My shooting range is gone, baby gone.

[Char-Gar]

Elon Musk is building his Mars launch facility down here at Boca Chica Beach. His has bought up the available land there and has plans for a new town down there called Star City. Mid-price houses in my community have doubled in price due to the expected new population growth.

Our range is about seven miles from Boca Chica Beach had up against the Rio Grande River. Musk bought the 25 acer property for a staggering sum from my friend the owned. He plans to build homes and condos there. I have had a very good 13 years shooting with my friends down there, but I am glad to see my friend Larry make a killing on it and be set for life.

Elon Musk is really screwing with my world. There will be more change than I can imagine and many folks will get rich in the process. This sleepy border town "on the Border by the Sea" will never be the same. This will also present new opportunities to do business by the Cartel vultures.

[BigAlofPa.]

Wow bummers. The one place where we could reach out shooting over 100 yards. Is no longer accessible by vehicle. Because of dumping. The coal mine put large piles of dirt and rocks up. Where the trails would start. Hope you find another place to shoot.

[Cowhide]

And people thought that Total Recall was just a movie and not a glimpse of the future. Elon Musk will end up owning all of space the rights to put satellites in orbit and the rights to go to other planets and mine meteors eventually, to the suffering on man kind.

[zarrinvz24]

Elon is going to go to Mars where he can rule unopposed. The sci-fi future of wars between corporations is probably going to happen this century.

Sorry for the loss of your range. Time to find a new place to go.

[dverna]

When I retired and looked for property it was imperative that I have enough land to build a range and be located where I never need to worry about neighbors complaining about the noise.

Sorry you have been impacted by “progress”, and hope you can find another place to shoot.

[Handloader109]

I can shoot 50 yards on my little range and can go out to 75 pretty easy, at 100 I'm shooting way downhill. But I don't have to worry about neighbors...and its free

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[DougGuy]

Well, that just sucks! I spent all of the 70s in Texas, several different locations along the coast, I left right before the oil went boom in the early 1980s. Always missed south Texas. CC was great.

[imashooter2]

And people thought that Total Recall was just a movie and not a glimpse of the future. Elon Musk will end up owning all of space the rights to put satellites in orbit and the rights to go to other planets and mine meteors eventually, to the suffering on man kind.

Elon Musk will have been room temperature for decades before anyone even thinks of mining rights in space. [smilie=l:

[bakerjw]

Bummer indeed.
I applied for a job with SpaceX there in Boca Chica. It is rare in life that I want anything, but I wanted nothing in life as bad as I did that opportunity. I don't like Elon Musk, but the man has vision and it is a vision hat I wanted to help him attain.
Sorry that you lost your range.

[smithnframe]

Perhaps you could get a job at the Tesla plant!

[bakerjw]

Perhaps you could get a job at the Tesla plant!

I only had interest in being part of the Starship project. I could easily get in to any of the other Musk ventures with my automation background but there is zero interest there. Starship was one that caught my attention and as I stated, this was one thing in life that I really wanted.

[Mal Paso]

Elon Musk will have been room temperature for decades before anyone even thinks of mining rights in space. [smilie=l:

At $10,000 per pound to put anything in earth orbit, mining is at the top of everyone's list Right Now.

"Made in Space"

[imashooter2]

OK, you win. They may think about it, but Elon will still be a distant memory before anyone launches the first mine. Hell, it will be decades before there are any long term colonies.

[rancher1913]

our range will be shutting done within the year. land was sold (club could not afford to buy) and new owner has raised rent 5 times over what it was, we need 70 members just to clear costs and only 60 renewed this year so its an unsustainable situation. luckily I got my personal range, I was just a member so I could mine the berms.

[Char-Gar]

OK, you win. They may think about it, but Elon will still be a distant memory before anyone launches the first mine. Hell, it will be decades before there are any long term colonies.

There is an international Space Treaty signed in 1967 that says the various planets, objects and resources belong to everybody. The stuff that is put there belongs to whoever put it there. It has never been litigated, but I suspect it will hold.

[beechbum444]

As far as mining planets , it’s gonna happen …. Look at his company called Boring , and what they are currently doing … life on Mars is going to be subterranean….

[Gator 45/70]

I hope he only finds lead on Mars?

[Winger Ed.]

Reminds me Clint Eastwood in "Paint Your Wagon", and what he said about No Name City.

The miners got a town all built and fixed up just the way they liked it, then civilization moved in and ruined it.

[gbrown]

Sorry for you and the others how this turned out for you and others. It is sad, but quite common. The old saw, money talks, **** walks. Happens too often this day and age. We, the gun owners, are being squeezed, by the government and private sector. Not a conspiracy, just politics and private sector.

[abunaitoo]

We have only one public range on the island.
Others are military.
State, city, and the cops, have been trying to close it to the public for years.
They make up all kinds of BS to slowly take away from us.
Latest was the chinese virus excuse to close it.
When it opened again, they restricted access, in the name of safety.
I'm sure they will force it to close to the public sometime in the future.
Kind of hoped I wouldn't be around to see it happen.

