SPACE & $TRILLIONS IN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Trump Administration Writing the Rules

Source:  NASA

Artemis Accords

The Trump Administration is drafting a legal blueprint

for mining of valuable minerals on the Moon and safety 

zones to protect lunar bases. This is part of a new US sponsored

international agreement called the Artemis Accords.  The

Accords would bypass the United Nations.  It's an attempt to

rally allies behind NASA's plan to put humans and space 

stations on the Moon in 2024 in the Artemis Mission.

"Planet Snatching"

The Russians for one are not pleased with the Trump

Administration's initiative.  The Artemis Accords have 

been called "planet snatching" by the Russian Space

Agency Roscosmos.  Yesterday, the Kremlin toned down

the rhetoric but said the proposed legal blueprint would need

to be thoroughly analyzed to see if it complies with international

law.

Moon's Strategic Value

The Moon has tremendous strategic value.  Not just

for the mineral deposits that it contains.  But also the

Moon is viewed as a key launchsite for future missions

to Mars and beyond.

Space Battles

There is a fierce battle among China, Russia and the US

to claim stakes in what is found in space and to stake-out

economic development and safety zones.  The value of the

minerals in space are estimated by some to be in the

trillions of dollars.  And the race for that rich bounty is

intergalactic.

Artemis Mission

Among other items, the Artemis Accords would establish

safety zones that would surround future Moon bases.  The zones

would protect the bases from interference or damage from

other nations or companies operating in the vacinity.  It would 

also provide protection by international law for companies

and nations to own the minerals they mine. Within the next

several weeks, the US will present the legal blueprint to

space allies in Europe, Japan, Canada and the UAE.

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