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It is fantastic to see this incredible surge in scientific investigation of our Solar System.  More nations are becoming 'space-faring' [including India] . Theres more international collaboration and certainly more commercial integration. What could possibly go wrong...
Well, we think something WILL go wrong [read on to find out]. So we want the UN and space-faring Nations to update the Outer Space Treaty (OST) NOW to prevent trouble in Space...

* NOW IS THE TIME FOR UN TO SAVE THE SPACE TREATY! *
In order to encourage this action, we are claiming legal factual possession of Mars [for real!]. If our claim is validated, then we then command considerable leverage to effect those UN actions.  Our claim relates to our 'acts of possession', primarily the sustained, repetitive use of powerful laser light targetting Mars.  We claim this to have a small beneficial effect on the land/atmosphere of Mars, and is consistent with legal proof requirement for Factual Possession and Effective Occupation of  a distant 'difficult' land. We now want others to join our claim, our influence being greater with numbers. Our intent is to pass the legal Mars title into trusteeship of UN once all necessary actions are complete (requires the law to evolve).
[SWEEP / CLICK RIGHT =>]

"orbit @ Mars"

[wonderful]

UPDATE PENDING
 This section is six (6)
 years out of date!!!!!

Important Legal Issues:

If you get bored with the detail, just flick quickly through to the lasers! =>

Mars 'n Roids

[bravado]

US "Asteroid Mining Act" now
signed into Law by President

Credit should go to US & NASA for their relative openness with respect to exploration, mining and even defence. They do cop a lot of criticism from some other space-faring nations who are rather less open. Current attempts (via UN) to gain a new Space Treaty or code-of-practice dont appear 100% engaged. Indeed the Treaties are often seen (by the big players) as hurdles to negotiate!...

To avoid the restrictions of the existing Space Treaty, a Space Faring nation only needs to give one years notice to pull out of the treaty altogether.

Move it and mine it

[pioneering]

Asteroid Mining Projects;
Asteroid Redirect Mission

This is now openly recognised [despite the Treaty in Place]
So, what of the current UN based efforts to deal with this risk?...
Its all tell and no show, we're sad to say. Plenty of Nation cliques coming up with proposed 'codes-of-practice'. Yet none is sufficiently appealling to the other cliques. Everyone knows which issues are a proplem for which nation ... but theres a general willingness to let things slide and leave US looking like the bad guy (largely unfair)

"You talkin to ME?"

[RisingRisk]

Massive militarization of Space WILL soon happen ... end of

Mars Tomorrow: "Get off my Claim"

[conflict]

Local dispute between miners?..
or pawns in the big chess game?

Hot enough for ya?

WorldWar3?

James Bond? Austin Powers? No... its just what we humans always do.

In the West at least, theres a palpable sense that the Space Treaty, although strong against weapons in space and sovereignty issues, is snuffing out commercial opportunity. For the Treaty to disintegrate, it will just take one major space faring nation to pull out ... then it's toast.

It will fall because its bad for business... but the result will be a massive vacuum-packed arsenal of supercharged weapons.

We at OUTERSPeACE say we need an updated or new relevant Space Treaty, ASAP. We need a Treaty or Deal that is space-business friendly, clarifies issues around land use/acquisition, manages space debris and further restricts  weaponization.

We also say the UN needs to become 'The Trustee' for Mars and our Solar System...at least in the short to medium term, until a separate international governing body can be agreed. The UN will need to be fair but still market friendly.

Its the law... until you reject it

[security?]

No weapons?... Great, welcome to Space! ... Now dont touch anything ... we are a public museum you know

The UN as Trustee for Outer Space?... so all celestial bodies in the Solar System are held in a Trust.

We're not advocating full Gandhian trusteeship here ... not quite. Yet the trusteeship model is tested and can be business friendly whilst ensuring peaceful Space development. Space mining companies could raise the huge investment sums up front because they have an agreed contract with the trustee. So they can mine the territory as agreed but not then lay claim to other resources or neighbouring land. Admittedly the UN would need to appoint a nimble space savvy council, with good decision making structures. It will need to be market friendly as well as fair. The trusteeship model should then appease National rivalries and fear. It will encourage international collaborations. In the longer term a separate bespoke International body would probably assume this managing/facillitating role.

OK, so how can we make this happen?...

UN Trusteeship Council: its waiting for something to do!

[opportunity]

UN Trusteeship is tried and tested...
It can guarantee contracts for space commerce and ensure celestial safety

Where there's blame, there's a claim...
We're blaming Space Treaty ignorance

[acquisition]

UN Trusteeship and a new Space Treaty wont just naturally appear...We require smart actions to make them happen.

Legal Issues:

The Space treaty, the intent:
The Space treaty intended Outer Space to be "res communis" [an international commons] rather akin to international waters, rather than "terra nullius", the sort of territory that is unclaimed yet claimable. It succeeds in barring Nations from claiming sovereign celestial acquisitions, but does not address commercial entities or indiviuals as such. The "Moon Agreement" did address this loophole, but it is a failed agreement that was not signed by any space-faring nations.

