[IN QUORUM] Regulating Astronautical Procedures

[Pathonia]

I'd thought that it may be worth a shot to try and make a more proactive approach to address (potential) pollution in outer space, was mildly inspired by a previous resolution (now repealed) pertaining to cleaning space debris.
_{^{Credit to Dushina for the name; I'd struggled to come up with something adequate.}}
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Regulating Astronautical Procedures
Strength: Significant
Category: Regulation
Coauthored by Dushina and Wrangleria

[Shoutout to Tinhampton for the added assistance :)]

Draft VII: Modified the wordy final paragraph, modified the definition of 'outer space' to address gas giants / dense atmospheric terrestrial bodies.

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging the potential for poorly directed or maintained international space programmes between member-nations.

Recognising that this potential for poor or utterly mismanaged space programmes between member-nations poses a potentially severe environmental and economic impact, especially in cases in which there may not exist standards regarding spacecraft quality.

Appalled at the further possibility of poor-quality spacecraft potentially leading to safety oversights, which could lead to fatalities among astronaut and civilians crews operating both on the potentially compromised spacecraft, and others which may be affected by the spacecraft in any of a myriad of ways.

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Outer space', to refer to the interstellar medium, or the wide expanse of nearly-empty space separating various astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, and other entities.
   
   1. Noting that 'outer space,' in contrast to a terrestrial body, for the purposes of this resolution, is defined as beginning at the point in which atmospheric pressure reaches 0.1% of the pressure as it would otherwise be on the surface of the terrestrial body.
2. 'Spacecraft', to mean either:
   
   1. Any commercial, scientific, military, or private instrument intended to remain in space for any length of time.
   2. Any launch or reentry vehicle intended for travelling between any terrestrial body and outer space.
3. 'Space programme', to mean any organised entity, funded privately or publicly, which has the goal of launching spacecraft in outer space, maintaining them (as necessary), and operating them throughout their missions.

Clarifying that this resolution aims solely to impact international space programmes, which consist of jointly-run space programmes between various member-nations, rather than the space programmes of individual nations.

Implementing the following, to ensure that spacecraft meet minimum quality standards for the sake of their potential passengers, scientific instruments, the aim of prematurely reducing the chance of causing major space debris, and to ensure a minimum of pollution during terrestrial launches and returns:

1. That all spacecraft must be verified to be completely structurally sound prior to launch, such that any mechanical failure- such as the risk of a leakage involving fuel or other chemicals -is minimised to the maximum possible extent.
2. That all spacecraft are verified to be fully operational, thus that they are ensured to last long enough to fulfil the entirety of their mission.
3. That any potential detachable spacecraft boosters that are intended for surviving reentry towards a terrestrial body are verified to have a minimal environmental impact over the course of atmospheric reentry.
   
   1. That reusable spacecraft boosters should be stringently observed during refurbishment, and that they are mechanically uptight and complete to ensure proper function before and during every mission in which they are to be used.
4. That any and all spacecraft or spacecraft components which are intentionally- or planned to be -released into outer space without any native propulsion ability, are mandated to not be smaller than one cubic metre, for the sake of ease of debris clean-up.
5. That all spacecraft launch sites are located- at a minimum -three kilometres away from any settlement populated by one hundred or more individuals.
6. That the member-nation operating the spacecraft launch site has the capability to clean up any potential waste materials resulting from failed or explosive launches.

Enacting thusly, that if for any reason a spacecraft is found to be faulty or there is otherwise a violation by a member-nation with respect to the above enactments, the member-nation is compelled to postpone the launch in the case of it being a singular faulty spacecraft, or postpone all launches from the member-nation completely until the fault(s) or violation(s) is/are remedied.

Firmly condemning those international space programmes which pollute the planetary or stellar environment, cause economic harm through mismanagement and being underresourced, and those which cause any scale of loss or injury of life through the operation of mechanically faulty spacecraft and launch sites.

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging the potential for poorly directed or maintained space programmes within member-nations.

Recognising that this potential for poor or non-existent space programmes within member-nations poses a potentially severe environmental and economic impact, especially in cases in which there may not exist standards regarding spacecraft quality.

Appalled at the further possibility of poor-quality spacecraft potentially leading to safety oversights, which could lead to fatalities among astronaut and civilians crews operating both on the potentially compromised spacecraft, and others which may be affected by the spacecraft in any of a myriad of ways.

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Outer space', to refer to the interstellar medium, or the wide expanse of nearly-empty space separating various astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, and other entities.
   
   1. Noting that 'outer space', for the purposes of this resolution, begins one hundred kilometres above the surface of any terrestrial body.
2. 'Rocket', to mean any single-use or reusable vehicle capable of escaping a terrestrial body's gravity and reaching space.
   
