Space

In Space, Regulators Seek To Boldly Go Where No Bureaucrat Has Gone Before

We don’t really need intrusive laws and regulations to govern lunar mining and space exploration.

J.D. Tuccille | 3.13.2026 9:13 AM

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(Illustration: Interlune/Midjourney)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) faces delays in meeting its schedule for returning to the Moon, according to a new report by the agency's inspector general. Nevertheless, the project moves forward and remains largely within its budget—a testament to the abilities of SpaceX and Blue Origin, the two private companies participating. In fact, space exploration is largely a private effort these days, with profit-seeking firms developing not just launch capability but also technology for mining Earth's natural satellite.

You are reading The Rattler from J.D. Tuccille and Reason. Get more of J.D.'s commentary on government overreach and threats to everyday liberty.

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Does the Lunar Environment Really Need To be Preserved?

Unfortunately, opening new commercial opportunities—even in the depths of outer space—is like ringing the dinner bell for bureaucrats and would-be regulators.

"Despite evolving technical capabilities, the international legal framework governing exploitation of the Moon is both very limited and frozen in the Cold War era," the RAND Corporation's Adam Urwick and Jessie Osborne fret in a recent commentary after discussing space developments. "The pursuit of profit raises paramount scientific and environmental concerns. Astronomers caution that large-scale mining activities could disrupt ongoing research and preservation of the lunar environment, leading to calls for development of comprehensive lunar laws and regulations to manage these activities........

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