The U.S. state department rejected a property rights claim to a near earth asteroid by a U.S. based space development company according to this press release.
The author introduces a new philosophy of technology, 'technogaian', which is an optimistic blend of libertarian, hyper-capitalist Internet culture and the holistic, life-giving and life-affirming mysticism of Gaia, the Earth Mother of ancient Greek mythology.
Jerry Taylor of the CATO institute argues that renewable energies are still not efficient enough to beat the cost of their greatest competitor, combined-cycle natural gas
Mark Whittington argues for a property-rights approach to defending the earth against asteroids. He begins by noting that we can't rely on governments because the threat of an asteroid collision is too infitesimal to warrant an immediate and sustained response from the government. His solution is for the world community to grant property rights to those individuals who can detect and deal with any earth-crossing asteroids. He argues that the market value of the asteroid's minerals would be enough of an incentive to encourage private individuals to help defend the earth.
Unfortunately, his idea ignores geopolitical realities that surround resources that belong to the 'common heritage of mankind' (see the debate over deep seabed mining) and it fails to establish an incentive for individuals to deal with asteroids that really will threaten the earth. The slow moving and safe asteroids will be picked clean in his scheme. Additionally, some scholars argue that the development of an asteroid mining industry might even compound the threat of an accidental or intentional asteroid collision with the earth (see Daniel Duedney, 1983).
The cash-strapped Russian Space Agency is turning to advertisers, from Pepsi shoots aboard mir to Pizza Hut logos to Versace designed space-suits, to finance their efforts.
James George argues that the future of space expansion lies in the private sector: 'Governments do not open frontiers; people do. Humankind will move into space not because of a government program or agency but because people will be able to earn a living there.'
Paul Treanor examines the implications of 'private war' or when non-state actors attempt to change the policies of foreign governments through the use of advanced technologies.
Edward Hudgins argues that "to fully exploit Mars' potential and to make it another home for the human race, an economic-political system will have to emerge that allows individuals or voluntary associations of individuals to secure exclusive rights to use resources and to exchanges freely with others, and that protects property, and enforces contracts."