New Book on Space Colonies

I think that to create the market would be enough to allow claiming rights
on space estates, like has already been said...
If the US for instance should decide to recognize the right to everyone who
gets there first on lots of lunar soil we would see a space race booming off
pretty much instantly IMHO... it must be someone like the US government or
even better a larger coalition of nations and political institutions to do
it, as a credible backup would be an essential guarantee for investors to
start to throw money in, but at that point it would take only one single
venture to go for it first to create a chain reaction effect pulling all
major economic muscles of the planet into the game.

The problem is that there is no reason at the moment for doing anything like
that, as nobody would have a distinct advantage from doing it... if you
assume that tomorrow some big company comes up with something that gives
them a technological edge in this sense, it's quite likely they would start
lobbying for a legislation in this sense... they would have all the best
possible reason for wanting to open the market, not only they'll be getting
all the best spots first, but they'll be making a fortune by
selling/licensing the technology to everyone else who want to compete for
it. At that point nothing would stop a boom in research and investment in
space colonisation.

The space elevator could well be that "something", assuming the concept is
sound enough, frankly I don't have the expertise to judge that... but let's
say it is possible and practical, and some big shot company decide to invest
in it and succeed in getting a small pilot cable to work, I think that would
change the situation in no time! :)

Cheers,

Claudio