Abstract :
In view of the incompatibility of high sensitivity radioastronomy with radio frequency interferences, I proposed that a well specified locale on the farside of the Moon be protected for the future generation scientific benefit of humankind. A careful study selected the 100 km diameter crater SAHA. Among the numerous questions raised by such a proposal in the technical, programmatic, astronautical, industrial, policy, legal, financial, political, sociological and ethical domains, the most urgent to be investigated are the Space Law ones. In order to ease the set up of a reasonable memorundum of understanding, we proposed to save just a small part of the lunar farside, but to ask for pristine conditions for all of classical radioastronomy frequencies. This is justified by astrophysical arguments based essentially on the expansion of the universe, on the unpredictability of eventual extraterrestrial artificial transmissions, on the impetus of radioastronomal science and technology and on our disastrous earthly experience with sidelobes and harmonics.
