Russia Compares Trump’s Space Mining Order to Colonialism

Russia’s space agency Roscosmos has denounced U.S. President Donald Trump’s order allowing commercial lunar mining and the extraction of other resources in space, appearing to liken the policy to colonialism.

Trump signed an executive order Monday establishing a U.S. policy which allows “commercial exploration, recovery and use of resources in outer space.” The Encouraging International Support for the Recovery and Use of Space Resources order classifies outer space as a “legally and physically unique domain of human activity” instead of a “global commons.” 

Roscosmos said in a statement Tuesday that “attempts to expropriate outer space and aggressive plans to actually take over other planets” deter international cooperation in the space arena.

Sergei Savelyev, the agency’s deputy head in charge of international cooperation, appeared to compare Trump’s order to colonialism.

“There have already been examples in history when one country decided to start seizing territories in its own interests and everyone remembers how that turned out,” Savelyev said.

The Kremlin later said any colonization of space would be “unacceptable.”

Trump’s policy affirms a 2015 bill, which never became law, that encourages U.S. commercial entities to own and sell resources extracted from outer space.

Like the United States, Russia has been pursuing plans in recent years to return to the moon and potentially further into outer space.

Roscosmos outlined plans to establish a long-term base on the moon over the next two decades, while President Vladimir Putin has vowed to launch a mission to Mars “very soon.”

(c) The Moscow Times

33 comments

  1. “There have already been examples in history when one country decided to start seizing territories in its own interests and everyone remembers how that turned out,” Savelyev said.

    Yes! 13,000 dead in Ukraine from Russian bullets. Crimea annexed, parts of Georgia annexed, parts of Moldova annexed. Although I doubt he will be meaning those examples. Therefore he must be talking about Stalin invading the Baltics and Poland to start WW2.

        • Every day the number increases, but that’s only the Kremlin figures. How can they tell who has it, if they don’t have the ways of testing for it in the first place?

          • Very bad. I’m having fear attacks and loss of memory. Sometimes when trying to think hard it’s like i’m gonna fall to the ground. . My brain does not receive enough oxygen. They now give garlic and schnaps (no shit!). Helped a bit.

            • Dang Mike, that sucks. When you recover I hope you don’t think you’re Russian, that would suck even more ;)) I don’t know if humor can help but I thought I would try. Praying for you Mike.

            • That is crap man. Keep fighting hard. Are they giving you oxygen Mike? Or do they think it is better for you at this time that your lungs do the work?

              • Yes. When it’s going very bad they give me concentrated oxygen until i’m okay again. My right lung is still okay, the left is severely damaged. But i’m fighting! Just watching Al Bundy, the toilet episode with the ‘real Ferguson, the mother of bowls’. 😀

            • Hang in there, MIke! If I judge you correctly after years of reading your comments, then you must be a real fighter!

      • Clearly Moskovia is pissed because THEY were hoping to colonize the moon first. They have been claiming it is a conspiracy and a Hollywood stunt that the USA landed on the moon for many years on RT, Sputnik, etc.

  2. A mission to Mars?

    They can’t even afford to run their own Country, what the fuck is wrong with them.

  3. “Russia’s space agency Roscosmos has denounced U.S. President Donald Trump’s order allowing commercial lunar mining and the extraction of other resources in space, appearing to liken the policy to colonialism.”

    I do smell the extremely strong odor of jealousy from our Ruskie clowns. If they had even a breath of a chance, they would do exactly what the US is planning on doing. If they had even a breath of a chance, they wouldn’t waste any time with such lame comments but forge their own plans in this regard.
    But, they stand next to zero chance to follow suit and so they do what they do best … cry like little girls.

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