FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions ... and more
For ease of use we have gathered the Q&As into discrete sections:
The Mars Register Business:
- UN fears imminent weaponization of space:
UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY (Resolution, Dec 2016): The General Assembly, “Seriously concerned about the possibility of an arms race in outer space”
2. Many nations anticipate the weaponization of space:
CHINA (at UN COPUOS 2016): “the risk of weaponization of outer space and military confrontations in outer space is on the increase with it ….. posing a potential major threat to peace and security in outer space”
3. Aggressive competition in space exploitation:
BIGELOW: “If we don’t get there first, they (China) will!” ….. US Senator Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness: “America must expand commerce and ultimately settlement into space; and we must do it first.”…. “The world is much safer with America as the global leader of this planet; and the world will similarly be safer and stronger if the United States and our ideals of free enterprise and free speech are the driving force of commerce and settlement throughout the galaxy”
4. Several nations very unhappy with the US Space Act:
RUSSIA (at UN COPUOS 2016): “The United States vividly demonstrated a connection between diminishing the Committee’s role and powers, on the one hand, and manifestations of total disrespect for international law order, on the other, by adopting the commercial space launch competitiveness act on 25 November 2015”
5. US “commerce” is very happy with the US Space Act:
Eric Anderson, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, Planetary Resources: “This is the single greatest recognition of property rights in history.” …….. Bigelow : “The time has come to get serious about lunar property rights”
6. Space faring nations are seriously looking at weaponizing space. We have a new US Space Force. We are in danger of converting astronauts from ‘envoys of mankind’ into opposing armed combatants.
So what do we at MARS REGISTER think about it?? … well, we think the United States “Space Act 2015” is mostly a GOOD THING but it does hurt the 50 year old Outer Space Treaty. So the US needs to show strong responsible leadership and encourage the UN (COPUOS) to work hard to build a limited ‘top-up treaty’ upon the existing Outer Space Treaty. This will prove VERY important.
6. Space debris levels at “critical”
ESA statement 2017: “All these studies are a clear indicator that the population of large and massive objects has reached a critical density in LEO, and that mitigation alone is not sufficient”.
7. The likely future without Space Treaty update:
A BIG RISK OF DISASTER FROM SPACE DEBRIS, UNCONTROLLED APPROPRIATION/MINING RIGHTS AND CONFLICT (WITH NUKES AVAILABLE)….. The US Space ACT (2015), whilst “necessary”, does infringe upon the non appropriation principle and the OST. What will happen if the US Space ACT is passively accepted by other space nations without any OST updates to accommodate it? …. well, over the next 20+ years, 3-5 main space faring nations will compete aggressively for mining rights on celestial land. Other nations will be left behind. The US will be the clear leader. Pedis possessio will be used to mark out the wide areas of celestial mining claims. The OST becomes less relevant as space faring nations continue to develop their own laws. Nuclear weaponization (and other WMDs) becomes a fact in space. Space debris is largely uncontrolled and progressively dangerous. The opportunity for conflict, with nuclear capabilities available, becomes very real.
8. The Future with an appropriate Space Law update (and a light touch “space exploitation” governing body):
Within an updated treaty, there will be an up to date, fit for purpose legal framework that accommodates space exploitation and offers market friendly governance, whilst still protecting wider celestial lands for all ‘humanity’. Weaponisation remains very restricted, space debris management is universally agreed and acceptable appropriation (if indeed this can be so) is limited by the treaty. US space companies will lead the way and enjoy great profits, but within a responsible framework. Thus safe, vibrant collaborative space exploration and exploitation can flourish, whilst still preserving some benefit and opportunity for the developing non-space faring nations.
9. The Mars Land Claim might sting the UN into updating the Space Laws. See our Legal section for detail info on how this might happen.
1/ Our engagement with fascinated world media may shed sufficient light on the subject that the UN awakens from its sleepwalk towards space weaponization and finds enough cohesion to agree a safe top-up treaty.
2/. If space law evolves to tolerate celestial land ownership (as we know it will do in future), then we have a real chance to propagate our claim towards registration of Mars land title and beyond. The full realisation of our claim/proposal delivers a new ‘top-up treaty’ as well as vibrant responsible space commerce.
Also, all those claims are part of a valid, single declared act of possession … such that whenever space law evolves to tolerate such celestial property rights, this claim should be first in line for consideration (expert independent legal advice supports this opinion). Our claimants’ descendants may actually get ownership of the claimed celestial land one day. In fact, we think this is quite PROBABLE.
Our goal of course is to use the nominal fees paid by fellow claimants to fund the legal due process and the necessary lobbying of state delegations to the UN (COPUOS) – in order to convince them of the beneficial structure to our full proposal.
If all goes to plan, the UN will buy all claims from every claimant for a nominal fee. If they act quick (2017) that will be just $1000 each, which is still a good dollar reward. We don’t expect the UN to act quickly, hence a financial stimulus. That nominal fee will double biennially such that in 2037 it will be $1 million to each Mars land claimant.
If things don’t go to this plan, then rest assured, those claim certificates are still valid as part of the single communal claim to Mars land possession. There is a GOOD chance that one future day, either the direct land claimants or their future descendants will gain title registration to the claimed land on Mars. FACT.
So, our laser will add something to Mars [a ‘non zero beneficial influence] … this helps us make a claim of possession.
We accept that within the current law we are unable to yet convert this possession into registered ownership… but we are certain that the law will evolve in the necessary direction.
So, our Claim Certificates may come with a novelty gift price-tag, but they are intended to be VERY REAL… and so DO NOT contain any stamp stating “Novelty Gift”, unlike the expensive Deed certificates from all those other celestial “real estate” companies [which do have to carry that novelty gift stamp].