Effective Occupation = factual possession, often with visible signs of state administrative activity [we think]
Nations acquired 'ungoverned / nobody's land' [terra nullius] through Effective Occupation. Squatters now acquire land through Adverse Possession [factual possession with animus possidendi]

So, how could anyone claim Land on Mars? Forget the numbers of people who have, in the past, made random claims of celestial acquisition without any evidence of possession (and in some cases have been dishing out self-produced celestial deeds for sale as expensive 'novelty gifts'). No, we are VERY different. We will demonstrate a LEGAL entitlement to such land...

New territory (there's not really any left on Earth) is gained in many ways. The method we descibe here is that of "Effective Occupation".
From Sir Ian Brownlie's fabulous work "Aquisition and transfer of territorial sovereignty," he decribes that [for sovereign aquisitions]  Effective Occupation in International Law is "equivalent" to what private law would term Possession" (as with "adverse possession", the means by which a squatter gains ownership of either unregistered or registered land).

So, this tells us that the key to aquisition by effective occupation is to prove "factual possession".

We need a copy of "Aquisition of new land/territory for dummies"

[minefield]

Public International Law:
How difficult could it be?

The Law:

First Possession via TelePossession:
  1992: sunken treasure case, [Columbus-America Discovery Group, Inc. v. Atlantic Mutual Ins. Co.], the court allowed the establishment of rights through the use of remote video cameras which produced live images -- coining the term "telepossession" -- and did not require physical possession. The court held that the first finder could legitimately use cameras to show its capability of retrieving the treasure. It satisfied pedis possessio apparently.  Space lawyers are jumping around this as a possible means to get mining rights. We also think it could help us towards a claim for Mars land possession.

We consulted many relevent texts in International Law. As well as Brodie's we found Sharma's book to be most useful [Territorial Acquisition, disputes and International Law].

He states that "the most systematic and solid study of the same problem [Effective Occupation] was done by Professors McDougal, Lasswell and Vlasic". They found 3 separate categories of land which each required different levels of "Factual Possession" in order for Effective Occupation (and hence ownership) to be recognised... Category 1 land [resource rich and ready for settlement] required evidence of trade and settlement; Category 2 land [resources ready for trade but not ready for full settlement] required some evidence of Governance and trade activities; Category 3 land [resources poor or difficult to exploit and not ready for settlement eg. Polar regions & some islands] required only some evidence of intent to occupy and some evidence of ongoing administrative authority/planning.

So class 3 did not require settlement, pedis possessio or any actual human presence on the land. Although class 3 would appear to apply to Mars, we would suggest that the Professors would have added a 4th class for Mars (think atmosphere not fit for breathing, atmospheric pressure not fit for human exposure without pressure suit, resources most difficult to exploit ... oh, and 222 Million KM distance away (average)! So, for legally correct Factual Possession (and hence Effective Occupation) of Mars,  we would expect even less requirement for a human to go there and even less requirement for visible governance/adminstration activities.

To prove Factual Possession we should show that we have been "dealing with the land in question as an occupying owner might have been expected to deal with it and that no one else has done so."[from House of Lords approved statement of the law (UK)]

Effective Occupation? [Antarctica]

IWantThatOne

Effective Occupation | Factual Possession | Intention|
First Possession | Tele-Possession | Pedis Possessio |
Animus Occupandi & Possidendi | Corpus Occupandi|

Legal Issues

We need a clear strategy that can provide obvious consistent evidence of Factual Possession.

The fact that Mars is very far away leads to a perceptual problem. It is difficult to perceive that anyone could have ownership rights to anything that far away!
The application of International Law has [with respect to territorial disputes and claim of Effective Occupation] sometimes acknowledged the "Principle of Contiguity". Hence a small Danish presence on the Greenland coast lead to legal acquisition of Title for all of Greenland.... also a larger Island may get ownership/control over a smaller nearby island.

On a clear night we might often have uninterupted line of sight to Mars. There's nothing between us apart from a bit of local gas and then empty space. With respect to the scale of our Solar System (never mind galaxy scales), Earth and Mars could be regarded as a close couple with earth being the big [controlling?] "island".

We should all realise that on a celestial scale, Earth and Mars are extremely close. Thus any useful activity done on Earth in order to directly benefit or prepare the land on Mars [for future terraforming: habitation, farming, mining], should be considered consistent with factual Possession [doing that which an owner-occupier might be expected to do]. In the picture [left], the girl spraying Mars with water from Earth could well have her claim to Mars validated as she has been benefitting and preparing the land for organic life and farming.

Near Neighbours - Big and Little Brothers?

[clarity]

So you want a Celestial Body?

Unlike the US Asteroid Act, our strategy does not rip into the Space Treaty. It elegantly traverses it:

The background: Mars could do with a bit more heat and light. This would effectively release a lot of CO2 gas and H2O water from the icy polar reserves. This could lead to a greenhouse effect which would [in the case of Mars, not Earth!] benefit human endevours to live there. ie Terraforming.

In order to terraform the planet the atmosphere will probably need to be augmented through the release of that CO2 (dense gas... will raise atm pressure). Also, any simple biological life (single cell extremophiles bacteria and algae) will need extra heat/light and any released H20. In future this may involve giant Mars-orbiting mirrors focussing sunlight onto the poles. However, lasers may well be used instead (eg a 'solaser' or high powered laser trigger for nuclear fusion reactions in the poles (via inertial confinement). Lasers may also be used in pre-terrafoming studies to observe local rections to added heat / light (study the gas release (sublimation) and how this effects the local atmosphere, liquid H2O availability and response by any primitive life).

