Moon Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "Ed Minchau"
wrote:

[snipped excellent summary of Archimedes Institute claim
process/hierarchy]

> This is why I say that legitimization of something like Archimedes
> is crucial: you want to spread the meme that real people can own
> their own asteroid, and actually do something with it - and that
for
> a relatively small investment. And you want to spread enough
> interest that you can have a high launch volume to drive up
> competition among your launch suppliers and thus drive down launch
> costs.

I don't have many issues with the hierarchy or process. My issue is
that Archimedes is jumping the gun. Once a property rights regime is
established and enforced, then open the flood gates say I.

As it is, TangoMan's Claim Company will give anyone a duplicate
certificate that is just as valid as an Archimedes claim. That's why
Archimedes is like the Lunar Embassey. It has no legal validity.

What you described in your post seems awfully familiar to Wasser's
Space Settlement Initiative where he carves up the moon. He
recognizes that property rights are necessary condition for economic
development, but he errs in thinking that they are a sufficient
condition.

If I gave you the property rights to 50 tons of well rotted fish and
was willing to drop it on your front lawn, how would you profit from
that?

Once a property rights regime is established you may legitimately
own an asteroid by the means you previously described, but why would
you want to own it if there was no economic utility in the
ownership? Perhaps vanity or novelty.

I think property rights will develop when there is orbital commerce
which requires the establishment of the regime. The market will
press for property rights. If those rights were established right
now they'd provide a necessary condition for orbital development,
but not a sufficient condition.

TangoMan