tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055455176663542292.post3414430361690909753..comments2024-03-09T04:15:27.398-06:00Comments on Tranquility Base: Wet Feet or Dry Feet?Tranquility Basehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16864106534601373743noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055455176663542292.post-38339741582959203002013-09-06T14:04:31.396-05:002013-09-06T14:04:31.396-05:00I see. Hmmm, a space invasion by Russians... would...I see. Hmmm, a space invasion by Russians... wouldn't that be an interesting scenario!Tranquility Basehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16864106534601373743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055455176663542292.post-61742485054093130852013-09-05T20:59:53.966-05:002013-09-05T20:59:53.966-05:00Within some reasonable limits, "national terr...Within some reasonable limits, "national territory" usually extends beyond strict boundaries -- that's how countries with coast lines get a 3 mile defense zone or 200 mile economic exclusion zones. Surely astronauts have got an innate right of self-defense if any enemy cosmonaut starts carving through their hull with a welding torch or pointing a bazooka at them! mike shupphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08383379836883992742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055455176663542292.post-88092087246507824652013-09-04T13:39:34.127-05:002013-09-04T13:39:34.127-05:00Thanks, Mike. Good point- if Mendez had reached a ...Thanks, Mike. Good point- if Mendez had reached a U.S. spacecraft, he likely would have hitched a ride home on it... and then could have applied for asylum back on Earth. No need to worry about outer space jurisdiction in that case! It also makes sense that the interior of a spacecraft is national territory... but maybe not the exterior, though?Tranquility Basehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16864106534601373743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055455176663542292.post-55091888770899921532013-09-04T02:27:20.780-05:002013-09-04T02:27:20.780-05:00Pragmatically, if Comrade Mendez had reached an Am...Pragmatically, if Comrade Mendez had reached an American space vessel and been brought aboard, the US commander (possibly with "advice" from NASA HQ) would likely have decided that safety considerations made it inadvisable to simply return him to the Soviet craft, and he would have returned with the American astronauts to US soil -- whereupon he would have been free to request asylum.<br /><br />My actual understanding -- but IANAL! -- is that for virtually all purposes, the interior of a spacecraft is "national territory", so a request for refuge could legitimately be made once he had entered the US vehicle. mike shupphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08383379836883992742noreply@blogger.com