
California Company Gets Approval to Put Robotic Lander on Moon - jbredeche
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/science/moon-express-faa.html
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jpt4
From the article:

First, Florida, not California.

Second, the lede:

"Moon Express, based in Cape Canaveral, Fla., announced Wednesday that it had
received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to set a robotic
lander on the moon.

That feat would win the Google Lunar X Prize competition for the first private
organization to reach the moon and an accompanying $20 million reward."

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choward
> Correction: August 3, 2016

> An earlier version of this article gave an outdated location for the
> headquarters of Moon Express. The company is now based in Cape Canaveral,
> Fla., not Mountain View, Calif. The error was repeated in the headline.

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jpt4
Thank you.

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jmcdiesel
And why does anyone need permission to land on the moon?

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mikeash
From the article: The Outer Space Treaty prohibits nations from claiming
sovereignty over the moon or other parts of the solar system. It also states:
“The activities of nongovernmental entities in outer space, including the moon
and other celestial bodies, shall require authorization and continuing
supervision by the appropriate state party to the treaty.”

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LastZactionHero
Violating the Outer Space Treaty would be a cool thing to go to jail for.

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mikeash
"What are you in for?" "Robbed a liquor store. You?" "Violated the Outer Space
Treaty." "...huh..."

I agree, if I had to go to prison for something, I'd pick that.

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erdevs
True. Though what would happen if you launched your lunar vehicle from a
platform on international waters?

Loophole? Or do we now get to mix in Maritime Law as well as the Outer Space
Treaty, which is an even cooler jail story in the making...

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euyyn
That'd make you an Outer Space Pirate.

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generj
Mark Watney, Space Pirate.

