 August 4, 2009 - 7:36am | just a bit of Apollo 11 trivia from a buddy in US Customs I uploaded a pdf copy of the actual customs document into the Port Loren Public Library project for want of a better place to put it. I know the manager of that project and I don't think he'll object to much. here's the body of the email that was sent with the attached doc for your reading pleasure: As you know, the US celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. The Apollo 11 astronauts were in D.C. and were at the White House the other day. What you may not know is the role U.S. Customs played in the return of the Apollo 11 Astronauts.
Attached is a copy of the July 24, 1969 General Declaration, personally signed by Aldrin, Collins and Armstrong when they returned to Honolulu after landing in the Pacific Ocean. Customs knew this was an important event and arranged to have the Astronauts file a Customs General Declaration Form when they returned. Ernest Murai, the District Director at Honolulu was on hand to "receive" the declaration and signed the space for "Customs Inspector." (Note the declared merchandise - "Moon rock and moon dust samples.") The route was "Cape Kennedy - Moon- Honolulu."
Thought you might enjoy this bit of trivia. By the way, in 1984, 19 U.S.C. § 1484a was enacted and articles returned from space are not construed as an importation.
Obviously, things returned from space in the SF universe not being construed as importation would cause some complications and this law would never stand in the SF universe. Tom/jedion357 I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 August 4, 2009 - 4:26pm | It will probably be repealed after commerical space travel takes hold in RL as well...least after the first Lunar, Martian and asteroid prospectors return to Earth with gobs of precious minerals, and the orbiting factories at the LeGrange points make a killing bringing cheap manufactured goods down the well, without having to pay customs duties. An unforseen "Wild West" aspect to space travel I never would've thought of. Will cause worms of varying size and nastiness to pop forth from various cans, until the industrialized nations get together and hammer out an interplanetary trade agreement, which will lead to the repeal of such laws. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
