If a company could mine an asteroid, what governmental body would be in control of the project if any?

USA congress might want to tax the heck out of said company, but who would be really in charge of such an event.If a company could mine an asteroid, what governmental body would be in control of the project if any?
I gotta disagree with scottsdalehigh. I've done the math, and the metal content in your average 1-km in-diameter stony asteroid is believed to be worth over a TRILLION dollars, so I'd say that's worth the cost.





It's not likely that NASA alone could do it, they're not really set up for that. More likely it would have to be a large private mineral/mining company, with the sort of funds it would take to invest in something like that.





I don't know that such a thing really exists, though. One of the big energy corps like TotalFinElf (France) or Halliburton (US) might manage to pull it off, but I don't know that they're interested in it right now. They might partner with NASA or a private space company like the folks making the Falcon/Dragon rockets... but since those guys have yet to do a successful launch of cargo, much less human beings, I'd say this is a loooong way down the road.





(Although we could do it much sooner, if we really wanted to, and were willing to spend Apollo-Era proportions of money, rather than the piddling amount we spend on Space nowadays.If a company could mine an asteroid, what governmental body would be in control of the project if any?
well treaties hold that nations can't lay claim to anything in space, so you can declare the moon as US territory for instance. but the congress would have authority to regulate that company under the commerce clause, giving it authority to regulate any sales crossing state lines.
There are a lot of legal loop holes in this. But there is one thing a can guarantee. If there is money to be made, Government will find a way to take a slice of it.





Government doesn't produce, they take from those who do with the belief they can spend your money better than you can. They will tax, regulate and just out right make something up. International law, treaties and common sense be damned!
If the government tried to regulate me in that kind of situation, I think I'd pay my taxes early, and at about 32 km/sec, straight down on top of the IRS office in Washington DC.





I can just see my wanted poster. ';Wanted for space terrorism, tax evasion, violation of mining regulations, and destroying US capital. Last seen in asteroid belt near Vesta. Believed armed and dangerous... and very mobile. Current whereabouts unknown.';





I'd have to build a space hideout somewhere first though, with solar power and a hydroponics farm. But, man, would I ever be famous! ';Hey cops! Want me? Come and GET me, ha ha hahaha haaa. And every time you try, I'll pay you back with another big rock!! Ha ha haaa!';
The private company would be controlling the project, and they'd probably be using flags of convenience (like in international waters) anyway so they can't be taxed.


They might get in trouble with the UN though, but i doubt they'd be able to do anything.
At the moment, there is nothing in any asteroid worth the cost of mining it. The question will be moot until the cost of space travel drops by many orders of magnitude and an asteroid is found that has something worth mining that will cover the costs.
probably NASA, if it were government sponsored.
astrogeologists!!!