So the cornerstone of our Earth-based activities to benefit Mars, is the frequent targetted use of strong laser light [focussed on Mars] in order to benefit [albeit minimally] the atmospheric composition and any photosynthetic life [eg bacteria or algae]. This activity will have an effect [a non-zero value] that should be regarded as a positive effect and very much in keeping with future scaled up options for terraforming preparation and early algaculture. We say this activity is entirely consistent with evidence requirements for Factual Possession"

Marstrat

[lasersight]

How to make an omelette
without breaking eggs!...

The Science:

We have employed poweful red and blue lasers mainly (100mW-3500mW). Several reasons for that... there is emerging evidence that many photosynthesing plants grow or reproduce faster in a combination of blue and red light (perhaps not surprising since green light is often reflected... hence green leaves etc). Given the divergence of the beam there may be >120 million incident photons per Square Km [of Mars] per second.  This is quite a spread, so it's the blue photons which carry most energy for effective transfer in isolated collisions with plant or ice atoms/molecules. Incident blue photons may release CO2 from soil into atmosphere [a probable requirement of terraforming]. Also, blue and red light is much less visible that green light. It is therefore much less likely to be a distraction hazard should we accidentally bring our beam within a few Km of an aircraft [which has never happened].
We do use a 100mW [class 3B] green laser for Morse Code messaging ["We own Mars"], but this is entirely due to the integrated software capability of this unique laser.
Our most powerful laser is a 3500mW [450nm] blue portable laser which retains good beam divergence [<2.5 mRAD] and blasting out 7.9 x 10^18 photons per second. We deploy red or infra-red lasers (100mW-2000mW) when target planet is low in the night sky (<20deg), in order to reduce effects of scattering.
NOTE: the estimate for photons/Sq Km of the divergent beam is somewhat inaccurate in that whilst the beam is symmetrical, it is not uniform in intensity.... its stronger in the centre and down to 50% (or less) at the defined diameter edges. This does of course mean that if our aim is good then even more photons are hitting our target!

1000mW (1W) blue laser plus the
huge 3500mW (3.5W) blue laser

The Science:

YES...that's a big YES...

On a clear night, with clear line of sight [and Mars at least 15 deg altitude], we absolutely can.
Our lasers are quite powerful, so they somewhat reinforce the method, but even small hand-held laser pointers (<5mW) can hit Mars with a very sparse beam.
Our concern is with accuracy and stability of the laser beam such that 'near-perfect' targetting [and following] together with human safety can be assured.
This is gained using a laser bracket mounted on a super-aligned astronomical telescope which uses 'GOTO' software/hardware to follow the planet nearly perfectly.

What about the math?... we show you our equations in the Science Section. In brief, we accounted for the altitude of Mars in the sky [recently low at transition, about 17 degrees] and thus the resultant Air Mass co-efficient [at 17 degrees our laser has nearly 3.5x as much atmosphere to push through compared to the vertical]. We use the laser power, beam divergence [mrad], initial beam diameter, wavelength and distance to target [plus Mars' movement/speed and effective diameter] in order to calculate the number of photons hitting Mars per unit area. Our best to date [for Mars] is approx 125 million photons per Sq Km. NOTE: we use red lasers (instead of blue) when Mars lies at low angles in the night sky.

"So what about the light-time 'from and to' Mars ... did you account for that?" ... Yes we did so keep reading...

Anyone for Laser-Math?

[longshot]

Yeah, Yeah ... so you think you can hit Planet Mars with a portable laser?? !

Science Issues:

Do we make positional adjustments to the laser (ie aim ahead of Mars' path) to account for the light-time from and to Mars?...
Usually... a small amount. When Mars is little more than 5 light minutes away from us, then we make a minimal adjustment but the planet is still pretty much central in the telescope eyepiece. We anticipate Mars a little more (still within the high-power field of view) when light time from Earth to Mars is 10 minutes. The small adjustment must then account for Mars velocity over 20 minutes (10 x 2). We generally have not done much targetting of Mars beyond 15 mins distance [small "apparent size" and  closer proximity to sun]. Mars moves in orbit 86000 km/hr. It is the velocity (speed & direction) of Mars that is relevant.  Note that special relativity applies. The velocity of the laser light source does not matter (ie. Earth's orbital and rotational velocities).
*Remember that light travels in straight lines. The overwhelming cause of the perceived 'movement' of stars and planets we see overnight is the Earths own rotation (360 deg in a day, approx). So there's no need to calculate adjustment for this ... we shoot the laser at where we see Mars to be, often adjusting slighly "ahead" (depending on the current Earth-Mars light time)  and simply track it east to west.  The generally symetrical spread of the laser beam (about 30x Mars' diameter when close and obviously much wider when further away) is certainly large enough to accommodate very minor targeting errors.
So, is 120 Million photons per Sq Km per second enough to effect anything on Mars? Well, it is definately a non-zero effect. The 'extra' 120 photons impacting every Sq Metre per second would be measurable by a sensitive detector. The individial impacts could definately liberate CO2 from dry ice (and water from ice?) if already 'on the cusp' [ as happens at seasons' change on Mars]. Whilst not able to directly trigger a greenhouse chain reaction, it will enable small local [but nevertheless positive] effects to occur. In future [and perhaps with a similar power laser orbiting Mars rather than from Earth], such local effects could be studied in a pre-terraforming project, in order to understand the chemical/environment effect plus the possible direct benefit to any primitive extremophiles [bacteria] or algae. Our current laser actions and effects are in keeping with pre-terraforming and terraforming projects, but at lesser order of scale.

