X-Message-Number: 18898 From: "John de Rivaz" <> References: <> Subject: Re: CryoNet #18895 - #18897 Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 12:21:57 +0100 > Message #18896 > From: > Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2002 10:52:25 EST > Subject: never laugh at live asteroids, Bilbo > whatever. Unfortunately we haven't figured out how to limit government enough > so that private companies can actually own nuclear engines, asteroids, other > space property, etc. And that could easily take 877 years. At present governments seem to have the monopoly of space. But once people can get out there even in the groups known as private companies, what they do there will surely be outside the regulation of governments on Earth. It may remain illegal to make a nuclear engine on earth and take it into space, but to build one in space would only break the law if it is taken near enough any areas that came under legislation of some sort. Right now the governments of Earth can pass lows about behaviour of sentient beings on planets of other stars, but how can these be enforced? The planet Jupiter is said to the concentrating and spraying ionising radiation all over its environment, so much so it blackens the surface of some of its moons. Are they going to declare that illegal and send a police man to remove it? I think the real problem is that it maybe always impossible for people in biological bodies to last long in space, even in protected environments. Once in artificial radiation hardened bodies, there should be no problem in riding all over the universe in nuclear powered rockets, apart from the need to take care of biological species they may encounter. Perhaps that's why we never meet aliens, - because they know that their radiation would kill us. -- Sincerely, John de Rivaz: http://www.deRivaz.com : http://www.AlecHarleyReeves.com http://www.longevity-report.com : http://www.autopsychoice.com : http://www.cryonics-europe.org http://www.porthtowan.com Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=18898