.@NASA is investigating what may be the first crime in outer space, with astronaut Anne McClain accused of identity theft and improperly accessing her estranged wife's private financial records while on the ISS https://t.co/FHD3yYoXYj pic.twitter.com/Ig50XhB9dG
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 25, 2019
There’s a story making the rounds that in any other setting would never make national headlines. This “setting” however is quite different, it’s in Space. What happens if you break the law while on the International Space Station?
We’ve all heard this summer’s motto “There ain’t no laws when your drinking claws”, but what about when your 245 miles into orbit? In relative terms your not that far away from Earth, but who’s in charge? Who can dish out punishments? Well we may begin to find out.
Anne McClain, a NASA Astronaut, is accused of Identity Theft for allegedly accessing her ex-wife’s personal banking information. While McClaim claims she was checking their joint account, her estranged wife says she obtained information from her personal account, which is certainly a crime.
The problem now however is who prosecutes Anne? It wasn’t a crime committed on any nations soil, nor is there a Space Court she would have to attend. So it kind of has the world scratching their head on this unique event.
While something like this isn’t a major violation in the broad scheme of crimes. The space race has definitely intensified once again the past few years with Space X and other organizations vowing to get us to Mars in the next 5 years. With those kind of numbers moving towards creating a civilization on a planet there has to be some type of law and order.
Do I really care? No. But the thought of someone committing murder than having to walk the plank off the end of the ISS is intriguing. What kind of other punishments can we come up with?
Well Here Is My Top 5
5) ISS Walk – Like I already mentioned, walking the plank of the ISS with no lead line then slowly drifting away is one that isn’t only a great visual, but a horrific way to go.
4) Space Jail – Create a Jail or designate a room to keep her in to serve her punishment. 3 year sentence? Done in Space, I mean solitary confinement is awful from what we hear on Earth. Imagine being quarantined alone hundreds of miles in the air.
3) Helmet Removal – No, Anne McCain doesn’t deserve this, in no way am I condoning this. However! If there is an egregious enough crime commited in Space, imagine the optics of someone being strapped to the outside of the ISS and then slowly havibg their helmet removed. That would be something out of a horror movie.
2) Black Hole Burial – I don’t know the logistics of this, but the thought of getting thrown into a black hole is more sad than it is scary. Thrown into a black hole, to never be seen, or located again. Gone forever with no trace of your existence on Earth. Due the crime, erased from time.
1) Alien Sacrifice – And I feel like this is the most obvious. Becoming a sacrifice to the Aliens. You come home from Space, which is a miracle in itself. Then you have the never ending dread that the day the Aliens come, YOU are the one that has to meet them. Similar to the movie Arrival, but imagine them just swallowing a person whole.
That’s the type of Space justice I’m looking for, comment below your favorite “Space Punishments”, as far as Anne McCain, let’s hope you’re innocent.