Googols of Google searches later...

[SumThing]

Cause and Effect

Science Issues:

Declaring peaceful possession and ownership of Planet Mars:

The initial Morse Coded communication [2010] was very lengthy in transmission... it was done manually using laser and a beam-blocker:
A flat dark card [or the planisphere sky-map] was used together with a slow metronome and an on-off bar chart plotted against time.
Recently, with the acquisition of the Wicked Laser "Evo" model, a Morse Code App (@ Android store) can be applied directly to laser via mobile phone and a 'smartport'. Messaging is now seamless and allows for laser beam fine-tuning during tracking and easier monitoring of the skies [plus flightradar24 app] for encroaching aircraft. More than 10 million photons per sq Km per second have been reaching the surface of Mars. Sensitive detectors on Mars or even further beyond should be able to detect and decode the messages [>1000 coded photons would hit a 10m sq detector on Mars every second]... extra sensitive detectors deep in space might still gather the message, with decoding made easier by noting the linear path from Earth to Mars and beyond. These messages generally declare a claim of peaceful possession and right to own Planet Mars [more recently the same model has been applied to Jupiter & Saturn [including the moons].

Have you had enough?... Or do you want some Morse?

[StraightTalk]

Laser Morse Code:
Free Space Optics

For sustained astronomy and laser applications we use an outdoor astronomical telescope mounted on a sturdy tripod. We use a "SkyWatcher SKYMAX-127 SynScan™ AZ GOTO" which maintains a library of celestial locations. It will correctly 'goto' and track any such object [eg Mars] as long as we have first aligned it very accurately. First we align a finderscope and a laser (housed in a bracket for telescope fitting) with the telescope view [IMPORTANT: a powerful laser aimed at a distant object (not a twinkling star) should not be viewed through the telescope! .. the alignment is done in series, not in parallel].  Then, in darkness, we use a precise 2-star alignment method, such that the telescope [on a Alt-Azimuth 'GoTo' Mount] can now be used to fix on Mars and track it seamlessly.
We have Standard Operating Procedures for any class 3B or 4 laser use, requiring a plan for managing the vicinity around the telescope sight [including luminous 'Laser Warning' signage and often a spotter - someone undertsanding of the protocol who will watch for people and aircraft], conditions for laser usage  [including need for: clear sky; clear line of sight with no reflective obstacles; suitable location beyond a safely prescribed distance from airports or airport runway approach; fixation to tripod or telescope; operator training in equipment use and laser safety] plus 'FlightRadar24' App running live. This particular telescope removes any need for manual positional adjustments every 2 minutes and thus allows more focus on laser safety and sky monitoring for aircraft. There have been no significant events or 'close calls' to report to our risk register. We do complete a yearly risk assessment and record the information on file in the risk register.
We have a smaller Dobsonian telescope which [although good to position outdoors on picnic tables and car bonnets] is ideally suited for quick planet viewings from a large open window. We will often use a class 3R or 3B laser, mounted on tripod, for short applications of beam to the planets [mainly Mars but recently Jupiter and Saturn as well (mostly for their moons!)]. We have a corner location in office termed Astronomy Corner which stays always ready for "Scramble": the 'Skywatcher Heritage 100P Dobsonian Telescope' sits ready at the window with tripod and a boxed 100mW red laser. A quick check on "stellarium" [see stellarium.org for free download] and / or www.in-the-sky.org and we can have the planet positively identified within telescope eyepiece and a 2-minute laser application all done within 10 minutes from start-to-finish.

When Mars is readily visible in the night or early morning sky we would use the Dobsonian-with-laser very frequently, perhaps twice weekly. The outdoor SkyMax 127 is then deployed for 2-3 hours [with powerful 3B / 4 lasers], usually 4+ times per month when Mars [or Jupiter / Saturn] is viewable.

Reliant on clear sky with direct line of sight.
Not a daily occurrance at latitude 51deg N!

[astronomic]

Target Mars

Laserscopes:

If we hear a plane but cannot see it, we switch off the laser!

We carefully operate within the "normal zone"

[CareInTheAir]

Safe South? We deploy lasers within the arc from SE to SW

Further room for error?...
We have approximated the earth's variable air mass effects [treating light out just as light in and averaging effects without factoring in monochromatic issues eg blue light scattering]; we have relied largely on laser manufacturer's  reported specs [although we have seen the testing of products produced by both companies, Skytechlasers and WickedLasers, which gives us reassurance for this]; we have hugely approximated the relative motion between Earth and Mars; we rely on targetting and clear line of sight without any actual detector to confirm photon impacts upon Mars [thus operator error or incorrect targetting [ie "thats not Mars!"].

