OrbDev Appeals To State Dept For Eros Rent Ruling

SPACEMART

On 12 February, 2001 the United States landed the NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft on the privately owned planetoid, prompting OrbDev to send an invoice to NASA for parking & storage fees totaling $20.00 for one hundred years storage.

Carson City - Aug 28, 2003
Orbital Development reports that it has received an official response from the United States Department of State in regard to that companyï¿½s "Eros Project" which was initiated to establish official respect for property rights in Space.

Orbital Development, in the course of its Eros Project, has claimed and owns Asteroid 433 Eros since 03 March, 2000. On 12 February, 2001 the United States landed the NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft on the privately owned planetoid, prompting OrbDev to send an invoice to NASA for parking & storage fees totaling $20.00 for one hundred years storage. After a lengthy exchange of letters with NASAï¿½s chief lawyer, its General Counsel, NASA refused to pay OrbDevï¿½s invoice.

On 13 Feb 03, OrbDev sent an official and legal Notice to the United States Department of State stating that NASA had exceeded it authority in this matter and the Department of State should clarify the United Statesï¿½ Executive Branch position on the critical issue of individual property rights in Space.

In a letter dated 15 Aug 03, Ralph L. Braibanti, the Director of Space and Advanced Technology in the Department of Stateï¿½s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, wrote, "We have reviewed the "Notice" dated February 13, 2003, that you sent to the U.S. Department of State. In the view of the Department, private ownership of an asteroid is precluded by Article II of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. Accordingly, we have concluded that your claim is without legal basis."

Orbital Development continues to dispute this controversial conclusion by the Department of State and will file suit in Federal court for a definitive decision that will be binding on the U.S. government.

OrbDevï¿½s President, Gregory Nemitz, stated, "Americaï¿½s Founders valued individual property rights second only to freedom of religion. This U.S. Department of State opinion is at odds with the Bill of Rightsï¿½ Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America.

OrbDev question's the government's ability to abrogate any individualï¿½s inalienable rights via international treaties and believes that the U.S. government has no Constitutional authority to abridge an American individualï¿½s inalienable Rights; thus the treaty Mr. Braibanti refers to can only restrict States which are a party to that treaty, and cannot restrict an American Citizen who is rightfully acting as sovereign."

OrbDev maintains that official recognition of property rights to natural objects in space is the key issue for opening the space frontier to development and the extraction of the nearly unlimited resources which are available in Space.

IRON AND ICE

Understanding The Centaurs And Kin

London - Aug 12, 2003
It's time for astronomers to abandon the traditional ways they've categorised comets and distant asteroids and for them to look at all the small bodies populating the outer solar system in a fresh light, according to four researchers writing in the 21 August issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.