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Gari_305 OP t1_j06qkog wrote

From the Article

>The relevance and importance of the accords is also growing, she said, as more and more countries plan lunar exploration activities. Especially relevant are the accords’ provisions on “deconfliction of activities” in space beyond the Earth’s orbit and setting up “safety zones” around operations.
>
>Melroy explained that a NASA study last fall found that “within the next four years, the global community is likely to launch at least 22 lunar surface missions, half of which will occur in the Moon’s south polar region.”

Which leads to an important question, given the fact that the lunar missions will occur in the next four years due to the exploration of minerals namely Helium 3, is it possible for nations to avoid space conflict, or are we doomed to repeat the many conflicts that occurred during the age of exploration roughly 500 years ago, only this time in space?

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FuturologyBot t1_j06txxb wrote

The following submission statement was provided by /u/Gari_305:


From the Article

>The relevance and importance of the accords is also growing, she said, as more and more countries plan lunar exploration activities. Especially relevant are the accords’ provisions on “deconfliction of activities” in space beyond the Earth’s orbit and setting up “safety zones” around operations.
>
>Melroy explained that a NASA study last fall found that “within the next four years, the global community is likely to launch at least 22 lunar surface missions, half of which will occur in the Moon’s south polar region.”

Which leads to an important question, given the fact that the lunar missions will occur in the next four years due to the exploration of minerals namely Helium 3, is it possible for nations to avoid space conflict, or are we doomed to repeat the many conflicts that occurred during the age of exploration roughly 500 years ago, only this time in space?


Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/zlrinl/us_allies_mull_paths_for_engaging_china_to_ward/j06qkog/

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alaskafish t1_j070402 wrote

Conflict only feeds the military industrial complex. Neither government wants conflict. It’s just that American companies do.

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ShihPoosRule t1_j073drg wrote

Wrongheaded strategy that demonstrates a poor understanding of how China thinks and operates.

Si vis pacem, para bellum.

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_Blackstar t1_j07bvzo wrote

Assuming we ever get to a point where we're flying around the Milky Way and meet the Galactic Council, it's going to be hard to explain to them why we have dozens of ambassadors from Earth.

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nova9001 t1_j07sx6o wrote

I think 2nd option is more likely. America wants everyone to play by their rules and their allies comply because they are reliant on America. China doesn't want or needs to do that. They are going to chart their own path and that's going to lead to conflict down the road.

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poulmavinger t1_j08cnv8 wrote

America can still crush China, its just bad for the bottom line so they don't. There's a reason America ended chip manufacturing in China. Things are escalating and China still can't match America's advanced military.

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nova9001 t1_j08fy0t wrote

No doubt America still has a lead in many areas especially tech related. The problem is the gap is closing and why America is trying to pull chip manufacturing back to US.

For the US military, with a budget of almost $800bn/yr, nothing on earth can match them. Its just pure budget differences.

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HolyGig t1_j08p91d wrote

Wait a minute, i've seen this movie before. We built a space station together and then they invaded Ukraine anyways.

Co-dependence is a nice theory but it doesn't work when autocrats are at the helm. They view it as weakness, as leverage which can be exploited. NASA is a science institution so I don't blame or fault them for lobbying for more engagement but its just not going to happen beyond basic coordination which we already do. Anything beyond that is just the height of stupidity.

>“I’m a Star Trek fan, so I’m optimistic,” he said.

Yeah, the funny thing about Star Trek lore is that we didn't start really cooperating until after WWIII had wiped out practically everyone.

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durgadas t1_j092g6k wrote

Good luck with that. Given that every Chinese person who has ever lived or been born to Chinese parentage, no matter how far removed is considered still owned, practically speaking:

From Wikipedia: "In regards to the de facto practices of the Chinese government, Kris Cheng wrote in Foreign Affairs that "Beijing presents nationality as an elaborate legal question, but in practice the answer is simple. Only one rule applies: If you have ever held or could have held Chinese citizenship, you are a Chinese national unless Beijing decides you are not. And even if you were born abroad but you're of Chinese descent, Beijing still feels as if it owns you." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_nationality_law#Acquisition_and_loss_of_nationality

You think that if China gains control of the MOON, it's going to EVER relinquish it?

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Vladius28 t1_j09m3w8 wrote

The moon and asteroids and Mars are FULL of all the raw materials mankind needs.

Make no doubt about it, this is going to be a hellova race

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Longjumping_Meat_138 t1_j0artf0 wrote

Being real, We humans can't seriously expect that there will only be one representative from each planet in the council right? Like seriously why do we think their will be a world government for each Civilization instead of multiple world governments?

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poulmavinger t1_j0ck1jq wrote

Yea but if america doesn't do it and remain a super power, then either Russia or China will....do you want a world were global politics are heavily influenced by China, Russia, or USA. That's really what it's about. If America didn't have the power, then another country would. America is a giant check and balance for the rest of the world; like it or not.

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alaskafish t1_j0cn7tf wrote

This is so America-centric, I don't even know how to respond.

Why does everything have to be a competition? You realize space advancement benefits everyone when done cooperatively?

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poulmavinger t1_j0coj3k wrote

It doesn't have to be. Eu plays nice mostly, but not Russia or China; the world's other super powers. It would benefit everyone, but China has direct plans to claim it as Chinese territory and fine/shoot anyone who tries to challenge their rule. Kinda like how they do in China.

You do realize that China is expansionist and has directly expressed they wish to displace America as the main power and replace usd as the reserve currency?

Not to mention both Russia & China undermining democracy and elections globally trying to impose puppet states and/or censor freedom of speech globally. China has set up secret police stations in foreign countries to report on its own citizens abroad speaking ill of China. They wish to express power and when world leaders have no one to them hold them accountable in their own country; then other countries are forced to deal with it.

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durgadas t1_j0dlob7 wrote

Yep, it's racist to point out the documented actions of a government. Like WTF is this world coming to when you can't cite references? It's not like *I* detain people or make millions of ex-Chinese people live in fear. The Chinese government does that.

And I haven't even mentioned the current and ongoing genocide/ethnic cleansing.

Oh, but it's SPACE I guess so I'm supposed to imagine some utopia? Utopias are a secular delusion.

I don't often agree with Michael Shermer, but he's right about this: https://aeon.co/ideas/utopia-is-a-dangerous-ideal-we-should-aim-for-protopia

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Cacharadon t1_j0e42ba wrote

The same reason that there is only one UN governor general... What's hard to get? It will be a ceremonious posting with no real power. But individual governments would vie to have their own representative elected to the position. This is the same reason that baffled me with how people discussed the council in mass effect. It was clear that they held no power beyond being symbolic and people still railed at how they were written as if they were capable of solving everything but held back for plot advancement

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