[jonp]

We have only one public range on the island.
Others are military.
State, city, and the cops, have been trying to close it to the public for years.
They make up all kinds of BS to slowly take away from us.
Latest was the chinese virus excuse to close it.
When it opened again, they restricted access, in the name of safety.
I'm sure they will force it to close to the public sometime in the future.
Kind of hoped I wouldn't be around to see it happen.

Tried that in VT sorta. Cops and city council in Burlington wanted to ban AR's as too dangerous for us peons. Man that operated the shooting range the cops from Burlington, Essex Jct, Winooski etc said if they did that then the range would be closed to all law enforcement. Too dangerous for us, too dangerous for anyone. Next closet range suitable I think would be the National Guard Ethan Allen Range which is a haul from there. The Council backed down. Member here over that way has a better read on this than what I heard. AlaninVT I think?

[trebor44]

Lived in the "boonies" for years! Had unlimited places to shoot, including the back porch, Then came all the emigrants at the behest of developers, politicians and those with "vision". ***! Just like "climate change" it's called "progress"!

[Bmi48219]

There is an international Space Treaty signed in 1967 that says the various planets, objects and resources belong to everybody. The stuff that is put there belongs to whoever put it there. It has never been litigated, but I suspect it will hold.

Saw an program on Discovery about how China was going all out in space exploration so they could claim rights to whatever they landed on. Not sure it’s a valid analysis but I can see how it’s possible.
The world was a different place 54 years ago. Did China or even India sign the International Space Treaty? Is Russia bound by a treaty signed by the USSR? Even if they are bound or did sign, how many 50+ year old treaties are honored or enforced today?
China is buying up land and trying to ‘lease’ strategic areas all over the globe. I doubt they’re concerned about a 1967 treaty.

[tinsnips]

I am really feeling lucky as my wife owns a section of land where i built my range for my friends an I. The only downside is if she leaves me I will loose my range. But then if she does leave me I will just go with her. We have been married for 43 years she got to much time invested to get rid of me.

[Shuz]

Charles--Sorry to hear of the loss of your range.I feel for you because I had to move off the place where we lived for 21 years due to health issues. I used to drive less than 1/4 miles to my range wher I had my chronograph set up as well as IHMSA steel targets.
I joined the Spokane Rifle club so that I could still shoot some, but the chronograph is not easy for me to set up now, and the club doesn't allow any steel targets! At least I made a tidy sum on selling the ranch, and the new owner said i could come and shoot "anytime"
but I m sure everything is overgrown now with weed and such.
The good news is I have some shooting buddies that inherited my steel targets and I ve gone to their places to shoot, but it's at least a 20 mile trip! I hope you find another place close by.
Ray

[MUSTANG]

There is an international Space Treaty signed in 1967 that says the various planets, objects and resources belong to everybody. The stuff that is put there belongs to whoever put it there. It has never been litigated, but I suspect it will hold.

An interesting read on "Mining Rights" in space. Not necessarily "Settled Law"; as in many cases "LAW" gets reinterpreted by those in power and those with the "Coin of the Realm".




https://filling-space.com/2020/02/28/how-do-international-laws-regulate-space-mining/

How do international laws regulate space mining?

February 28, 2020 resource utilizationspace miningthe Cold Warthe MoonThe Moon Agreementthe Outer Space Treatythe United NationsUN COPUSWestern Sydney University
There is renewed interest nowadays in space mining. There was similar interest in space mining during the Cold War, when international agreements were developed to address the possibility. To this day, though, there is no clear and universally accepted legal framework that governs space mining. Efforts are underway to fill this legal gap. We spoke to Steven Freeland, a professor of international law at Western Sydney University, Australia, to learn about international laws regarding space resources. He is co-moderating UN discussions on space resource utilization. He shares his thoughts on the past, current, and future legal context of space mining.

How do existing laws hinder or facilitate space resource utilization?

The exploration and use of outer space is regulated at the international level through a series of five United Nations Treaties. The first of these is the framework instrument of 1967 known as The Outer Space Treaty. It set out the fundamental principles that govern all space activities. Although no express reference is made in that instrument to space resource utilization, Article 2 encompasses the so-called “non-appropriation” principle, which is regarded as one of the most fundamental rules regulating outer space. In general terms, it confirms that outer space (which includes the Moon and other celestial bodies) is not to be subject to ownership rights. It furthermore prohibits any sovereign or territorial claims to outer space. This confirms that space is not to be regarded as “territorial”, a principle that, by the time the Outer Space Treaty was concluded, was already well accepted in practice.