   1. 'Terrestrial body', to mean any physically solid entity in outer space, including but not limited to: planets, moons, asteroids, and dwarf planets.
3. 'Spacecraft', to mean any commercial, scientific, military, or private instrument intended to remain in space for any length of time.
4. 'Astronaut', to refer to any individual who is professionally trained to work in any scientific, military, commercial, or miscellaneous field, while in outer space.
5. 'Passenger' or 'civilian', to mean any non-astronaut individual in outer space.
6. 'Space programme', to mean any organised entity, funded privately or publicly, which has the goal of launching- via rocketry -spacecraft into outer space, for any reason.

Establishing the World Assembly Bureau on Spacecraft Quality Assurance (WABSQA), for the purpose of maintaining a permanent body of inspectors in all member-nations that maintain a space programme to ensure the enforcement of this legislation.

Implementing the following, to ensure that rockets and spacecraft meet minimum quality standards for the sake of their potential passengers, the premature reduction of space debris, and to ensure a minimum of pollution during planetary launches and returns:

1. That all rockets must be verified to be fully structurally sound prior to launch, such that the risk of a leakage involving fuel or other chemicals is minimised to the maximum extent.
2. That all spacecraft are verified to be fully operational, thus that they are ensured to last long enough to fulfil the entirety of their mission.
3. That any potential detachable rocket boosters are capable of surviving reentry towards an inhabited planet, and that such boosters are ensured to be reusable.
4. That any and all rocket or spacecraft components which are intentionally- or planned to be -released into outer space without any native propulsion ability, are mandated to not be smaller than one cubic metre, for the sake of ease of debris clean-up.
5. That all rocket launch sites are located- at a minimum -three kilometres away from any settlement populated by one hundred or more individuals.
6. That the member-nation operating the rocket launch site has the capability to clean up any potential waste materials resulting from failed or explosive launches.

Enacting thusly, that if for any reason a rocket is found to be faulty or there is otherwise a violation by a member-nation with respect to the above enactments, the member-nation is compelled to postpone the launch in the case of it being a singular faulty rocket, or postpone all launches from the member-nation completely until the fault(s) or violation(s) is/are remedied.

Firmly holding accountable any incidents by member-nations in which either the planetary or stellar environment is polluted, any incidents in which member-nations caused economic harm through the operation of a mismanaged and/or under-resourced space programmes, and any incidents in which member-nations caused any scale of loss or injury of life through the operation of mechanically faulty spacecraft, rockets, reentry vehicles, and launch sites.

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging the potential for poorly directed or maintained space programmes within member-nations.

Recognising that this potential for poor or non-existent space programmes within member-nations poses a potentially severe environmental and economic impact, especially in cases in which there may not exist standards regarding spacecraft quality.

Appalled at the further possibility of poor-quality spacecraft potentially leading to safety oversights, which could lead to fatalities among astronaut and civilians crews operating both on the potentially compromised spacecraft, and others which may be affected by the spacecraft in any of a myriad of ways.

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Outer space', to refer to the interstellar medium, or the wide expanse of nearly-empty space separating various astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, and other entities.
   
   1. Noting that 'outer space', for the purposes of this resolution, begins one hundred kilometres above the surface of any terrestrial body.
2. 'Rocket', to mean any single-use or reusable vehicle capable of either reaching orbit or escaping a terrestrial body's gravity and reaching interplanetary space.
   
   1. 'Terrestrial body', to mean any physically solid astronomical entity in outer space which is capable of generating its own gravity, including but not limited to: planets, moons, asteroids, and dwarf planets.
3. 'Spacecraft', to mean any commercial, scientific, military, or private instrument intended to remain in space for any length of time.
4. 'Astronaut', to refer to any individual who is professionally trained to work in any scientific, military, commercial, or miscellaneous field, while in outer space.
5. 'Passenger' or 'civilian', to mean any non-astronaut individual in outer space.
6. 'Space programme', to mean any organised entity, funded privately or publicly, which has the goal of launching- via rocketry -spacecraft into outer space, for any reason.

Establishing the World Assembly Bureau on Spacecraft Quality Assurance (WABSQA), for the purpose of maintaining a permanent body of inspectors in all member-nations that maintain a space programme to ensure the enforcement of this legislation.

Implementing the following, to ensure that rockets and spacecraft meet minimum quality standards for the sake of their potential passengers, the premature reduction of space debris, and to ensure a minimum of pollution during planetary launches and returns:

1. That all rockets must be verified to be fully structurally sound prior to launch, such that the risk of a leakage involving fuel or other chemicals is minimised to the maximum extent.
2. That all spacecraft are verified to be fully operational, thus that they are ensured to last long enough to fulfil the entirety of their mission.
3. That any potential detachable rocket boosters are capable of surviving reentry towards an inhabited planet, and that such boosters are ensured to be reusable.
4. That any and all rocket or spacecraft components which are intentionally- or planned to be -released into outer space without any native propulsion ability, are mandated to not be smaller than one cubic metre, for the sake of ease of debris clean-up.
5. That all rocket launch sites are located- at a minimum -three kilometres away from any settlement populated by one hundred or more individuals.
6. That the member-nation operating the rocket launch site has the capability to clean up any potential waste materials resulting from failed or explosive launches.

