Mission 2025: Lunar Eclipses, Moon dust, and the Law

Buckle up Houston, because we’re in for a sight. This week, on March 13th and 14th, we will be treated to a total lunar eclipse. Total lunar eclipses are rare, and we’re on the right side of the world to enjoy a prime view. Starting at 10:57 PM on March 13, 2025, residents of the Earth’s western hemisphere can watch it all go down.

A lunar eclipse is sometimes called a blood moon, because of the orange or reddish color it turns. The more clouds or dust that are in the Earth atmosphere, the redder it turns! No equipment is needed to watch the lunar eclipse, so you could stay up late and see the whole event go down with your own eyes. For any night owls hoping to catch totality, that will be at 1:26 AM. The eclipse will end at 5 AM on March 14, 2025.

“During a lunar eclipse, the Moon appears red or orange because any sunlight that’s not blocked by our planet is filtered through a thick slice of Earth’s atmosphere on its way to the lunar surface. It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon.”

— Caela Barry, NASA

While a lunar eclipse would be a spectacle no matter where on Earth you’re seeing it from, this time, we’ll have visuals from space! Blue Ghost Mission 1 is on the moon and will capture the total eclipse, and a lunar sunset for the first time ever on March 16th. But why is Blue Ghost Mission 1 up there in the first place?

To study lunar regolith! Regolith, also known as “moon dust,” proved quite the challenge for the Apollo Moon missions. NASA has come pretty far since then, but they hope to expand their understanding of how the moon’s dusty surface interacts with spacecrafts and payloads. Not only will this new data help support future lunar missions, they’ll also help in Mars exploration as well.

Here on Earth, we’ve discovered that moon dust isn’t a challenge just restricted to astronauts. Quite a few people have found themselves in legal crosshairs over out-of-this world marvels. For more information on the fascinating question over who owns space objects, check out our Who Owns Space Stuff? blog.

For further reading:

• Apollo 11 Moon Landing, 50th Anniversary

• Conflicts in Space and the Rule of Law

• NewSpace Commercialisation and the Law

Still interested in the growing field of space law? Take a look at our digital exhibit!

And if you’re interested in seeing those amazing shots of the eclipse and lunar sunset, follow the live updates from Blue Ghost Mission 1!

Out-of-this-World Series!

Today, we are celebrating! Our hometown team, the mighty Houston Astros, is facing off against the Washington Nationals in the 2019 World Series. The initial games are being played at Minute Maid Park, just blocks away from our building at Congress Plaza in downtown Houston. We’re fortunate and thrilled to be so close to the action, and we’re doing our part to support the most stellar team in the cosmos!

The Nationals are, of course, named for our nation’s capital (although the origins of the team name have been disputed and clarified over the years), while the Astros have truly universal appeal. Named to represent Space City, the Astros are the only team to claim a moniker that makes them the team of the galaxy. Lest you think we overstate the Astros’ status as an intergalactic force for good, allow us to provide the evidence:

The Milwaukee Brewers have the Sausage Men, but did you know that the Astros once had a running competition for costumed astronauts? Talk about a space race!

What about that mascot, the lovable, Orbit?

Who but Astros fans can legitimately wear space helmets to the games? (Get yours here.)

And how about the mighty Jose Altuve, whose walk-off homer in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series coincided with last week’s historic all-female spacewalk? Two achievements that are out of this world!

Clearly, Houston, our diverse and dynamic city occupies an important place in our solar system, and we’ve embraced our role in the cosmos by producing one of the very best teams in MLB history. We couldn’t be prouder.  

In celebration of this pride – in our team and in our city – we at the Law Library are highlighting our own Space Law Collection (and previous blog posts on the topic) as well as our Law of Space digital exhibit. Additional resources are listed below.

•  So, You Want to be a Space Lawyer? (Paste Magazine)

• Space Lawyers, They Exist (Fast Company)

• Frans von der Dunk: The Importance of Space Lawyers (TED)

• Education Curriculum on Space Law (UN Office for Outer Space Affairs)

 GO ASTROS! We love you to the moon and back!