Lots of online searching and physics forums interrogation...
We conclude that, within the margins of acceptable error, we really are delivering a small but significant number of energetic photons to Mars (x quadrillions per second).
This is sufficient for a non zero effect...and a positive non zero effect at that. The method is in keeping with some future pre-terraforming studies. It may even spark life!
Together with our repeated Claims of Posession [of Mars] made in 'Astronomic' Morse Code, internet [website, twitter, spacespeak], email [UN and UK senior Politic] and in public real-life; plus our robust planning for a Mars Territory Trust [requiring UN trustee, UN as first contingent beneficiary and claimants as secondary beneficiaries], we thus state that we have covered the key requirements to gain "First Possession" and Registered Title to Mars [via Factual Possession / Effective Occupation].

So, within the margins of error...
Although we state that our pretty simple calculations do elegantly deliver consistent results [on comparisons and cross-testing], we have left them available for others to critique in the science section.
We dont expect to see fundamental errors exposed, but we do acknowledge some variable components, perhaps not fully accounted for...
Note: We do include video and photographic evidence of our laser targetting: this is good visual evidence, but essentially non confirmatory of significant impact upon Mars. Certainly Mars does not light up!
See next button for more info...

Although we reckon that we are hitting Mars plumb-centre most of the time, it is the nature of beam divergence that means we have, at very least, a beam diameter >5x the diameter of Mars [our 100mW red laser with only 0.5 mrad divergence when Mars is close at opposition]... more normally our beam widths are >30x the diameter of Mars. Thus we have some 'safety netting' whereby a slight directional error can still result in photons smashing into Mars. We have mentioned before that incident intensity such as >120 Million photons [per Sq Km per second] have been achieved... however this figure presumes uniform spread of photons within the beam. In truth, the beam is symmetrical but more intense in the centre than at the edges. So if we are as sharply targetted on Mars as we think we are,  then that figure might read upwards of 200 Million.

We recently managed similar numbers of photons hitting Mars with a red 100mW laser and a blue 3500mW (3W) laser... approx 4.5 Quadrillion photons/s [the red laser, though weaker, had better reported divergence]. However, the higher energy of the blue photons meant that they delivered a greater amount of energy to the planet [2mW compared with 1.3mW]. This, while impressive, is still a trillion times less light energy than Mars gets from all starlight at night.

However, if a laser of comparable strength could be placed in orbit around Mars and a beam regularly delivered [off/on over weeks] to a small testing area [25 Sq Metres], the closely observed effects on molecular chemical / physical changes in soil and local atmosphere would be most valuable. Organic chemical changes or even unicellular life might even feature. It is known that a relatively small amount of additional heat/light (with maybe 3 degrees change in local temperature) would not only benefit photosynthetic life, but on a wider scale could initiate the CO2 driven greenhouse effect which could provide a liveable and more stable atmosphere [though not initially breathable, it would remove the need for pressure suits, provide some cosmic protection and make agriculture/farming easier.].

Thus our current methods could be further modelled to deliver valuable pre-terraforming experiments and then figure in the actual terraforming process [atmosphere adjustments and algaculture / crop farming].

Islands in the beam

[divergence]

Margin for Error

We preferentially use monochromatic blue and red laser light. We already know from recent studies that some plants grow or reproduce faster under red-blue light combinations. Many scientists [including James Lovelock] state that blue to ultraviolet light [high energy solar radiation] was crucial for life's formation and continuation. So... might we even spark life on Mars with our 3.5 W blue laser?

Our lasers could cause good effect in certain planetary areas [peripolar zones at seasons' change?] where minimal extra light energy will result in C02 sublimation [gas release] and perhaps water from ice. These non-zero effects would be regarded as positive enviromental / atmospheric occurances. Any primitive photosynthetic life would prosper both directly from the incident light and those other small enviromental effects.

What might alien algae or bacteria look like?...

Might alien algae thrive on red/blue light?

[laserlife]

LIFE? ... but not as we know it...

Might we even trigger this?

[algaculture]

Red light dependent, abundant plant-life?

So, what are we doing again??!...
Ah yes... we want Space to be safe under an updated Space Treaty and we want the UN (initially, at least) to hold all celestial bodies in Trust.

We're going to make that happen by gaining a legal right to possession and titled ownership of a celestial body [Mars]... that way we will have the leverage required to get the job done.

