Exactly, the existing outer space treaties will have about as much effect on Martian exploration as the Treaty of Tordesillas[0] had on the colonization of the

Exactly, the existing outer space treaties will have about as much effect on Martian exploration as the Treaty of Tordesillas[0] had on the colonization of the Americas. Perhaps even less - at least Spain and Portugal mostly abided by the treaty, even if the rest of Europe didn't, mostly because Spain wasn't too interested in Brazil and Portugal had Eastern Hemisphere colonies to exploit, whereas if Elon Musk has the only economically practical spaceship to go to Mars, he can pretty much dictate the rules. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tordesillas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tordesillas