In 1979, after years of discussion and as a reflection of excitement at the time about the possibility of mining lunar resources, the fifth of the United Nations Treaties, known as The Moon Agreement, was created. It indicated a cooperative approach to any future possible exploitation of space resources. The Moon Agreement contains a number of interesting and potentially significant principles – notably the concept of intergenerational equity in Article 4. It also reinforces the non-appropriation principle.

The Moon Agreement’s principal raison-d’être is the formalization of the terms of a legal regime that would ultimately apply to the exploitation of the natural resources of the Moon and other celestial bodies. The treaty introduced a political concept for the resources of these celestial bodies – the “common heritage of (hu)mankind”. This concept is also used, albeit in a different context and most likely with a different meaning, in the international treaty that deals with the possible exploitation of the natural resources of the deep-sea bed under the high seas on Earth. The Moon Agreement established the legal conditions for the exploitation of space natural resources. These include the condition that any international regime is to be established by the parties to the treaty when such exploitation “is about to become feasible”.

However, for many political and other reasons, the Moon Agreement has not been ratified by any of the major spacefaring countries. There is no such regime in place. Indeed, at present there is much debate as to the correct legal position regarding well-publicized plans by various private entities to pursue future space resource utilization activities. There are therefore many calls for greater clarity, based on international agreement, as to the applicable legal principles.

What are some ongoing developments to space law that may pave the way for space resource utilization?

The possibility of commercial space resource utilization has again become a high-profile issue in recent years. The United States (2015) and Luxembourg (2017) – with others possibly to follow – have enacted national legislation to this end. The legislation purports to promote space resource utilization activities by private entities while still recognizing the applicability of the international legal obligations. This highlights the desirability of multilateral discussions to determine whether and, if so, how to proceed. The issue of the “exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources” has been an agenda item at the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) since 2016. This has already raised a broad range of complicated issues relating to the interpretation of applicable international space law.

In June 2019, UN COPUOS resolved to schedule consultations among all 95 member states for “a broad and inclusive exchange of views on the future deliberations concerning the exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources”. Those discussions are to commence in March 2020. I am honored to have been appointed by UN COPUOS as a co-Moderator of those discussions. These discussions are intended to enable every state to express its views, and through them to also take into account the views of civil society and industry.

In the meantime, academics, industry, and other groups have been examining various legal aspects associated with the issue of space resource utilization. These include the work of The Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group, which recently circulated its “Building Blocks” publication. University academics have furthermore published in various journals and books on this issue. These reflect a variety of differing viewpoints, which further emphasizes the imperative to reach a widely accepted international consensus as to the way forward.

What advice do you have for people who would like to advance space resource utilization?

From the time of the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, space has been widely regarded as a “commons” for all humanity. This is reflected in The Outer Space Treaty, which was designed to provide principles to govern space in the geopolitical environment of the Cold War. At that time, the main space actors were countries, not private corporations.

Since those days, the nature of space activities has undergone a significant shift. Commercial interests are now a major element in the future of space exploration and use. And where there are commercial interests at stake, the financial “bottom line” becomes all-important. A number of private entities believe there are considerable profits to be made in the rare metals and other valuable resources lying untouched in the Moon and near-Earth asteroids.

In addition to the legal framework regarding such space activities, various “non-legal” issues are relevant – who bears the costs of future space exploration, exploitation, and utilization, and who has the right to profit from it? In addition, one critical area is being overlooked. Asteroids might be “out of sight, out of mind” for the most part, but lunar mining is likely to arouse strong and widespread reaction. The Moon is one of the most significant cultural influences that unites people across all times and places in human history. Would the public, for example, support commercial space mining if excavation scars were visible through Earth-based telescopes?

In moving forward, we also need to carefully consider how to avoid a “tragedy of the commons” scenario in relation to space resources. We must do the same regarding the challenges associated with increasing space debris. What is really at stake is the future of universal human access to space and the very way we view space. A rash move at this point could tip the balance and erode the foundational space law principles as applied to space resources. We must avoid further entrenching the divisions between the space haves and have-nots.

While there may be considerable benefits for future generations should we find a way to safely and sustainably exploit space resources, there are also considerable risks. This requires careful calibration and cool heads. The key will be international cooperation on a broad scale. This issue is too important and too complex to be undertaken by a small number of private enterprises or countries. A clear international consensus-based understanding must be reached that safeguards the interests of every stakeholder. With careful thought and close cooperation befitting such a significant activity as space resource exploitation, there is a real possibility that the many complexities can ultimately be addressed and resolved.





1. Who will build the first Rifle Range on the Moon is an interesting question; and how much territory for a "Safety Zone" given the reduced gravity.

2. Really want to build a 100 Yard Underground Range under the drive to the house in Kalispell using concrete culverts; but can't justify the cost. Easier to spend the $200.00 per year total to belong to two different Range Clubs for the wife and I. What is interesting, is that both Ranges have closed the membership and are not allowing new members; but little use of either Monday through Thursday - works out great for us Retirees (Nor formal Range Officers; Range Officer duties are "self Provided/Supervised).