Space Law Probe » Space Law

Energy Equals Mass Times the Speed of Light Squared

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:13:38 +0000

The Probe salutes Albert Einstein on his birthday during the 100th anniversary of his “miraculous year” (annus mirabilus), 1905, in which he wrote three fundamental papers including one on special relativity, which rocked the world and changed science forever.

A toast to E=MC2. (Listen to Prof. Einstein himself explaining his galactically famous formula here.)

And here are just some of the zillions of Einstein links across Webspace.

And by the way, happy Pi day.

Just say no humans

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:11:33 +0000

Want to really ban humans from Mars? In response to the anti-human provision in NASA funding bill HR 3093 (“Provided, That none of the funds under this heading shall be used for any research, development, or demonstration activities related exclusively to the human exploration of Mars….”), Michael Huang, for one, has some advice: “If the anti-human-spaceflight community is serious about eliminating humans in space, it should write a better law. And no messing around this time:
Provided, That no funds shall be used for anything that has, does or will directly result in humans, human-derived beings or human-like objects existing at an altitude higher than 100 kilometers above sea level on planet Earth.”

Black Holes and space law consulting

admin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 10:09:07 +0000

The services Black Holes offers clients include:
researching, analysing and evaluating the legal, regulatory, policy and political framework applicable to any space activity or application, and presenting the results thereof by reports and presentations;
conducting legal reality checks of proposed space activities or applications, and commenting on their legal, regulatory, policy and political ramifications, by means of reports and presentations;
providing advise and recommendations on future actions required or desirable to enhance any space activity or application, by means of reports and presentations;
developing, offering and monitoring tailor-made tutorials for professionals on the legal, regulatory, policy and political framework applicable to any space activity or application;
developing, offering and monitoring self-study programmes for professionals on the legal, regulatory, policy and political framework applicable to any space activity or application;
organising meetings and workshops to address legal, regulatory, policy and political aspects of space activities and their applications for selected audiences; and
addressing audiences on legal, regulatory, policy and political aspects of space activities and their applications.

Sounds like a comprehensive package for the space community. And it’s about time. Given his wide expertise in international space matters covering the gamut from satellites to space tourism, Frans would be remiss if he did not turn up the volume, as it were, and open a 21st century space law consultancy company.

Space seasons greeting

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:07:45 +0000

Twas the night before Christmas and way out in space, the Apollo 8 crew had just won the moon race. The headsets were hung by the consoles with care, in hopes that Chris Kraft soon would be there.

Frank Borman was nestled all snug in his bed, while visions of REFSMMAT’s danced in his head; and Jim Lovell, in his couch, and Anders, in the bay, were racking their brains over a computer display.

When out of the DSKY, there arose such a clatter, Frank sprang from his bed to see what was the matter. Away to the sextant he flew like a flash, to make sure they weren’t going to crash.

The light on the breast of the moon’s jagged crust gave a luster of green cheeses to the gray lunar dust. When what to his wondering eyes should appear, but a Burma Shave sign saying ‘Kilroy was here.’