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America in Space
By Sally Morem
 Note to readers: This essay first appeared in “L-5 Points,” the newsletter of theMinnesota Space Frontier Society in its Summer 1987 edition in honor of the Bicentennial of the Constitutional Convention and the Northwest Ordinance. Aside fromcorrecting typos and grammatical errors, I haven’t changed a thing.
Space activists have compared the human movement into space to themigration of ancient hunter-gatherer tribes to new lands, the exploration of Vinland by the Vikings, the voyages of Columbus to the New World, eventhe movement of life from the sea to land.I would like to suggest an analogy of more immediate interest: Humans
could 
move into space in a manner similar to the American pioneers movingout West in their covered wagons. Wherever they went, those pioneers took their cultural and political institutions with them, planted them in new lands,and allowed them to take root and flourish by creating new territories andstates equal with the old in which the pioneers could flourish. Out of thisamazing synthesis of stability and creativity, a greater nation arose, onewhich could hardly be imagined by its founders in the original 13 states in1776.Space pioneers could do this, if they choose. They could, in effect, takeAmerica with them into space.Many pioneers, instead, would choose independence. They would relish thechallenge of creating new societies from scratch with new laws shaped bythe radically different physical and psychological conditions of space.Others would accept rule by one of the more traditional nationalgovernments on Earth. These societies would not be allowed much
 
autonomy, but the citizens would appreciate the stability of tradition thatsuch rule would provide.Whichever path they choose to take, space settlers will have to deal with thefundamental problem of society—sovereignty. Basically, sovereignty provides the society with the means to do what is necessary to protect itself and its citizens and to further its overall goals.Consider all the problems a society must overcome in order to survive andgrow in space. It must defend itself from military attack, cosmic rays,meteors and space junk. It must secure enough resources to run its manyoperations and to supply its citizens with what they need. It must encouragethe development of economic and scientific enterprises that will enable it toattract intelligent and industrious immigrants. And, it must enable itscitizens to produce and deliver goods and services to other societies so it canget what it needs in exchange.In order for any of this to happen, the space society needs a good legalframework within which it and its citizens may act. Rules for individualsand groups are necessary for any kind of coordinated activity to take place.This is especially true for Space Colonies since they would have speciallegal problems. (The term “space colony” refers to a very large spacestructure, several miles in diameter, spun for artificial gravity and given anEarth-like environment. “Colony” in this usage has lost its politicalconnotations.)Space Colonies must secure the right to unimpeded use of certain orbits andthe right to a protective zone of space surrounding each Colony—a kind of Sphere of Influence—which no one may enter without challenge. Theserights are absolutely required for obvious safety reasons. Colonies must alsosecure the right to unobstructed solar energy and access to all lunar andasteroidal material they are able to afford.We can see from these descriptions that life in space will not be wildanarchy, as portrayed in some science fiction stories. Space is too dangerousfor such political delusions. Individual freedom can be made much morewidespread in space than it is now on Earth, but in order for this to happen,well-designed legal systems must be put in place and be enforced. Exactdetails will await legislation, negotiations and hard work by space lawyers.
 
Life will probably be very regimented in the small space stations and Lunar mining camps that will be constructed during the early phase of spacedevelopment. Most likely, these places will be run as classic hierarchies bythe military and commercial ventures. People used to such discipline willlive and work there.But, as large, Earth-like Space Colonies are built, a wide variety of peoplewill move there, find jobs, set up households, and arrange themselves intosocieties of their own choosing. Most will heartily dislike the regimentedlife-styles of the space stations and will resist being forced into their mold.The roominess and comfort of Space Colonies will allow them to make their case to the authorities…and win.And, they will be right. Strict regulations and regimentation are necessaryfor small, fragile human habitats such as submarines, camps in Antarctica,and Lunar bases, but will not be needed for Space Colonies. Their sizealone would be protection enough against all but the most cataclysmic event.Consider the ever-present danger of leaks in a structure in space. Even if ameteor punches a yard-wide hole through the side of a Colony—a highlyunlikely event—it would take several hours or even days for all the air toescape into space. Colonies will be webbed with sensors, which would beable to detect and report the exact location of any leaks seconds after they begin. Colony crews would have ample time to get to the site and repair thedamage before any appreciable change in air pressure occurs.This means that we must revise our mental image of the besieged space pioneer, constantly fighting the cruel environment of space. And we mustalso revise the assumptions that follow as a result of our flawed mentalimages—our stereotypes of what the best political system would be for space settlers.At first glance, democracy may not appear conducive to the development of stable space societies. It involves chaotic, uncontrolled decision-making processes that, if left to themselves, could destroy a society. Popular opinioncannot be allowed to overrun necessary safety rules in the spaceenvironment.But, the very size of Space Colonies would take the pressure of conformityoff the settlers while allowing them to maintain safety standards. Settlers
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