Tags: lunar, moon, moon owner, outer space treaty, space
Within the next 10 years, the U.S., China, Israel, and a host of private companies plan to set up camp on the moon. So if and when they plant a flag, does that give them property rights?
A NASA working group hosted a discussion this week to ask: Who owns the moon? The answer, of course, is no one. The Outer Space Treaty, the international law signed by more than 100 countries, states that the moon and other celestial bodies are the province of all mankind. No doubt that would irk all of the people throughout the ages, like monks from the Middle Ages, who have tried to claim the moon was theirs.
But ownership is different from property rights. People who rent apartments, for example, don’t own where they live, but they still hold rights. So with all of the upcoming missions to visit the moon and beyond, space industry thought leaders are seriously asking themselves how to deal with a potential land rush, cowboy-style.
Full article at tech.msn.com.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:05 am
Hmm… that is a very good question. I’ve never thought of that!
August 29th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
i like your site, very informative and catches my interest. Hope it’s ok with you that i post your link in my list.
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:19 am
It could be agrued by some that the great creator owns the moon and all of the celestial bodies in the universe.Or Not.
September 8th, 2008 at 4:07 am
all of humanity is too vague. We all know that humanity doesnt believe in equitable sharing. I think once manned missions to moon become more frequent, this issue will again come up. As usual the stronger countries will corner the bigger share.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:02 am
What A Wonderful World It Would Be….