WhiteW_1999abstr

 

IMPLICATIONS OF A PROPOSAL FOR REAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

IN OUTER SPACE

 

Wayne N. White, Jr.

Attorney at Law

Wheat Ridge, CO

wnwhite@uswest.net

 

This author presented a paper entitled "Real Property Rights in Outer Space" at The Mars Society Founding Convention. In that article, the author proposed a regime of real property rights for outer space, in the absence of territorial sovereignty. In this paper, the author discusses the goals and expected outcome of the proposed real property regime, including legal, political, social and military implications. among other things, the author concludes that the proposed regime would make international conflict less likely than a real property regime predicated upon territorial sovereignty, would promote transition of space settlements from Earth-based jurisdiction to self-governance, and would promote investment and settlement of outer space.