Thread by @dburbach

Good article illustrating downside of giving the military (including @SpaceForceDoD) broad roles in space, especially Moon and other bodies -- very quickly runs into Outer Space Treaty problems, and pushes away potential international partners

breakingdefense.com/2021/02/darpa-…

I buy that DARPA's intent is to promote general-purpose tech for the use of lunar resources, with the intent of it being available to civil/commercial use too. And only indirectly military, like possibly producing fuel to send to a recon satellite in high orbit 2/

But, the ambiguity of the OST and the sensitivity of the "militarizing space", let alone "militarizing the Moon" debate mean this research grant program faces far more controversy than it deserves, or would have as a NASA, NSF, or Commerce Dept program 3/

You might not *like* this state of legal and political affairs, but it is what it is, and a disadvantage that must be considered when proposing, "have Space Force do [X]" (or other parts of DoD), when not unavoidably necessary that the military do that thing 4/

Now if your long term goal is that we bust out of current legal regimes and just become "Team America... IN SPACE!", sure, go for it. But there are downsides to that future, too. 5/5