We are now going to give away or sell claims to Martian land, the claimants names being registered on our files. Through having multiple claimants, all generally intent on pursuing these stated goals, more effective pressure is applied to the UN. Each claimant gets a  Claim Certificate and a Declaration Of Intent from us to attempt to register our common claim to Mars via the UN. The Declaration Of Intent further states that should we thus gain registered Title to Marsian land, it should be as tenants in common. The detail will be described in a Deed of Trust, raised by the UN who will also become trustee to the Trust [The Mars Trust]. All claimants will automatically become beneficiaries of The Mars Trust.  However, although tenants in common [with unequal shares] is proposed, the full terms [including the possible need to accept contingent beneficiary status] will be negotiated into the Trust Deeds. At the outset,  as per our declaration of intent, the UN will be afforded opportunity to buy the claims [at registration] or shares at a preferential rate for a fixed period of time. At or before 10 Oct 2017, the UN will have the conditional right to each claim for a nominal $1000 USD sum paid to each claimant. This is a conditional right, with the requirement that a newly ratified Space Treaty be in place and UN to assume Celestial Trusteeship. With each passing odd (alternate) year after 10 Oct 2017, the nominal fee doubles in amount! See our Declaration of Intent (which comes with each claim) for details on all this. On 10 Oct 2038, in the absence of a new ratified Space Treaty, The Mars Trust may be dissolved and land divided. Hence the "unequal shares": unless a prior land preference claim was acquired, the vast majority of  claimants/shareholders will receive their final plot of land via random lottery [the smallest being 9 sq km and largest 35 sq km!]. They then have the right to dispose or trade their land share as per their own wishes at market value.

NOTE: 10 Oct 2017 is 50 years from the original "Outer Space Treaty" coming into force. So this date, not being far in advance (at time of writing!), will place appropriate pressure upon UN to acknowledge and engage with us.

who thinks we're ok here?

[LazeAdvocats]

Legal Roundup

Legal Issues:

[a single claim can be up to 35 Sq Km!!]

We say that Peace in Space is not secure. We say an updated Space Treaty and UN Trusteeship of Space would be good for business [eg mining] and good for Peace-in-Space [SPeACE].
We now want people to join us here. We'd like you to support our views, but even if you don't [and just want to grab cheap celestial land], that's OK, because by building our numbers we bring pressure to bear upon UN and Space Faring Nations to get their act[s] together. So come on, make a Mars Land Claim with us!... Oh, and Early Birds get to claim land for FREE!

We can't give you deeds right now ... we don't have the right to do that...not yet. No National Body can do it either [see the current Space Treaty rules]. Only a universally approved Registry Body could give us Title Deeds to Martian land.... there's only one game in town for that, the UN. It could do it alright ... create a Celestial Registry, for one time only! So we will hound the UN to acknowledge our claim. On one hand we are demanding legal consideration and with the other open palm we present a turnkey solution for the UN:  with legal justification we give the UN Trusteeship of not only Mars, but to all celestial land in the Solar System. That's right, we want the UN to hold Celestial Land for all Humanity... in order to do that they must ratify a new peace-securing, business-savvy Space Treaty AND pay just a nominal fee [$1000 at 10 Oct 2017 but DOUBLING EVERY ODD YEAR after that] to each of our land claimants.  That's right, you are rather more likely to get money than Mars ... but that's really what we want. Of course, if by 2038 the UN haven't stepped up, then the land, if registered by then, WILL go to our claimants, each and every one. The plots [variable sizes, some are ~ 35 Sq Km!!] will be allocated by lottery, except for those claimants who have filed a preference claim. Through this lottery, every claimant gets a plot.

Oh yeah, there are various internet companies dishing out deeds for planets & moons at $25 an acre or similar... but REALLY ... we all know how valid they are! Their certificates state "this is a novelty gift" so they stay legal. Those deeds are like the "World's Best Dad" certificates ... nice fun gifts as long as you know the score. I've even got one from 1997 for 10 Sercas on the Moon (1,777.58 acres apparently!). The prices have sure shot up since! ... those acres now cost upwards of $25000!! ... and yet, apart from showing my intent to hold celestial land goes back 20 years, we all know I won't get my lunar land and mining rights with that certificate. No, I'm afraid the only way to 'openly' get new land, either on Earth or on Mars, is either through forceful acquisition [unfortunately still happening] or legitimate actions that satisfy the laws that apply.

Does that look like land ?? More like a beermat to me.

[NotSnakeOil]

Time To Gather Numbers

All new claimants will receive a land claim certificate and a declaration of intent. Each claimant's name and email address will be filed within the Mars Register.
We will then also attempt to register all claims via monthly applications to UN, using the new MARSREG 1 form. We have modelled the MARSREG 1 form on an existing  UK Government Land Registry form: the Application for First Registration [FR1].
Within the form we state that we are bundling all our claimants together with us in our "single act of possession" [a term pivotal to land acquisition by adverse possession]. We are thus requesting that the "UN Registry" [once formed] will award title ownership of the Mars land to us all to hold in Trust as tenants in common (*) with unequal shares [why unequal?...read on]. *Quite probably we (all of us land claimants) will be required to accept an alternative status, that being "contingent beneficiary", for the first 20 years of the Trust. This allows protected time for UN to get its act together and update the Space Treaty.

A Deed of Trust will be composed to add required detail w.r.t The Mars Trust [composed in consultation with UN and in line with our Declaration of Intent]. Each claimant will be allocated one share which, in a defined circumstance, will entitle the claimant to a plot of land. In that circumstance, the land allocation for all claimants will be done by random lottery [except for a possible small number of claimants whom have acquired land preference claims]. All claimants would then receive a plot of land. The alternative circumstance is where the UN pays $$$$ to each claimant for all shares (see previous page).

Plots vary in size from 9 Sq Km to 35 Sq Km (yes, they are huge), hence the "unequal shares."

The Mars Land Claim form plus
the new MARSREG 1 application

[registration]

Paperwork, paperwork!

