President Trump signs executive order for Recovery and Use of Space Resources

US President Donald Trump on Monday signed a new executive order aimed at encouraging international support for its policy allowing private industry for recovery and use of space resources from the Moon, Mars and other celestial bodies.

"As America prepares to return humans to the Moon and journey on to Mars, this Executive Order establishes U.S. policy toward the recovery and use of space resources, such as water and certain minerals, in order to encourage the commercial development of space," Scott Pace, Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary of the National Space Council said in a statement released on behalf of the Administration.

As per the executive order titled 'Encouraging International Support For The Recovery And Use Of Space Resources' will create long-time suitability in the human exploration of Moon, Mars and other celestial bodies.

"The order reaffirms U.S. support for the 1967 Outer Space Treaty while continuing to reject the 1979 Moon Agreement, which only 17 of the 95 Member States of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space have ratified in the past four decades.

"The order further clarifies that the United States does not view outer space as a 'global commons,' and it reinforces the 2015 decision by Congress that Americans should have the right to engage in the commercial exploration, recovery, and use of resources in outer space," Pence said.

The order also says that the US is not part of the moon agreement. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Moon Resolution or the Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies says that Moon and other celestial bodies should be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and their environments should not be disrupted.

In view of this, the order reads, "The United States does not consider the Moon Agreement to be an effective or necessary instrument to guide nation-states regarding the promotion of commercial participation in the long-term exploration, scientific discovery, and use of the Moon, Mars, or other celestial bodies,"

In view of encouraging international support for the recovery and use of space resources, the Secretary of State in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Transportation shall take all necessary measures to encourage international support for the public and private recovery and use of resources in outer space.