Enacting thusly, that if for any reason a rocket is found to be faulty or there is otherwise a violation by a member-nation with respect to the above enactments, the member-nation is compelled to postpone the launch in the case of it being a singular faulty rocket, or postpone all launches from the member-nation completely until the fault(s) or violation(s) is/are remedied.

Firmly holding accountable any incidents by member-nations in which either the planetary or stellar environment is polluted, any incidents in which member-nations caused economic harm through the operation of a mismanaged and/or under-resourced space programmes, and any incidents in which member-nations caused any scale of loss or injury of life through the operation of mechanically faulty spacecraft, rockets, reentry vehicles, and launch sites.

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging the potential for poorly directed or maintained space programmes within member-nations.

Recognising that this potential for poor or non-existent space programmes within member-nations poses a potentially severe environmental and economic impact, especially in cases in which there may not exist standards regarding spacecraft quality.

Appalled at the further possibility of poor-quality spacecraft potentially leading to safety oversights, which could lead to fatalities among astronaut and civilians crews operating both on the potentially compromised spacecraft, and others which may be affected by the spacecraft in any of a myriad of ways.

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Outer space', to refer to the interstellar medium, or the wide expanse of nearly-empty space separating various astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, and other entities.
   
   1. Noting that 'outer space', for the purposes of this resolution, begins one hundred kilometres above the surface of any terrestrial body.
2. 'Rocket', to mean any single-use or reusable vehicle capable of either reaching orbit or escaping a terrestrial body's gravity and reaching interplanetary space.
   
   1. 'Terrestrial body', to mean any physically solid astronomical entity in outer space which is capable of generating its own gravity, including but not limited to: planets, moons, asteroids, and dwarf planets.
3. 'Spacecraft', to mean any commercial, scientific, military, or private instrument intended to remain in space for any length of time.
4. 'Astronaut', to refer to any individual who is professionally trained to work in any scientific, military, commercial, or miscellaneous field, while in outer space.
5. 'Space programme', to mean any organised entity, funded privately or publicly, which has the goal of launching- via rocketry -spacecraft into outer space, for any reason.

Establishing the World Assembly Bureau on Spacecraft Quality Assurance (WABSQA), for the purpose of maintaining a permanent body of inspectors in all member-nations that maintain a space programme to ensure the enforcement of this legislation.

Implementing the following, to ensure that rockets and spacecraft meet minimum quality standards for the sake of their potential passengers, the premature reduction of space debris, and to ensure a minimum of pollution during planetary launches and returns:

1. That all rockets must be verified to be fully structurally sound prior to launch, such that the risk of a leakage involving fuel or other chemicals is minimised to the maximum extent.
2. That all spacecraft are verified to be fully operational, thus that they are ensured to last long enough to fulfil the entirety of their mission.
3. That any potential detachable rocket boosters are capable of surviving reentry towards an inhabited planet, and that such boosters are ensured to be reusable.
4. That any and all rocket or spacecraft components which are intentionally- or planned to be -released into outer space without any native propulsion ability, are mandated to not be smaller than one cubic metre, for the sake of ease of debris clean-up.
5. That all rocket launch sites are located- at a minimum -three kilometres away from any settlement populated by one hundred or more individuals.
6. That the member-nation operating the rocket launch site has the capability to clean up any potential waste materials resulting from failed or explosive launches.

Enacting thusly, that if for any reason a rocket is found to be faulty or there is otherwise a violation by a member-nation with respect to the above enactments, the member-nation is compelled to postpone the launch in the case of it being a singular faulty rocket, or postpone all launches from the member-nation completely until the fault(s) or violation(s) is/are remedied.

Firmly holding accountable any incidents by member-nations in which either the planetary or stellar environment is polluted, any incidents in which member-nations caused economic harm through the operation of a mismanaged and/or under-resourced space programmes, and any incidents in which member-nations caused any scale of loss or injury of life through the operation of mechanically faulty spacecraft, rockets, reentry vehicles, and launch sites.

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging the potential for poorly directed or maintained space programmes within member-nations.

Recognising that this potential for poor or non-existent space programmes within member-nations poses a potentially severe environmental and economic impact, especially in cases in which there may not exist standards regarding spacecraft quality.

Appalled at the further possibility of poor-quality spacecraft potentially leading to safety oversights, which could lead to fatalities among astronaut and civilians crews operating both on the potentially compromised spacecraft, and others which may be affected by the spacecraft in any of a myriad of ways.

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Outer space', to refer to the interstellar medium, or the wide expanse of nearly-empty space separating various astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, and other entities.
   