Now with claims being filed, applications for title registration can be sent to UN. In order to positively influence this process, we now approach professionals, business people, politicians and space industry specialists for advice and/or support. For professionals, read academic and practising lawyers, physicists and space scientists. Negative opinions and criticism, honestly provided, will still be most valuable. Through this process we should be more effective in communicating our mission and gain traction, not only through increasing numbers of supporters/claimants, but in media coverage plus political, legal and scientific appreciation. In this way we may gain sufficient momentum to provoke a UN decision to officially assess our application.

So, clear vision, business transparency and effective communication is most important:

1/ We need to clearly show that our scientific and legal basis is sufficiently robust.
2/ We need to clearly articulate our mission: New Space Treaty and UN Trusteeship of "Near Space" [solar system].
3/ We admit to modest commercial goals [land claims are free or low cost], such that, with >200,000 land claims, we might become cost neutral. It depends on the cost of legal due process. We are most unlikely to make any profit although we are happy to! Such a business model is in keeping with our commerce-friendly goals for UN Near-Space Trusteeship.
4/ We clearly articulate the possible (from likely to unlikely) outcomes for would-be land claimants.
5/ We need to gain support from influencial people, parties and organizations in order to apply credible pressure upon the UN.

Effective Communication

[lobbying]

Building momentum

So, assuming the UN does eventually acknowledge our claim and commit to formal legal assessment:
In that case we believe that our legal grounding is technically sufficient to gain title to Mars' land... however, its by no means highly likely. We will need to work hard in our legal presentation.
*It satisfies the International Law requirements [actual possession / effective occupation; plus governance / administrative activity]
*It is not barred by any of the elements within The Space Treaty [ not sovereignty related; no in-space "activity"; no objects sent into space [although described as both waves and particles, photons have no resting mass and, according to physicists, are not "objects"].
The grouping together of many claimants under one single act of possession is already recognised as a valid means of land acquisition and title award ([eg. English Law, "adverse possession"].

Our initial goal is to use the high media profile of the legal due process to publicly show the weakness in space law and sting UN COPUOS into updating the Space Treaty (to make it relevant again, and also to keep 'nukes' out of space).

Hopefully, a legal registration of Mars land title will be gained. In this situation, we would expect the UN to go on to produce a solidly ratified Space Treaty and thus be ready to pay each claimant the nominal fee for each claim/share. We, the land claimants, will probably have contingent beneficiary status within the Trust for up to 21 years, which allows the UN time to get organised. Given the climbing fees (to the UN) as time goes on,  we would expect prompt Treaty update and equally prompt payment of nominal fee by UN to each claimant [rather than land division/distribution]. Nominal fee is just $1000 to each claimant in year 1, but would be $1Million by year 20 (10.10.2037 = 70th anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty).

Will this actually happen?... Maybe

[UNderstanding]

Decisions, decisions...

Legal Issues:

If registration of title is successful, then The Mars Trust will be formed via a Deed of Trust composed by ourselves & UN [using our Declaration of Intent as the key guide].  It is our intent receive title into Trust as 'tenants in common' [with unequal shares]. However, UN may wish to draft some significant changes into a Deed of Trust which might give all of us [claimants=shareholders] a contingent beneficiary status. This would likely be required if UN could not immediately deilver a new Space Treaty but wished to secure the Mars land until they did. We are content for UN to do this as long as the Deed of Trust adheres to the core elements of our Declaration of Intent.
So what if we all become contingent beneficiaries of The Mars Trust rather then tenants in common?...what does that mean for us?
Well, it still means that our benefit from the Trust is contingent upon UN actions, but will, by latest date 10 Ot 2038, result in either a payment sum or actual Mars land going to each claimant [shareholder].
You see, UN must get a ratified new Space Treaty and pay each of us claimants a nominal fee in order to acquire the land for future trusteeship. If neither of these is complete by 10 Oct 2038 then, under the terms of the Deeds, the trust may be dissolved and Mars land divided. Each plot of land will be awarded to each shareholder by lottery [unless shareholder had acquired a preference land claim]. Land plots will vary from 9 Sq Km to 35 Sq Km [yes, very large areas of land!].
With respect to the nominal fee to be paid by UN.  Once the new Space Treaty is ratified, it may then pay the fees to each land claimant. Until 10 Oct 2017 [50th anniversary of original Space Treaty], the fee will be just $1000 USD. However, this fee will double in amount biennially, such that by 10 Oct 2037 it would be just over $1 Million. Thus there is some financial pressure applied upon UN to deliver on Space Treaty and trusteeship.

Deed of Trust to be solidly based upon our Delaration of Intent.

[success]

The Mars Trust

Land on Mars might come to you or your descendants, courtesy of you claim registered with the Mars Register.
Even if UN ignore or reject our applications now, your claim [we state] is SO MUCH stronger than any existing claim to Mars land. With our efforts to prove legal possession it will be difficult for future attempts at land acquisition to get past your claims. So, with that in mind, what sort of land might you get?. Well, unless you stump up for a land preference claim, you will join the vast majority of claimants in a Mars land lottery. All claimants will get a land plot. Plots are described by lines of longitude and latitude [plus minutes and seconds as per traditional planetary coordinates]. Thus the largest plots are equatorial [35 Sq Km approx] and the smallest are peri-polar at 75 deg N or S [9 Sq Km approx]. The actual poles are not allocated to claimants, instead being held in trust for all Humanity, a res communis. So no land beyond 75 deg N or S is to be allocated to claimants.

