Space Mining Executive Order Could Raise International Hackles, SWF Says

The White House space resources executive order (see 2004060065) is generally good policy but didn't need to be an EO and could get pushback, Secure World Foundation Director-Program Planning Brian Weeden tweeted Tuesday. He said it isn't a change in U.S. policy, and most space-faring countries agree with the U.S. position that using resources isn't banned under the Outer Space Treaty. An EO "unnecessarily pokes a few of our friends [like Moon Treaty signatory France] publicly in the eye and we might just need them in other space policy/diplomatic situations," he said, saying the EO's rhetoric could provide fodder for China and Russia to politically attack the U.S. The National Space Society cheered the EO. Executive Vice President Alfred Anzaldua said the U.S. "must recognize that other countries look to [it] as the leading space-faring nation and will take their cues from us" and the move "will galvanize action by the U.S.”