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In May 2019, SpaceX began launching its Starlink constellation with the launch of its first 60 satellites. To date, the company has launched over 800 satellites and (as of this summer) is producing them at a rate of around 120 per month. By the end of 2021 or 2022, Elon Musk hopes to have a constellation of 1,440 satellites providing near-global service and possibly up to 42,000 providing internet to the entire planet before the decade is out.
Starting in November 2020, SpaceX invited attendees to take part in a public beta test called “Better Than Nothing”. The service, aptly named, provides users with modest speeds of between 50 and 150 megabits per second, a far cry from the low-latency gigabit download speeds they hope to deliver. But perhaps more interesting is the small element in the terms of service, in which participants must recognize that Mars is a “free planet”.
This element has been identified by the Twitter account “WholeMarsBlog“(Which has since been disabled) and subsequently confirmed” Smoke-Away “for the Reddit user. On a bulletin board posted to Starlink’s official Reddit account (Wednesday, Oct. 28), they attached the full terms document. service that users must sign up to be involved in the “Better than Nothing” beta test.
These included the following element in the section headed “Applicable Law”:
“For Services provided on Mars, or in transit to Mars via Starship or other colonization spacecraft, the parties recognize Mars as a free planet and that no Earth-based government has authority or sovereignty over Martian activities. Consequently, disputes will be resolved through principles of self-government, established in good faith, at the time of the Martian resolution. “
Well … this is certainly a bold claim. And it certainly wasn’t a surprise, as Musk made it clear that he hopes to establish a colony on Mars someday. In addition to kicking off the exploration of Mars, the creation of a colony on the Red Planet is one of the reasons Musk started SpaceX in 2001. It is also the purpose behind the Starship is Super heavy boot system.
On several occasions, Musk has provided snippets of what his long-term vision would be like. As he described it in January 2020, hopes to increase production of Starship, building 100 a year for ten years to create a fleet of 1000 spaceships. He estimates that these would be capable of carrying up to 100 megatons per year or 100 people per trip, which would happen every 26 months (when Earth and Mars are closest).
After a few decades, he hopes this will culminate in the creation of a self-sustaining civilization on Mars with a minimum population of one million men, women and children. As for the type of government this civilization will have, Musk has expressed his preference for direct democracy in the past, as he did in a 2018 interview at the South by Southwest Conference. As it states in the video above (10 minute mark):
“Most likely, the form of government on Mars would be some kind of direct democracy in which people vote directly on issues instead of going through a representative government. When the United States was formed, representative government was the only thing logistically feasible because there was no way for the people to communicate instantly. “
Communicate instantly? Does it sound like a particular service that Musk hopes to offer people? After all, Musk has indicated he hopes to establish a constellation of satellites around Mars to provide broadband access. And while it might seem like Musk is laying the groundwork for a bizarre social experiment with this one, what he is proposing is not unprecedented.
In fact, there is a permanent tradition that states that national governments cannot declare sovereignty over space or other planets. Under Article II of the Outer Space Treaty (signed in 1968), it is stated that: “Outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation for a claim of sovereignty, for use or occupation. , or by any other means. “
These terms, however, are in stark contrast to what the Applicable Law section states about Starlink services on Earth or the Moon:
“For Services provided to, on or in orbit around the planet Earth or Moon, these Terms and any disputes between us arising out of or related to these Terms, including disputes relating to arbitrage (” Disputes “) will be governed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of California in the United States. “
So while Starlink and Musks’ other endeavors are still subject to the law of the earth here on Earth, Mars may be a different story. For some, the idea of a society creating a colony inspires all kinds of dystopian fantasies, not to mention some unfavorable historical comparisons. A glance at the Hudson’s Bay or East India Company record would make you think twice!
Of course, it’s worth pointing out that these terms of service are for a public beta test and may not be the final version for when StarlinkThe services officially become available. So, if you really want to take the “Better Than Nothing” test, it’s probably okay to tick that box!
While Musk certainly enjoys thinking about the future (and talking about it), there is so much going on between now and then that speculating on how Mars will be ruled is pretty meaningless!
Further reading: InVerse, Futurism
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