   1. Noting that 'outer space', for the purposes of this resolution, begins one hundred kilometres above the surface of any terrestrial body.
2. 'Spacecraft', to mean either a) any commercial, scientific, military, or private instrument intended to remain in space for any length of time or b) any launch or reentry vehicle intended for travelling between any terrestrial body and outer space.
3. 'Astronaut', to refer to any individual who is professionally trained to work in any scientific, military, commercial, or miscellaneous field, while in outer space.
4. 'Space programme', to mean any organised entity, funded privately or publicly, which has the goal of launching spacecraft in outer space, maintaining them (as necessary), and operating them throughout their missions.

Implementing the following, to ensure that spacecraft meet minimum quality standards for the sake of their potential passengers, scientific instruments, the aim of prematurely reducing the chance of causing major space debris, and to ensure a minimum of pollution during terrestrial launches and returns:

1. That all spacecraft must be verified to be completely structurally sound prior to launch, such that any mechanical failure- such as the risk of a leakage involving fuel or other chemicals -is minimised to the maximum possible extent.
2. That all spacecraft are verified to be fully operational, thus that they are ensured to last long enough to fulfil the entirety of their mission.
3. That any potential detachable spacecraft boosters are capable of surviving reentry towards an inhabited planet, and that such boosters are ensured to be reusable.
4. That any and all spacecraft or spacecraft components which are intentionally- or planned to be -released into outer space without any native propulsion ability, are mandated to not be smaller than one cubic metre, for the sake of ease of debris clean-up.
5. That all spacecraft launch sites are located- at a minimum -three kilometres away from any settlement populated by one hundred or more individuals.
6. That the member-nation operating the spacecraft launch site has the capability to clean up any potential waste materials resulting from failed or explosive launches.

Enacting thusly, that if for any reason a spacecraft is found to be faulty or there is otherwise a violation by a member-nation with respect to the above enactments, the member-nation is compelled to postpone the launch in the case of it being a singular faulty spacecraft, or postpone all launches from the member-nation completely until the fault(s) or violation(s) is/are remedied.

Firmly holding accountable any incidents by member-nations in which either the planetary or stellar environment is polluted, any incidents in which member-nations caused economic harm through the operation of a mismanaged and/or under-resourced space programmes, and any incidents in which member-nations caused any scale of loss or injury of life through the operation of mechanically faulty spacecraft and launch sites.

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging the potential for poorly directed or maintained international space programmes between member-nations.

Recognising that this potential for poor or utterly mismanaged space programmes between member-nations poses a potentially severe environmental and economic impact, especially in cases in which there may not exist standards regarding spacecraft quality.

Appalled at the further possibility of poor-quality spacecraft potentially leading to safety oversights, which could lead to fatalities among astronaut and civilians crews operating both on the potentially compromised spacecraft, and others which may be affected by the spacecraft in any of a myriad of ways.

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Outer space', to refer to the interstellar medium, or the wide expanse of nearly-empty space separating various astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, and other entities.
   
   1. Noting that 'outer space', for the purposes of this resolution, begins one hundred kilometres above the surface of any terrestrial body.
2. 'Spacecraft', to mean either:
   
   1. Any commercial, scientific, military, or private instrument intended to remain in space for any length of time.
   2. Any launch or reentry vehicle intended for travelling between any terrestrial body and outer space.
3. 'Space programme', to mean any organised entity, funded privately or publicly, which has the goal of launching spacecraft in outer space, maintaining them (as necessary), and operating them throughout their missions.

Clarifying that this resolution aims solely to impact international space programmes, which consist of jointly-run space programmes between various member-nations, rather than the space programmes of individual nations.

Implementing the following, to ensure that spacecraft meet minimum quality standards for the sake of their potential passengers, scientific instruments, the aim of prematurely reducing the chance of causing major space debris, and to ensure a minimum of pollution during terrestrial launches and returns:

1. That all spacecraft must be verified to be completely structurally sound prior to launch, such that any mechanical failure- such as the risk of a leakage involving fuel or other chemicals -is minimised to the maximum possible extent.
2. That all spacecraft are verified to be fully operational, thus that they are ensured to last long enough to fulfil the entirety of their mission.
3. That any potential detachable spacecraft boosters that are intended for surviving reentry towards a terrestrial body are verified to have a minimal environmental impact over the course of atmospheric reentry.
   
   1. That reusable spacecraft boosters should be stringently observed during refurbishment, and that they are mechanically uptight and complete to ensure proper function before and during every mission in which they are to be used.
4. That any and all spacecraft or spacecraft components which are intentionally- or planned to be -released into outer space without any native propulsion ability, are mandated to not be smaller than one cubic metre, for the sake of ease of debris clean-up.
5. That all spacecraft launch sites are located- at a minimum -three kilometres away from any settlement populated by one hundred or more individuals.
6. That the member-nation operating the spacecraft launch site has the capability to clean up any potential waste materials resulting from failed or explosive launches.

