Moon Madness Moon Colonies 2020 Nasa’s Dilemma

Moon Colonies 2020 The year is It has been 30 years since the colonies for research and development were established on the moon. Because the moon is free from air, gravity and pollution, manufacturing and experimentation are easier here then on earth.

Moon Colonies 2020 Currently, thousands of people from all over the globe live on the lunar surface, with their families, and work in the labs and factories producing prescription medication in sterile environments. Five different nations ( U.S., Germany, Japan, Czechoslovakia and Cuba) own and run these labs and factories.

Moon Colonies 2020 NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration.) administers the colonies. They make the rules, create work/living assignments, and arrange for shuttles to take/bring people and equipment to the colonies. They own the majority of the labs and factories.

Everything has gone smoothly…until now!

Nasa’s Dilemma Problem #1 One of the American chemical companies claims that it does not have to pay certain taxes on products made on the moon. American tax laws, the company maintains, cover only profits made in the United States or in foreign countries. Since the moon is neither, no tax is due.

Nasa’s Dilemma Problem #2 An employee at one of the labs feels that the assignment of housing space is unfair, and she wishes to speak out against it. She claims a constitutional right to freedom of speech and demands that she be allowed to use the intra-colony television communication system to make her protest known to fellow moon residents.

Nasa’s Dilemma Problem #3 A group from the Soviet Union demands that it be given transportation and laboratory space so that it can perform some top-secret experiments. The Soviets claim this right under a 1967 United Nations treaty that declared the moon to be the common heritage of mankind.

Nasa’s Dilemma Problem #4 The group demands that thirty-five percent of the profits from the moon production be put into a fund which the developing nations can use for their own scientific work.

A New System of Government? Some longtime moon colonists have drawn up a constitution and a set of laws for a moon government based on democratic principles. They feel that the time has come for NASA to give up its control of the colony and turn the moon over to the colonists. YOU are a member of this group. Your job is to create the new constitution and put together a political brochure that will persuade other member of the moon colony to join you cause.

Legal Issues Each of these four cases raise interesting legal questions that are not easily answered. Look at each one, and examine it from a legal point of view. *Handout #1*

Historical Equivalence When arguing for a new law or constitution, historical equivalences might serve as an example as to how a similar problem was successfully resolved in the past. *Handout #2*

Constitution Format Preamble: From what authority do you derive your legal right to rule the moon? (Compare to Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.) Article I: Where is the legal authority? Who makes the laws? Who will be elected and how? Article II: Who will enforce those laws? What power will they have? What is considered a crime on the moon? What is the punishment? Where will they be punished? How will the land and the resources be divided?

Constitution Format  Article III: Will there be a judicial system? Composed of what and whom?  Article IV: What are the Bill of Rights of the moon? List at least twelve.  Article V: Who may commercially use the moon? How?

Constitution Format  Article VI: Will the government of the moon tax its citizens? How will the moon government pay for its services? With whose money? Will they print their own?  Article VII: How will the laws of the moon integrate the laws of the various countries on Earth? Who decides? *Handout #3*

Propaganda Using knowledge from previous units, your group must create a persuasive brochure using Microsoft Publisher to convince members of the colony to join your protest.