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In May 2019, SpaceX began launching its Starlink constellation with the launch of its first 60 satellites. To date, the company has launched more than 800 satellites and (as of this summer) is producing them at a rate of around 120 per month. By the end of 2021 or 2022, Elon Musk hopes to have a constellation of 1,440 satellites providing near-global service and possibly as many as 42,000 providing internet to the entire planet by the end of the decade.
Since November 2020, SpaceX has invited participants to participate in a public beta test called “Better Than Nothing”. The aptly named service offers users a modest throughput of between 50 and 150 megabits per second, a far cry from the low-latency gigabit download speeds they hope to deliver. But perhaps more interesting is the small element of the terms of service, where participants must recognize that Mars is a “free planet”.
This item was spotted by the Twitter account “WholeMarsBlog(Which has since been disabled), and later confirmed the Reddit user “Smoke-Away.” On a bulletin board posted on Starlink’s official Reddit account (Wednesday, October 28), they attached the full terms of service that users must sign to get involved in the Better Than Nothing beta.
These included the following point in the section titled “Applicable Law”:
“For services provided on Mars, or in transit to Mars via Starship or other colonization spacecraft, the parties recognize Mars as a free planet and that no earthly government has authority or sovereignty over Martian activities. Consequently, the disputes will be settled according to the principles of autonomy, established in good faith, at the time of the Martian settlement.
Well… that’s certainly a bold statement. And it certainly wasn’t that surprising, given that Musk made it clear that he hopes to establish a colony on Mars someday. In addition to launching the exploration of Mars, establishing a colony on the Red Planet is one of the reasons Musk launched SpaceX in 2001. It is also the goal of the project. Starship and Very heavy launch system.
On several occasions, Musk has provided snippets of what his long-term vision would look like. As he described in January 2020, he hopes to increase the production of Starship, building 100 a year for ten years to create a fleet of 1,000 ships. He estimates that these would be able to carry up to 100 megatons per year or 100 people per trip, which would occur every 26 months (when Earth and Mars are closest).
After a few decades, he hopes this will result in the creation of an autonomous civilization on Mars with a minimum population of one million men, women and children. As for the type of government this civilization will have, Musk has expressed his preference in the past for direct democracy, as he did in a 2018 interview at the South by Southwest conference. As he says in the video above (10 minutes):
“Most likely, the form of government on Mars would be some sort of direct democracy where people vote directly on issues instead of going through representative government. When the United States was formed, representative government was the only thing that was logistically possible because there was no way people could communicate instantly. “
Communicate instantly? Does that sound like a particular service Musk hopes to provide people? After all, Musk has indicated that he hopes to establish a constellation of satellites around Mars to provide broadband access. And while it may seem like Musk is laying the groundwork for a bizarre social experiment with this, what he’s coming up with isn’t unprecedented.
In fact, there is an enduring tradition that says national governments cannot declare sovereignty over space or other planets. In accordance with Article II of the Outer Space Treaty (signed in 1968), it stipulates that: “Outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to the ‘national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, through use or occupation, or by any other means. “
These terms, however, are in stark contrast to what the applicable law section states about Starlink services on Earth or on the Moon:
“For Services provided on, on or in orbit around planet Earth or the Moon, these Terms and any disputes between us arising out of or related to these Terms, including disputes regarding arbitrability (“ Disputes ”) will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of California in the United States. “
So while the other Starlink and Musks businesses are still subject to the law of the land here on Earth, Mars may be another story. For some, the idea of a society creating a colony inspires all kinds of dystopian fantasies, not to mention a few unfavorable historical comparisons. A look at the balance sheet of Hudson’s Bay or the East India Company would make anyone think twice!
Of course, it should be pointed out that these terms of service are for a public beta test and may not represent the final version at this time. Starlinkservices are officially available. So if you really want to take the Better Than Nothing test, probably tick this box!
While Musk certainly likes to think about the future (and talk about it), there is so much to be determined by then that speculating on how Mars will be ruled does not make sense!
Further reading: InVerse, Futurism
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