Enacting thusly, that if for any reason a spacecraft is found to be faulty or there is otherwise a violation by a member-nation with respect to the above enactments, the member-nation is compelled to postpone the launch in the case of it being a singular faulty spacecraft, or postpone all launches from the member-nation completely until the fault(s) or violation(s) is/are remedied.

Firmly holding accountable any incidents by member-nations in which either the planetary or stellar environment is polluted, any incidents in which member-nations caused economic harm through the operation of a mismanaged and/or under-resourced space programmes, and any incidents in which member-nations caused any scale of loss or injury of life through the operation of mechanically faulty spacecraft and launch sites.

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging the potential for poorly directed or maintained international space programmes between member-nations.

Recognising that this potential for poor or utterly mismanaged space programmes between member-nations poses a potentially severe environmental and economic impact, especially in cases in which there may not exist standards regarding spacecraft quality.

Appalled at the further possibility of poor-quality spacecraft potentially leading to safety oversights, which could lead to fatalities among astronaut and civilians crews operating both on the potentially compromised spacecraft, and others which may be affected by the spacecraft in any of a myriad of ways.

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Outer space', to refer to the interstellar medium, or the wide expanse of nearly-empty space separating various astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, and other entities.
   
   1. Noting that 'outer space', for the purposes of this resolution, begins one hundred kilometres above the surface of any terrestrial body.
2. 'Spacecraft', to mean either:
   
   1. Any commercial, scientific, military, or private instrument intended to remain in space for any length of time.
   2. Any launch or reentry vehicle intended for travelling between any terrestrial body and outer space.
3. 'Space programme', to mean any organised entity, funded privately or publicly, which has the goal of launching spacecraft in outer space, maintaining them (as necessary), and operating them throughout their missions.

Clarifying that this resolution aims solely to impact international space programmes, which consist of jointly-run space programmes between various member-nations, rather than the space programmes of individual nations.

Implementing the following, to ensure that spacecraft meet minimum quality standards for the sake of their potential passengers, scientific instruments, the aim of prematurely reducing the chance of causing major space debris, and to ensure a minimum of pollution during terrestrial launches and returns:

1. That all spacecraft must be verified to be completely structurally sound prior to launch, such that any mechanical failure- such as the risk of a leakage involving fuel or other chemicals -is minimised to the maximum possible extent.
2. That all spacecraft are verified to be fully operational, thus that they are ensured to last long enough to fulfil the entirety of their mission.
3. That any potential detachable spacecraft boosters that are intended for surviving reentry towards a terrestrial body are verified to have a minimal environmental impact over the course of atmospheric reentry.
   
   1. That reusable spacecraft boosters should be stringently observed during refurbishment, and that they are mechanically uptight and complete to ensure proper function before and during every mission in which they are to be used.
4. That any and all spacecraft or spacecraft components which are intentionally- or planned to be -released into outer space without any native propulsion ability, are mandated to not be smaller than one cubic metre, for the sake of ease of debris clean-up.
5. That all spacecraft launch sites are located- at a minimum -three kilometres away from any settlement populated by one hundred or more individuals.
6. That the member-nation operating the spacecraft launch site has the capability to clean up any potential waste materials resulting from failed or explosive launches.

[/list]

Enacting thusly, that if for any reason a spacecraft is found to be faulty or there is otherwise a violation by a member-nation with respect to the above enactments, the member-nation is compelled to postpone the launch in the case of it being a singular faulty spacecraft, or postpone all launches from the member-nation completely until the fault(s) or violation(s) is/are remedied.

Firmly condemning those international space programmes in which either the planetary or stellar environment is polluted, cause economic harm through mismanagement and being underresources, and those which cause any scale of loss or injury of life through the operation of mechanically faulty spacecraft and launch sites.

[Total Drama 2]

Decent extensive draft. Nice work.

[Onionist Randosia]

Very nice!
One minor quibble with subsection (ii) of the 'Defining' section, though - "any single-use or reusable vehicle capable of escaping a terrestrial body's gravity and reaching space" implies to me that it is referring solely to vehicles capable of escaping a planet's gravity entirely, i.e entering interplanetary space. That definition excludes the vast majority of spacecraft (at least of the sort that would be launched off the ground), which typically are only capable of reaching orbit, not fully escaping a planet's gravity well (at least if the planet in question has a similar or higher gravity than Earth's). I would suggest 'capable of entering the orbit of a terrestrial body, or escaping a terrestrial body's gravity entirely' as a better wording, or something along those lines.

[Pathonia]

One minor quibble with subsection (ii) of the 'Defining' section, though - "any single-use or reusable vehicle capable of escaping a terrestrial body's gravity and reaching space" implies to me that it is referring solely to vehicles capable of escaping a planet's gravity entirely, i.e entering interplanetary space.

I think I see the issue now-
Considering how I defined 'outer space', I probably should- eventually -define it such that it refers to any sort of vehicle sent to outer space, rather than involving that wonky definition.

