Ancestors

Written by Prof. Sam Lawler on 2025-01-17 at 17:02

Trying to psych myself up to call a journalist back for an interview about the (latest) SpaceX rocket explosion environmental disaster...

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Written by Prof. Sam Lawler on 2025-01-17 at 17:33

Interview done :)

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Written by Prof. Sam Lawler on 2025-01-18 at 16:39

Well, super rude email from an elon bro in my work email inbox, so I guess that interview must be published somewhere

Oh here it is! Yup, I totally stand by the quote the author picked for me. https://www.thestar.com/news/world/united-states/spacex-s-starship-rocket-exploded-again-elon-musk-called-it-entertainment-but-should-we-be/article_89e9d122-d513-11ef-bd3b-db191f8a4e87.html

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Toot

Written by Prof. Sam Lawler on 2025-01-19 at 18:05

I haven't heard definite reports yet on whether there was any property damage on the ground from the latest SpaceX explosion, but here's what's really wild: the US government is absolutely liable for any and all damage on the ground outside the US, for any launches from US territory, even private company launches.

Space law is weird already, and it's only going to get weirder as commercial launches push way beyond the Apollo-era Space Liability Convention and Outer Space Treaty.

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Descendants

Written by xi timpin on 2025-01-19 at 18:08

@sundogplanets

Assuming this is international rather than US law then the same will apply globally.

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Written by The Wolf of South End on 2025-01-19 at 18:13

@sundogplanets So basically they’ve been told stuff that comes back to earth comes back in such a way things don’t kill people or destroy property…and people are arguing with that? Wow.

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Written by Cade on 2025-01-19 at 18:13

@sundogplanets I have been volunteering with a non-profit company trying unsuccessfully to get a permit for dumping some forest timber in the deep ocean for climate change mitigation (despite that until they dammed up all the rivers on the west coast, thousands of tons of trees washed into the Pacific every year, and now they BURN that wood - but don't get me started . . . ) -- just to investigate if this has any adverse ecosystem impacts. But I'm sure a few tons of satellite and rocket debris will be fine

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Written by Prof. Sam Lawler on 2025-01-19 at 18:44

@CadeJohnson Wow. Well, thank you for the work you're trying to do!

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Written by Joe on 2025-01-19 at 18:24

@sundogplanets That might not necessarily be a problem, if what it means is that if a SpaceX explosion damages property in Canada (for example), the US pays Canada and then the US makes SpaceX pay the US government back.

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Written by Michael Busch on 2025-01-20 at 02:24

@not2b

You might go read what @sundogplanets has written about that:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/spacex-dropped-space-junk-on-my-neighbors-farm-heres-what-happened-next/

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Written by Joe on 2025-01-20 at 03:11

@michael_w_busch @sundogplanets I have read it, thanks.

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Written by Servelan on 2025-01-19 at 20:27

@sundogplanets I suspect that since SpaceX is acting as an agent of the US gov't, the Federal Tort Claims Act applies; you file a complaint, and if the gov't. doesn't pay up, you sue.

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Written by Prof. Sam Lawler on 2025-01-19 at 21:48

@servelan Nope. Once it's launched into orbit, it's covered by the Space Liability Convention. The US gov't has to pay.

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Written by Dr. Jürgen Knödlseder on 2025-01-19 at 21:12

@sundogplanets Well, that’s just neoliberalism: privatize profits, socialize losses

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Written by StarkRG@myside-yourside.net on 2025-01-20 at 04:02

@sundogplanets I'm sure the politicians will do what they always do, ignore the problem until it blows up to massive proportions and then argue about whether it's actually a problem, then argue about whether it's worth doing anything about, then argue that it's gone on so long we may as well just accept it, then argue that it's good, actually. Although, given how much influence Musk is about to have, we'll probably just skip right to the end.

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Written by Kevin Neely :donor: on 2025-01-20 at 07:01

@sundogplanets doesn't that make sense though? The sovereign government should have ultimate accountability for what happens within its borders. That's why it has the authsrity to make laws and enter into agreements.

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