Astronauts who commit crimes in space are presumed to have committed them on Earth/
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Last week, the Canadian Parliament proposed a measure that would ban astronauts Canada commit crimes in space, either on the moon or in orbit. The decision, included in the middle of the Canadian government’s 2022 federal budget implementation bill, was introduced in Parliament on April 28.
“A Canadian crew member who, during spaceflight, commits an act or omission constitutes a criminal act and is presumed to have committed such act or omission in Canada.”
The bill then adds that the same applies to crimes committed on the lunar surface. In other words, if you are a Canadian who has committed a crime in space, you will be prosecuted like any other Earthbound Canadian.
“Crimes” include drive the lunar rover beyond the speed limit. Canada recently joined the United States Space Agency (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Space Explorers Agency (JAXA) as members of the Lunar Gateway project.
Lunar Gateway is a mission to launch a small international space station into orbit around the moon, to support lunar surface operations such as the upcoming Artemis mission. This new measure will help Canadian astronauts maintain their best behavior.
This decision will codify in Canada the legal framework already observed on board the International Space Station (ISS).
“The basic rule is that ‘each partner shall retain jurisdiction and control over what it records and over personnel on or on the Space Station who are its nationals,’ according to ESA. living sciences, Friday (6/5/2022).
“This legal regime recognizes the jurisdiction of the courts of the partner countries and allows the application of national law in areas such as criminal cases, liability issues and the protection of intellectual property rights.”
In other words, Russians who break the law in space are subject to Russian law, Americans are subject to US law, and so on.
The legal framework has been tested. In 2019, American astronaut Anne McClain was charged with the first crime in space. During her time on the ISS from December 2018 to June 2019, McClain was accused of using a NASA-affiliated computer to illegally log into her ex-husband’s personal bank account.
NASA defended the astronaut’s reputation before launching an investigation into the incident. The investigation ultimately revealed that the allegations against McClain were false. McClain’s ex-wife, who filed the charges, was later charged with two counts of making a false statement to federal authorities.