See the NEWS section of the website to see how the UK High Court Judge (and UK Government) agrees that such a claim might just prove to be valid under International Law.
Legal Aspects
So if its detail you want, take a deep breath and go here:
The Mars Land Claim [MARS REGISTER v. COPUOS].
The subject matter for the case is all real. We have 2 of the worlds most respected space lawyers appointed as judges. $1500 prizes.
Go here to find out about it: THE MARS PRIZE
So does this mean we would wish to go there on an early mission?…
Absolutely, hence we made numerous communications with Spacex and Mars-One [the latter always looked doomed, but a hat in the ring is always good]. We have over 10 years experience of working with top pilots and maintain a good interest in aviation and space medicine. In future, funds permitting, we intend to offer multiple annual scholarships (and bursaries) in Space Studies to worthy applicants from within our members families … this we will help to deliver the astronauts and space engineers of tomorrow (and softly enhance the strength of our claim!).
A Deed is a formal document, awarded by an officially recognised body [in this case a celestial registry], to confirm entitlement to land [either legal or equitable] and serves as evidence of ownership. There is no legitimate celestial registry within the current legal framework and law.
We are conducting an ongoing act of possession of Mars, therefore we can legally invite others to join us in our “communal possession” through the act of making [‘staking’] a claim through our website.
We cannot award a Deed since we are not a legally recognised Registry. There is no such registry at present, although the need for one was forecast by three leading Yale University law professors back in 1963. There are internet companies issuing novelty deeds to celestial bodies, but of course, by stamping the deed with “this is a novel/novelty gift” they avoid any legal problems because the novelty deed document is not an actual deed.
Our claim certificates do not have any need for such a “get out of jail” stamp as it is an honest document which carries real legal intent.
- 1. A comparision:
Novelty Mars Deed to 10 acres = $149
Mars Register Claim to 10 acres = $0.01 [1 cent] at the standard price [Earlybirds get to claim for FREE]!
- 2. Which “tool” is more likely to actually get you land on Mars, the novelty deeds [from other websites] or the Mars Register Claim?…
Our answer: “All day long it’s the Mars Register Claim.”
Science Aspects
We use SkyTechLasers and WickedLasers, both of Hong Kong. A few years back, WickedLasers got the Guinness Book of Records award for the Worlds most poweful handheld laser.
Mars moves through space at ~54,000 mph (86,700 kph) so has progressed more than 26000 miles (~42000 km) in 30 minutes. That’s 6 times the diameter of Mars.
Light time from Earth to Mars varies from 3 to 22 minutes. We do not do much laser application once the light time exceeds 17 minutes. The laser is precisely aligned to the telescope. We always keep Mars in the high-power FOV but, depending on the relevant light time, we do adjust the firing position in anticipation of Mars’ progression. The requirement is minimal/none when Mars is close at opposition (3 minutes light time each way). Although our powerful lasers comprise tightly collimated beams, the inevitable divergence is such that even when Mars is close at opposition, the beam width is almost 30 times the diameter of Mars. We do not miss our target.
So Mars has H2O ice and CO2 dry ice in the polar regions and also just under the top soild elsewhere. Extra heat/light would liberate more CO2 gas and liquid water. There you have some building blocks for life. Primitive organic life, photosynthetic life, would thrive on more light [Mars is further from the Sun than Earth]. Studies have shown that some such plants thrive even more on a cocktail of ‘red with a dash of blue’ light compared to sunlight. You might even encourage the growth of ‘dark plants’ [see the great cosmologist Carl Sagan’s ideas on these] which would absorb more heat and give out O2 as well. If a greenhouse effect were to be generated on Mars to form an improved atmosphere then organic life could thrive, and in turn generate O2. Our blue and red laser light is likely to benefit any primitive photosynthetic life that may be there already. Also, note, scientists believe that powerful blue-UV light probably broke organic chemical bonds and helped trigger the spark of life on Earth. Might we do that for Mars???
The science and math page you want is right here: https://themartians.org/science-issues/
Joining Us: Payments, Certificates and Records
NOTE: EarlyBird and Saver Claims are just the same as standard claims but are in limited in numbers and are expected to sell out quite early on.
Standard claims are limited to a maximum of 100 per purchase process. You may buy up to 500 Priority Claims in one purchase transaction. Once you have chosen the claim and added name/DOB/address of certificate holder, you can see the content of your shopping cart. You can press the “+” value to input the number of claims you wish to purchase.
Within a couple of minutes you will get an email from CelestialSales confirming your purchase (including the number of claims made).
There will also be an email from SendOwl (downloadable product manager) with a link to your downloadable certificate package.
So, you get downloadable certificates (we no longer offer a print-and-post service which previously did add cost). If you have bought more than one claim, SendOwl will still supply one claim certificate package. You may either download it twice (if you purchased 2 claims) or simply copy it once downloaded. You also can type/print the name of the certificate holder in the space provided. A typical high street printer charges just $2 for 2 high quality parchment certificate prints … straight from your USB, disc, tablet or smartphone.
Note: the certificate package is about 6MB in size and contains 3 certificates (including a seasonal gift cert), our Declaration of Intent, and a covernote. Each certificate from the same transaction will have the same transaction number and email address printed on the very bottom pane.
We retain a record of the transaction number, number of claims, and the name(s), address/email & DOB for certification and registration purposes. Should we actually be successful in gaining title registration to Mars land via a UN approved Registry or Court process, then we will need to use these details. We don’t have sight of your financial details and these are not recorded.
Note: If you ever want confirmation of the number of claims you have purchased, just save the email from CelestialSales which contains these details together with a link to your purchase confirmation with unique transaction number.