One company's plan to mine asteroids may fly in the face of international treaty.
THE GIST
- A private company wants to mine asteroids for metals and raw materials.
- There is a United Nations treaty that prohibits ownership of celestial bodies by nations, but does not specifically address rights of individuals or companies.
Of all the hurdles facing Planetary Resources, a startup firm that this week unveiled its plan to survey and mine asteroids for water, precious metals and other resources, legal jurisdiction is not at the top of the list.
"We as a U.S. company certainly have the right to go an asteroid and make use of its resources," Planetary Resources co-founder Eric Anderson told Discovery News.
"It is a stated goal of the U.S. government to enable and promote commercial activities and economic activity in space," he said.
The 22-mile long asteroid 433 Eros could contain trillions of dollars-worth of precious metals, but who owns it? Click to enlarge this image.
NASA
NASA