Plots vary in size [9 to 35 Sq Km]

[realty]

Mars: Land Plots

Peace for Earth, Mars & Space?

We say that through our Mars claim we are gifting the UN a turnkey solution for Space Commerce and Peace:
A new business-friendly Space Treaty/Deal which also secures peace [no unilateral weaponization of space] plus the UN Trusteeship of Near Space [solar system].

As co-claimants to Mars land, you will join us in the successful delivery of a new business and peace solution for Space.

Could we, through our Mars claim,
help the UN provide for such peace?

[jigsaw]

The Missing Peace?

We think it more likely that UN will 'pay-off' our claimants [ourselves] than permit us to divide up Mars land for individual ownership.
It is in their interest to act quickly: the nominal fee until 10 Oct 2017 is only $1000 USD, but it doubles biennially, such that by 10 Oct 2037 it exceeds $1 Million [paid to each claimant].

The UN must pay claimants a 'nominal' fee

[dollars]

UN Pay-off

We see UN Trusteeship as being the BEST guarantee for peace in space. This is because it can effectively manage space commerce whilst still holding the celestial lands for all humanity. This, together with a good new Space Treaty, should massively reduce the likelihood of conflict in space.
We hope that UN Trusteeship of Mars will just be the start... ideally UN should assume trusteeship of all Near Space [solar system].
Although the original Space Treaty and the Moon Agreement try to reserve all celestial bodies for the 'benefit of Mankind', we think that a little presumptious. Whilst we might take some risk [Alien provocation] in "peacefully declaring possession and ownership of Mars", we think that the Space Treaty goes too far [ALL Space for Mankind?.. that pronouncement could rattle a distant Alien intelligence]. It should restrict itself to the Solar System at this time.

A template for the Solar System?

[simple]

MARS: UN Trusteeship

Finally, with a workable new Space Treaty and UN Trusteeship, contracts can be negotiated and signed and massive investment procured.
So the UN Trusteeship Council, as applied to space, will need to be business savvy, highly efficient and responsive yet responsible.

Mining in Space requires HUGE investment

spacebiz

Space Commerce can flourish

In line with our current activity [using laser light energy to release CO2 gas via sublimation of dry-ice], the future terraformers may first wish to obtain a working atmospheric pressure by really heating the polar ice caps. A temperature rise of just 3 degrees may trigger the greenhouse reaction required. This may involve the use of giant orbiting mirrors, super-power lasers or nuclear events [or a combination]. Once that has been achieved [and maintained/stabilized], there may be further efforts at atmospheric adjustements, namely towards breathability. That means O2 production.

Settlements help to replenish their atmosphere using high yield algal insulation and paint

[pressure]

Terraforming Mars: Atmosphere

With no real magnetosphere and then an unstable atmosphere, a breathable, pressurized environment will take a very long time to establish and would require constant maintenance. Protection against cosmic rays would also need to be achieved, perhaps though some form of shielding.

Hundreds of Oxy-Gens run 24/7 in the Martian Skies

[aeromaintenance]

Terraforming Mars: Atmosphere 2

A future murky Mars Monday

[SealedCity]

Mars: Early cities

What if the UN ignores our registration applications? ... they are still strong claims and should last forever!...

It may be that your land claim to Mars does not come to fruition in your lifetime .. or even your Grandchildrens' lifetimes... however, with your claim being a strong one, posterity may be the winner...

Your descendants may finally gain that 35 Sq Km of Martian land! ... and just maybe a city will one day sit there. Would it be such a surprise to find that your thankful descendants, rich and philanthropic as they are, have named the city after you?... After all, YOU made it possible for them.

Will your decendants name a City after you?

[posterity]

Name Your City!

Walking through the streets of Mars

[breathability]

Metro Life ... Mars style

Get the foundations correct today, and we can ensure peaceful, magnificent Space collaborations between our great nations. We can achieve so much more. Currently the USA is showing the way, but with a new Space Treaty and UN Trusteeship in place, US companies [and NASA] can forge ahead with contracts secure, whilst the rest of us can surely learn and catch up to join them. With Space equity secure under UN Trusteeship, we can be more open to trusting each other and working together in Space.

Deep Space ventures will be collaborations

[pioneering]

To boldly go...

As well as being a parent organisation to the Mars Register, OUTERSPeACE represents our end-goal: the securement of lasting peace in space. We see this being achieved through earnest multinational co-operation and collaboration. This requires structure, such that we advocate a new business-friendly Space Treaty/Deal which also limits space weaponization.

We say that UN Trusteeship applied to near-space celestial bodies [solar system], is a great method for facilitating space business ventures, whilst also preserving peace and celestial land for all Humanity.

We propose that under UN Trusteeship, a pro-commerce Space User Group should responsibly manage the exploitation and protection of celestial land.

We are trying to make this happen: go to the NEWS section to find out how we are getting on in the national/international courts!

Let's make it happen!

[nirvana]

Peace in Outer Space