Controversial Space Mining Bill Signed Into U.S. Law

US President Barack Obama signed the US Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act into law last week, which includes provisions to authorize and promote exploration and recovery of space resources by U.S. citizens, Reuters reported.

The bill's Title IV reads, in part, “A United States citizen engaged in commercial recovery of an asteroid resource or a space resource under this chapter shall be entitled to any asteroid resource or space resource obtained, including to possess, own, transport, use, and sell the asteroid resource or space resource obtained in accordance with applicable law, including the international obligations of the United States”.

Planetary Resources, an asteroid mining company, applauded the bill, with Co-Founder and Co-Chairman Eric Anderson saying, “This is the single greatest recognition of property rights in history. This legislation establishes the same supportive framework that created the great economies of history, and will encourage the sustained development of space.”

The law, however, is controversial as it essentially gives private US companies complete freedom in space, which is against the policy of international cooperation that has been in place since the inception of space exploration, according to Inhabitat.

“It is my opinion that any US entity obtaining asteroid resources would be in contravention of international law, as would the government for permitting it,” said Sa'id Mosteshar, the Director of the London Institute of Space Policy and Law, in an emailed statement to Motherboard. “The Treaties governing space activities do not give the US that right, and the US government cannot assign to its citizens rights that it does not have.”

The law is getting mixed reviews as the moment. But speaking of the broader picture, it is very much possible that other countries will soon follow suit and come up with their own legislations.