We own ur skyz, u iz payin us rent....

[curiouswombat]

Daughter-dear is spending eight weeks of this summer doing a project as part of the Shell Step programme, in her case developing a database of local community organisations.

However she is having a short break from it this week to get work experience with a local law company and she seems to be enjoying every minute of this. The company, Cains is actually a major player in a number of fields, and her time there has included looking at maritime law, registering ships, a meeting of the Financial Supervision Commission to discuss the registration of a new bank, and obtaining mortgages on aircraft.

Did you know you can get a mortgage on an airplane? And that at least one big bank requires any plane mortgaged with it to have a plaque fastened to the fuselage to say so?

But the most interesting thing has been the Space Law department!

Apparently, back sometime last century, it occurred to the international community that, if satellites etc. were going to become commonplace, space needed dividing up and to belong to people. Britain, trying to own as much space as possible, pointed out that they were responsible for the Crown Dependencies, and ought to get space for them too, which the British would administer.

Except that the Manx government, in more recent years, said to the UK government "Well thanks for administering our bit of space for us, but we'll take it back now and administer it ourselves". The UK government realised that they couldn't refuse - and we now administer our own bit of space, licensing satellites etc. and earning money from it.

Now comes the really weird bit. Space was not dished out so that you own the bit above yourselves, but as a sort of patchwork to ensure reasonable bits for all. And you know which bit belongs to us? Well, if you live in the middle of the USA, just look upwards.

Yes, that's right - if you want to put a satellite into geostationary orbit over somewhere in the vague vicinity of Nebraska or Kansas you have to get it registered with the Isle-of-Man government and pay us rent!!

Now how cool is that?

Comments

[pfeifferpack.livejournal.com]

Had NO idea this was the case but the Isle-of-Man can be the "mouse that roared" as mankind moves through it's "property"....I'm thinking toll booths for those passing through LOL.

Kathleen

[ravenwings-7.livejournal.com]

...That's kind of awesome. :)

[opalescence.livejournal.com]

That is really quite interesting!

[raingirl26.livejournal.com]

that is very outrageous - i had no idea.

[jerusha]

Hee! I'm living under Manx-owned airspace! *g*

And I'm glad that DD is enjoying her time there. It sounds like very interesting work. In fact, our school just started a specialization on Space Law.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Perfect - when the illuminati want to put up more orbital mind control lasers the Manx government will benefit! Fnord!

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Space sounds a lot more interesting than Health and Safety law. :(

[winsomeone.livejournal.com]

Space stuff is so bizarre isn't it?

I knew about the plane loan-a friend of mine owns a Cessna,although his bank doesn't require anything to be attached to it. :-)

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

Really? That's wild! I mean, not that I"m going to run out and put up a satellite over Omaha or anything, but who knew?

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

That's the weirdest thing I've ever heard ... sounds like a government operation! So, who should the governor of nebraska make the check out to? :-)

[maevebran.livejournal.com]

HheeeHee. That is pretty funny.

[bojojoti.livejournal.com]

Well, as long as it stays up there, and doesn't fall down on my home...

I have a bit of Manx over my head.

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

Ack! You own my air!

I just want to know if you still have to turn around and pay that rent to Manannan, that's all.

[ayinhara.livejournal.com]

The bit about air space is wonderful and wacky. I wonder who owns the air space over Colorado or for that matter over NYC?

[cbtreks.livejournal.com]

Wonder who owns the space above me? (Does that sound like the beginning of a philosophical discussion?) Glad DD is enjoying her time at the law firm. Is she condsidering law school, then?

[spikendru.livejournal.com]

Well, that's just . . . strange. But, good for the Manx decision to administer their own space. And now I'm wondering who owns the space above London, because with all the Doctor Who invasions going on, someone should be making tons of money!