That definition excludes the vast majority of spacecraft (at least of the sort that would be launched off the ground), which typically are only capable of reaching orbit, not fully escaping a planet's gravity well (at least if the planet in question has a similar or higher gravity than Earth's). I would suggest 'capable of entering the orbit of a terrestrial body, or escaping a terrestrial body's gravity entirely' as a better wording, or something along those lines.

I added the bit in the final line, to help clarify the point (:
Thanks for the comment~

[Tinhampton]

"Regulating Astronautical Procedures" is a bit of a technical title which voters might not easily understand. With all due respect for your friend, I'd go with something alluring/attractive like "Safe Spacecraft Act."

You might want to read GA#451 "International Aero-Space Administration" ("The World Assembly renounces any direct authority over domestic space programs or their operations...") and GA#349 "To Prevent Dangerous Debris." They could be helpful to you - don't duplicate or contradict them, lest you violate the rules. (Again, I am so, so sorry for the Civilian Air Compact challenge. I won't do it again.)

I would not supply the definition of passenger/civilian, as your draft is currently written. You do not actually use that term anywhere else in your proposal, except to say that "civilians crews" working on faulty spacecraft could die and that certain measures must be taken "for the sake of their potential passengers." The ways in which you use that term give rise to the common-sense meaning, rather than something that requires definition.

What does WABSQA do? It exists to enforce the resolution via teams of inspectors located in every WA space programme worldwide... but doesn't actually do anything. (Note also that, through GA#440 "Administrative Compliance Act," punitive enforcement mechanisms exist for all resolutions. That's not to say non-punitive enforcement isn't possible, though.)

"Firmly holding accountable any incidents by member-nations in which..." - What does this final clause do? Is it meant to signify that these are violations of World Assembly law? Making any spacecraft-induced injury or pollution whatsoever a violation of WA law seems a bit extreme to me; you're basically asking the spacecraft to be impossibly clean and safe for the sake of compliance.

[Pathonia]

"Regulating Astronautical Procedures" is a bit of a technical title which voters might not easily understand. With all due respect for your friend, I'd go with something alluring/attractive like "Safe Spacecraft Act."

I think we'll keep the name for the time being, though your suggestion has been noted.

You might want to read GA#451 "International Aero-Space Administration" ("The World Assembly renounces any direct authority over domestic space programs or their operations...")

I initially read this to mean that the GA couldn't really legislate on the affairs of space programmes as a whole-
Eventually I came to the conclusion that the GA could in fact legislate on space programmes, so long as they were international- or otherwise not 'domestic.'

We're probably going to wind up restructuring some amount of the draft to ensure it doesn't contradict or duplicate the linked resolutions.

I would not supply the definition of passenger/civilian, as your draft is currently written. You do not actually use that term anywhere else in your proposal, except to say that "civilians crews" working on faulty spacecraft could die and that certain measures must be taken "for the sake of their potential passengers." The ways in which you use that term give rise to the common-sense meaning, rather than something that requires definition.

I believe I've made it a habit to define every little bit of my drafts, to avoid ambiguity otherwise avoid challenges pertaining to a lack of clarity.
In this case, I suppose I could remove the mentioned definition.

What does WABSQA do? It exists to enforce the resolution via teams of inspectors located in every WA space programme worldwide... but doesn't actually do anything. (Note also that, through GA#440 "Administrative Compliance Act," punitive enforcement mechanisms exist for all resolutions. That's not to say non-punitive enforcement isn't possible, though.)

I'd intended for the WABSQA to ensure that the measures within the resolution were appropriately enforced, by having a bureau in place to observe the relevant launch sites / spacecraft / other such entities, rather than taking a member-nation's word that the measures had been enforced.

The linked resolution might've rendered this redundant, considering the enforcement mechanism(s) it provides.

"Firmly holding accountable any incidents by member-nations in which..." - What does this final clause do? Is it meant to signify that these are violations of World Assembly law? Making any spacecraft-induced injury or pollution whatsoever a violation of WA law seems a bit extreme to me; you're basically asking the spacecraft to be impossibly clean and safe for the sake of compliance.

That final clause, as I'd meant it to be written, was supposed to be a condemnation of any sorts of activities which might've wound up being in violation of the spirit of the resolution.
I don't believe we'd aimed to outlaw pollution or injury in outer space itself- being as extreme a measure as it is -but rather institute measures to try and severely restrict the possibility of such pollution or injury occurring.

[Pathonia]

Bumping to check if there's any more feedback on the draft; I think I've added the suggestions mentioned thus far.

[The Ice States]

"Our mission supports this draft as a well-executed implementation of desirable policy."

~Claudia Lindner,
Deputy World Assembly Ambassador,
The Eternal Union of Devonia and the Ice States.

