancement in recent years. To ensure that space law can keep pace with these developments, a new scholarly work such as this is crucial. By bringing together a diverse range of international perspectives on the topic, the book appeals to scholars and professionals across the space field.

The exploration and settlement of Mars have captured the imagination of scientists, policymakers, and the general public alike. The legal aspects of these endeavors are becoming increasingly important as humanity prepares to venture into the final frontier. This book is dedicated to the nascent discussion of the legal aspects of human exploration and possible settlement of Mars, and provides fresh insights and new ideas in two key areas.

The first one revolves around the broader aspects of current space law, such as intellectual property rights in outer space, the legal implications of contact with extra-terrestrial intelligence, legal considerations around the freedom of exploration and use, and the International Space Station agreement as a precedent for Mars.

The second one focuses on the creation and management of a new society on Mars, and includes topics such as human reproduction and childbirth, the protection of human rights in privately-funded settlements, legal aspects of a Martian power grid, and criminal justice on the red planet.

With multiple national space agencies and commercial enterprises focusing on Mars, it is more than likely that a human presence will be established on the red planet in the coming decades. While the foundation of international space law, laid primarily by the Outer Space Treaty, remains the framework within which humans will engage with Mars, new and unforeseen challenges have arisen, driven particularly by the rapid pace of technological advancement in recent years.

To ensure that space law can keep up with these developments, a new scholarly work such as the present one is critical. By bringing together a number of fresh international perspectives on the topic, the book is of interest to all scholars and professionals working in the space field.

Weight: 494g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030650124
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021