Law rules over all humans regardless of caste, colour, creed or any other differentiating factors. But as humans begin to become more familiar with other planets, new laws, which are strict and precise, must be introduced to prevent loopholes and criminal activity.
With it becoming more and more likely for space tourism to begin in the upcoming years, countries need to be proactive and take action before any serious damage is done.
It is said that NASA is investigating the first allegation of a crime in space – with an astronaut, Anne McClain, accused by her estranged spouse of accessing his bank account from the International Space Station.
Mclain has denied any wrongdoing. Whether or not she is found guilty, the instance serves as a good reminder that laws in space need to be reviewed and confirmed as fitting and up to date by the appropriate authorities.
Currently, however, there are some regulations regarding space. At the moment, five space agencies make up the International Space Station – Russia, the US and the United Kingdom to name a few. The rules are such, that people are judged based on their nationality – if they are a British national, they would be subject to British law.
Rules are also in place with relation to extradition, should a country wish to prosecute another country’s national, for a crime committed in space.
With California based, “The Gateway Company”, releasing plans for the “Von Braun Station,” a cruise ship inspired hotel to be fully functional by 2027, it is clear that precise, well-defined, laws need to be created in order to prevent future confusion that may arise during this monumental period in space exploration history.