Space Law - Apollo 11 Moon Landing, 50th Anniversary

Saturday, July 20, 2019 was the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. Here in Space City, we’re marking the event with an exhibit, currently on display in the Law Library lobby, a digital exhibit on The Law of Space, and a compilation of resources from the Harris County Law Library’s print collection. Included are a number of primary law materials (listed below) and related visual content, which you can find on NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory website and download for personal use.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, contained in the United States Statues at Large, Pub. L. No. 85-568, 72 Stat. 426-438, established NASA and marked America’s official entry into the Space Race.

• The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 14: Aeronautics and Space details the purpose, function, and organization of NASA as mandated by Congress.

• To accommodate the large number of astronauts who live in Texas, the Secretary of State adopted special rules, spelled out in the Texas Administrative Code §81.35, that authorize NASA to implement procedures for casting ballots in outer space.

• The Outer Space Treaty, the multilateral agreement that established the governance of state activities in the exploration and use of outer space, was signed by more than 100 countries. It was first proposed by the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in August of 1966, making this the 50th anniversary of its conception.

Article I, which captures the spirit of the Outer Space Treaty, is excerpted here. As we recognize this sentiment of equality, good will, adventure, and cooperation, the Harris County Law Library invites you to explore our resources. Plan your visit today!

“The exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development, and shall be the province of all mankind.

 Outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, shall be free for exploration and use by all States without discrimination of any kind, on a basis of equality and in accordance with international law, and there shall be free access to all areas of celestial bodies.

There shall be freedom of scientific investigation in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, and States shall facilitate and encourage international co-operation in such investigation.”

Additional resources have been previously reviewed on Ex Libris Juris as Latest & Greatest features.

• Conflicts in Space and the Rule of Law

• Newspace Commercialisation and the Law

• Global Space Governance and the UN 2030 Agenda

Latest & Greatest – Conflicts in Space and the Rule of Law

Edited by Maria Manoli and Sandy Belle Habchi

Published by McGill University Centre for Research in Air and Space Law

KZD 1145 .M366 2017

The newest edition to the space law collection at Harris County Law Library is Conflicts in Space and the Rule of Law, a selection of papers that had been presented at the 4th Manfred Lachs Conference on Conflicts in Space and the Rule of Law held in Montreal, Canada.  An interdisciplinary look at issues facing the exploration and commercial exploitation of outer space, Conflicts in Space and the Rule of Law examines technological developments that provide greater accessibility to the far reaches of the universe and the new threats that emerge with the advent of these advances. In this regard, the papers cover such topics as anti-satellite technologies, security concerns in and regulatory control of the Proto-zone, and conflicts relating to radio frequency interference. The participants also considered areas of potential conflict, such as those involving space weapons, active debris removal, and the selling of lunar resources. From a legal standpoint, some of the issues tackled included the intersecting challenges of space security and cybersecurity, the legal challenges arising from the action of non-state actors in outer space, and the rules of engagement for military space operations. Lastly, Conflicts in Space and the Rule of Law looks to the future by analyzing the prospects for space arms control and global space governance.

If the future of outer space is of interest to you, have a look at Conflicts in Space and the Rule of Law. Another book in the Monograph Series that might pique your curiosity is NewSpace Commercialisation and the Law, which was featured in a previous Latest & Greatest blog post.

By the way, in case you were wondering, the conference is named for Manfred Lachs, a Polish diplomat and jurist who was a great influence on the development of international law following World War II.

Latest & Greatest – NewSpace Commercialisation and the Law

Edited by Md Tanveer Ahmad & Jinyuan Su

Published by McGill Centre for Research in Air and Space Law

KZD 1141 .M36 2017

A collection of papers presented at the 3rd Manfred Lachs International Conference on NewSpace Commercialisation and the Law held in Montreal, Canada, NewSpace Commercialisation and the Law presents a snapshot of the current status and future of global space exploration as well as the issues and challenges facing space law, policies, and regulations. The term "NewSpace" refers to the movement associated with entrepreneurial endeavors surrounding commercial human space flight and the development of technologies to assist governmental and private space activities. This book aims to address emerging issues and problems that confront both commercial and governmental space programs. Written by scientists, legal experts, and academics, the papers presented in this book cover such diverse topics as space governance, legal aspects of private space stations, satellite miniaturization, avoiding harmful contamination in the exploration and use of outer space, active debris removal, and commercial satellites for military purposes.

The reality of space exploration and the technologies associated with it are no longer merely something you read about in a science fiction novel. The future is here, and the future is now. Read about it in NewSpace Commercialisation and the Law.