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once upon a time, in a former, distant, nearly forgotten life, i traveled the world and spent the night in a cozy hostel along the new zealand coastline with three fellow travelers. we drank lots of wine and shared life stories and had an empirically good time. one of those nights that remind you why you live out of a suitcase, go into debt, risk deep-vein-thrombosis. because four souls come together and bond and have the purest of conversation -- despite the wine.

that night long ago, one of those fellow travelers told me i should study "space law." you know, when countries fight over who owns mars, i'll be the one to settle the dispute, or at least have something to say as a talking head on CNN. space law would be a natural blend of my past and current studies.

perhaps there's a career out there for me after all. from the guardian:

Why were the Americans allowed to smash that comet?

David Adam
Thursday July 7, 2005
The Guardian

It's not just Nasa, any citizen of Earth can do pretty much what they like to the millions of celestial bodies whizzing about over our heads. Who says? The Office for Outer Space Affairs of the United Nations.

According to this UN office, Nasa's act of cosmic vandalism, when it crashed a space probe into comet Tempel 1 on Monday, was perfectly legitimate. Which is probably bad news for Marina Bai, the Russian astrologer who tried to sue the agency for "barbarically interfering with the natural life of the universe".

Hans Haubold, an astrophysicist at the UN, says that as long as nuclear material isn't involved and that the mission has a scientific basis, then under space treaties set out in the 1960s, pretty much anything goes. You can land on, poke about with and chop bits off anything in outer space you like.

"They don't have to get permission but they do inform us that missions will be undertaken," Haubold says, adding: "But you cannot claim territory on celestial objects."

Haubold says the office has yet to adjudicate on a dispute, adding: "Outer space is a pretty peaceful place I can assure you."