Spanish court indicts two high-altitude balloon companies for stealing from third
In a legal battle between the three Spanish high-altitude balloon tourist companies (Zero-2, Halo, and Eos-X), a court in Spain has indicted the latter two for stealing trade secrets from the first.
The case stems from Zero 2 Infinity’s allegations that the people hired to raise money for its space tourism business established two competing firms based on Zero 2 Infinity’s intellectual property.
After asking for extensive documentation to share with potential investors, some of the individuals indicted “changed the logo in the presentations and managed to raise 1 million euros for a company that was just a website with some” computer generated imagery, Jose Mariano Lopez-Urdiales, Zero 2 Infinity founder and CEO, told SpaceNews. “They thought they could do that because Zero 2 Infinity was in financial distress, in part because we were expecting that 1 million euros to arrive.”
…The law in question carries potential penalties “of imprisonment from three to five years” if the secrets in question were “disseminated, revealed, or transferred to third parties” in addition to fines, Spanish attorney Leonardo López Marcos, co-founder of the International Legal Center for Space Sustainability, said by email.
One of the companies, Halo, apparently used the fund-raisers as a go-between so that it never had any direct links to the original company, Zero-2. Of the three companies, Halo has now done the most test flights. Whether this ruling will force it to shut down remains unclear.
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What will the BTB policy be in relation to such matters?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12742845/Astronomers-call-Large-Small-Magellanic-Clouds-renamed-amid-claims-namesake-violent-colonialist-legacy.html
Cotour: You really should try reading BtB more. :) See:
Small group of astronomers call for renaming the Magellanic Clouds, accusing Magellan of racism
Been doing a lot of prewinter building maintenance work :(
Will review.
Cotour: The post was in September. You would be more up-to-date on the news if you read my page when I post things. :)
Point.
Note to self: Thoroughly vet Spanish high altitude balloon companies before buying tickets.
oh crum …. it is the Spanish navy again …..
Inconceivable.
It appears none of the plaintiffs expected this Spanish disquisiton.