Ooc: Support due to the flag of co-author Wrangleria

[Pathonia]

Bumping this again, as it's been nearly two weeks since the last reply :p

Unless there were additional potential problems or nitpicks- which I'd appreciate being voiced here (if they exist), as I bump this again -with the draft, I believe I'll be submitting it within the next week or two~

[Tinhampton]

You do not need to define "astronaut," as it only appears in your preamble. As preambles are nonbinding, interpretations of terms found there will be useless.

Other than that... I'm going to walk away from the title issue now, but I do think this deserves a Typical Tinhampton Rewrite. You may co-author me if you agree with these contributions and think they are significant

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging that collaborative space programmes between member-nations can become poorly directed, inadequately maintained, or even utterly mismanaged from time to time, potentially resulting in severe environmental and economic harm.

Concerned that the additional yet independent danger of dangerous spacecraft being launched and operated also exists, which can endanger the lives of the astronauts, civilian crew members, and unwitting members of the public who happen to be in proximity to the spacecraft.

Believing that action should be taken to ensure that international space programmes and their spacecraft are well-managed, well-designed and fit for purpose, without intruding on the ability of individual member-nations to manage their own space programmes as they see fit.

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Outer space', in relation to any terrestrial body, to refer to anything that is one hundred kilometres above that body's surface; which typically manifests itself as a wide expanse of nearly-empty space separating various astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, and other entities.
2. 'Spacecraft', to mean anything launched by an international space programme which is either:
   
   1. Any commercial, scientific, military, or private instrument intended to remain in outer space for any length of time.
   2. Any launch or reentry vehicle intended for travelling between any terrestrial body and outer space.
3. 'International space programme', to mean any organised entity which is jointly run between various member-nations; and which has the goal of launching spacecraft into outer space, maintaining them as necessary, and operating them throughout their missions.

Implementing the following minimum quality standards for spacecraft, to ensure that their potential passengers and scientific instruments are protected, while the risk of major space debris and other pollution is minimised:

1. That all spacecraft must be verified to be completely structurally sound prior to launch, such that any mechanical failure - such as a fuel or other chemical spillage - is minimised as far as possible.
2. That all spacecraft must further be verified to be fully operational, such that they are ensured to last long enough to complete their entire mission.
3. That all spacecraft boosters are safe, such that:
   
   1. Detachable spacecraft boosters, that are intended for surviving reentry towards a terrestrial body,, are verified to have a minimal environmental impact over the course of atmospheric reentry.
   2. Reusable spacecraft boosters are mechanically uptight and complete to ensure proper function before and during every mission in which they are to be used; and should be stringently observed during refurbishment.
4. That no spacecraft or spacecraft component which is intentionally released into outer space, while lacking any native propulsion ability, is greater than one cubic metre.
5. That all spacecraft launch sites are located at least three kilometres away from any settlement populated by one hundred or more individuals; and that the entity operating it is capable of cleaning up any waste that may arise from failed or explosive launches.

Insisting, to ensure that these standards are consistently and effectively complied with, that:

1. If one or more spacecraft are found to be faulty before their launch, such that they do not adhere to standards i-iv above, those spacecraft shall not be launched until all of their faults are remedied.
2. If a spacecraft launch site does not adhere to standard v above, that launch site shall not be used until action is taken and implemented to ensure its adherence.

Condemning those space programmes which are mismanaged and/or under-resourced such that they cause the pollution of the planetary or stellar environment; injury or death through the operation of dangerous spacecraft and launch sites; or significant economic harm.

[Pathonia]

You do not need to define "astronaut," as it only appears in your preamble. As preambles are nonbinding, interpretations of terms found there will be useless.

Other than that... I'm going to walk away from the title issue now, but I do think this deserves a Typical Tinhampton Rewrite. You may co-author me if you agree with these contributions and think they are significant :P

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging that collaborative space programmes between member-nations can become poorly directed, inadequately maintained, or even utterly mismanaged from time to time, potentially resulting in severe environmental and economic harm.

Concerned that the additional yet independent danger of dangerous spacecraft being launched and operated also exists, which can endanger the lives of the astronauts, civilian crew members, and unwitting members of the public who happen to be in proximity to the spacecraft.

Believing that action should be taken to ensure that international space programmes and their spacecraft are well-managed, well-designed and fit for purpose, without intruding on the ability of individual member-nations to manage their own space programmes as they see fit.

Defining, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Outer space', in relation to any terrestrial body, to refer to anything that is one hundred kilometres above that body's surface; which typically manifests itself as a wide expanse of nearly-empty space separating various astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, and other entities.
2. 'Spacecraft', to mean anything launched by an international space programme which is either:
   
   1. Any commercial, scientific, military, or private instrument intended to remain in outer space for any length of time.
   2. Any launch or reentry vehicle intended for travelling between any terrestrial body and outer space.
3. 'International space programme', to mean any organised entity which is jointly run between various member-nations; and which has the goal of launching spacecraft into outer space, maintaining them as necessary, and operating them throughout their missions.

