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Those who viewed the full 51-minute version of Blue Moon's announcement by Jeff Bezos on May 9 were treated to a tutorial on the work of Dr. Gerard K. O'Neill. In the 1970s, Dr. O'Neill popularized the idea of space colonies that turn into orbit, allowing tens of thousands of people to live a comfortable life in habitats similar to Earth. Bezos even ordered updates to stimulate the public's imagination.
Bezos explained, as he has often said, that human civilization should and should extend into space to live and work in permanent settlement areas. This will allow the planet's best solar system, the Earth, to become a protected treasure in the vastness of space.
He understands that by creating the infrastructure to accelerate economic development in the space, his vision of the colonization of space will materialize more quickly. But Bezos remains sober about his ambitions in the space colony. He calls this a multigenerational enterprise. And that may be the case.
But just like Bezos and others, like him, push the boundaries of technology and business models, it is equally necessary to push the boundaries of space policy to support a problem-solving agenda. space. There is a real opportunity to develop more effective policies that will enable and encourage the development of space colonies. But those responsible for space-friendly space policy regulations must be willing to pursue them. A comprehensive space policy agenda that lawmakers and advocates would be able to consider would include the following areas of intervention:
Statement / establishment of general objectives
An official declaration of national commitment to space colonization has real potential value.
For example, Send. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) Introduced the Advancing Human Spaceflight Act which, among other things, will set the rules of space as a clear national goal. Last year, similar wording was included in NASA's draft authorization bill from the Senate, but not in the House-Senate compromise bill.
But a declaration is not enough. In 1988, as a member of the staff of Representative George E. Brown, I assisted in the drafting and promulgation of the Space Regulation Act (PL 100-685 Sec.217) which stated that the extension of Human life in space leading to spatial colonization fulfills the goals of science, exploration and business development and improves overall well-being. Missing from NASA's membership, however, the reporting requirements in this law have been quietly ignored.
Goals are critical, but they must be accompanied by specific enforceable actions, otherwise they will have little effect.
The spatial regulation allowing the development of technologies
It is clear that we still have a long way to go before we can launch a draft space regulation. We need policies that require NASA and other agencies to engage in specific research and technology development efforts that are critical to the sustainability of settlement areas. Much of this work is ongoing because it involves long-term research on manned spaceflight. Research on the effects of radiation exposure and on micro and low gravities is underway. Other related research includes the use of in situ resources for propulsion and construction; evaluation of mineral deposits; topography for site selection; and autonomous robotics. All these areas can be the subject of increased funding and attention.
Beyond these efforts, it is necessary to conduct research specifically focused on large-scale habitats, including support for life, food production (agriculture), energy, architecture and construction methods, as well as on the effect of the ultra-cycle (which creates an artificial gravity for the rotation of habitats in the space). .
Remove barriers from existing law
The question of whether international space law is sufficiently flexible to allow an entity, or a consortium of entities, to build a space facility as it sees fit is an open question. An assessment of any obstacles that may or may arise and the consideration of policy solutions needs to be explored and developed.
Establishment of government offices, posts and advisory boards
One of the ways in which a government can demonstrate its seriousness in the development and promotion of spatial colonization is to create positions and divisions dedicated to that goal. In the United States, we envision a coordinated, multi-agency effort to support the development of space colonies. Legislative action will be needed to create these implementing bodies.
Financial incentives offered by the government
Governments can help make investment in space regulation attractive through tax breaks, property rights, subsidies, public-private partnerships, secured loans, bond issues and other traditional financing mechanisms. non-traditional The government and potential stakeholders could design a set of "win-win" options to make funding a spatial settlement a medium-term reality rather than a long-term reality.
Allow and approve processes
The establishment of guidelines and an authorization criterion would attract the attention and interest of stakeholders in the colonization of outer space. Serious investors and settlers will appreciate at a minimum, and more likely, insist on the establishment of a government sanctions regime in order to give a high level of confidence to any proposed settlement initiative.
The approval process should be as simple as possible. It should be limited to "protecting international security and the public interest", and all the rest is caveat emptor. It may include performance-based elements, such as "habitats must remain in orbit for at least 150 years without risk of de-orbiting" and it is up to the operator to prove to the approving authority how this will be accomplished. An informed consent regime will also be required for occupants / visitors of a habitat.
Conclusion
Bezos and Musk and others have taken bold steps to pave the way for the settlement of space. Bravo! The time has come for space policy advocates to show the same boldness in advancing legislation that will pave the way for a future space settlement. Join us on June 5, 2019 for the Space Policy Policy Forum, organized by the National Space Society, to discuss ideas and recommendations to ensure that, when the day comes, technologies , the costs and investments in spatial regulation, will harmonize, will be ready with a set of sensible policies that will facilitate the realization of this dream.
Steve Wolfe is Deputy Executive Director of SpaceCom and Chairman of the ISDC Policy Forum on Space Regulation. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of SpaceCom or its advisory board.
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