Is there existing legislation governing the mining of asteroids now that space tourism is a reality?

i.e. are there recognised pre-existing laws that cover the future private prospecting and ownership of minerals and elements found off-planet?Is there existing legislation governing the mining of asteroids now that space tourism is a reality?The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 would be the governing legislation. It provides that objects in space are the "common heritage" of all mankind. As such no national claims of ownership are allowed, although reasonable claims for areas for scientific research and exploitation are allowed.

Check http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=48鈥?/a> for a typical asteroid.

BTW, Obama's revised space plans may allow a manned flight to a near Earth asteroid.Is there existing legislation governing the mining of asteroids now that space tourism is a reality?I don't think so because the planets are not properties or land which can be divided in companies or nations. Practically, we don't belong to them. Yes we all realize that minerals are lowering in amount on Earth but what can we do, its our fault. And the only technology we have which can travel to huge distances are voyagers. Planets have different kinds of cores e.g. earth has a metallic core. Say USA lands their ship on Mars and start mining minerals. What will they do? They'll take it back to Area 51 or other laboratories rather than showing off with it to other nations.

The idea here is that whoever finds something will keep it. We like to keep our secrets, therefore i doubt that there will be investing in mining minerals from other planets. (no companies forming for that ;) )Is there existing legislation governing the mining of asteroids now that space tourism is a reality?Forget things like that, our Federal Government isn't going to inverse the funds to even go to Mars, we are lucky that NASA is getting the funding to go back to the moon.

The only reason the Federal Government is willing to spend the money to go back to the moon is because the Chinese and Japanese are planing on putting a base on the moon, if it weren't for that NASA would not be going back to the moon.



Now here is the real kicker, if the Federal Government does not put enough funding into bigger and faster rockets, when our sun dies all life as we know it will no longer exist in this solar system.



So to help start sending letters to the Federal Government and try to get them to give NASA a lot more research funding.Is there existing legislation governing the mining of asteroids now that space tourism is a reality?
No, other than UN treaties on the use of extraterrestrial bodies. It is a LONG way between taking the odd rich guy 260 miles up on the ISS and sending anything the 100 million miles to the asteroid belt.