Implementing the following minimum quality standards for spacecraft, to ensure that their potential passengers and scientific instruments are protected, while the risk of major space debris and other pollution is minimised:

1. That all spacecraft must be verified to be completely structurally sound prior to launch, such that any mechanical failure - such as a fuel or other chemical spillage - is minimised as far as possible.
2. That all spacecraft must further be verified to be fully operational, such that they are ensured to last long enough to complete their entire mission.
3. That all spacecraft boosters are safe, such that:
   
   1. Detachable spacecraft boosters, that are intended for surviving reentry towards a terrestrial body,, are verified to have a minimal environmental impact over the course of atmospheric reentry.
   2. Reusable spacecraft boosters are mechanically uptight and complete to ensure proper function before and during every mission in which they are to be used; and should be stringently observed during refurbishment.
4. That no spacecraft or spacecraft component which is intentionally released into outer space, while lacking any native propulsion ability, is greater than one cubic metre.
5. That all spacecraft launch sites are located at least three kilometres away from any settlement populated by one hundred or more individuals; and that the entity operating it is capable of cleaning up any waste that may arise from failed or explosive launches.

Insisting, to ensure that these standards are consistently and effectively complied with, that:

1. If one or more spacecraft are found to be faulty before their launch, such that they do not adhere to standards i-iv above, those spacecraft shall not be launched until all of their faults are remedied.
2. If a spacecraft launch site does not adhere to standard v above, that launch site shall not be used until action is taken and implemented to ensure its adherence.

Condemning those space programmes which are mismanaged and/or under-resourced such that they cause the pollution of the planetary or stellar environment; injury or death through the operation of dangerous spacecraft and launch sites; or significant economic harm.

I believe I've added/modified a handful of points from/based on your rewrite-
The conciseness in the lattermost paragraph was most appreciated, it helped trim down the wordiness there.
I've given you a shout-out for the assistance, though I believe that I hadn't quite added enough to have warranted being listed as a coauthor- >.<

[Tinhampton]

Ohhhhhhh, that is perfectly fine - I'm just here to help other people and float around silly ideas. I'm grateful you appreciated them <3

-------

The final clause is technically not correct English. Perhaps consider something like

Firmly condemning those international space programmes which pollute the planetary or stellar environment, cause economic harm through mismanagement and being underresourced, and/or cause any scale of loss or injury of life through the operation of mechanically faulty spacecraft and launch sites.

[Opiachus]

"Regulating Astronautical Procedures" is a bit of a technical title which voters might not easily understand. With all due respect for your friend, I'd go with something alluring/attractive like "Safe Spacecraft Act."

This was going to be my post as well. I've never seen the word "Astronautical" anywhere else. The conjugation of it ("astro" + "nautical") makes a little bit of sense but on first look it seems to suggest that the proposal is regulating astronauts ("astronaut" + "ical") and not space in general.

(Edit: I googled and there is actually a Wikipedia article titled "Astronautics" so I guess the word is actually used so I don't object as much to it anymore)

[Arctic Lands]

The section defining outer space as beginning 100 kilometers above any terrestrial body seems problematic, given that planets may have different sizes and gravitational fields, leading to differing heights of atmospheres.

It is entirely possible that there may be a planet (even an inhabited one) with such gravity that its atmosphere is still relatively dense above the established mark.

For instance, Jupiter's atmosphere extends as far as 1000 kilometers above the ocean of liquid hydrogen. Of course, it's not inhabited, but is a probe 900 kilometers deep into Jupiter's atmosphere still in outer space?

[Pathonia]

The section defining outer space as beginning 100 kilometers above any terrestrial body seems problematic, given that planets may have different sizes and gravitational fields, leading to differing heights of atmospheres.

It is entirely possible that there may be a planet (even an inhabited one) with such gravity that its atmosphere is still relatively dense above the established mark.

For instance, Jupiter's atmosphere extends as far as 1000 kilometers above the ocean of liquid hydrogen. Of course, it's not inhabited, but is a probe 900 kilometers deep into Jupiter's atmosphere still in outer space?

This had erroneously been overlooked by us, it seems-
I thank you for bringing it up.

I've attempted to include a provision involving atmospheric density, such that scenarios such as those gas giants or other terrestrial bodies with massive atmospheres are accounted for.

[EDIT: It's still being worked on. Don't be surprised if this winds up getting removed.]

[Pathonia]

We believe that we've addressed the point pertaining to the atmospheres of terrestrial planets [and thus the bounds of where space begins / ends] satisfactorily~

Bumping this for what'll ideally be the final time [though I'm more than certain that we could push the drafting period a bit longer if a solid point is brought up], as I aim to submit this relatively soon- the draft seems to be getting to a point of completion~

As always- feedback or suggestions are welcome!

[Tinhampton]

I just took this proposal to quorum! HIGH FIVE!