Can Anyone Own Land on the Moon?

TL;DR

No one can legally own land on the Moon due to the Outer Space Treaty, which declares outer space as the common heritage of mankind. While some private entities may offer to sell lunar land, these claims lack any legal standing without governmental recognition. As it stands, ownership of extraterrestrial territory is fraught with challenges and uncertainties.

Transcript

Hey, Vsauce. Michael here. Gregory W. Nemitz registered some land containing 492 quintillion dollars worth of platinum. The land was right here... well, over here - an asteroid named 433 Eros. Not a single sovereign nation on earth recognizes human claims to extraterrestrial real estate, but he did it anyway. And then, less than a year later, NASA ... Read More

Key Insights

• 👾 The Outer Space Treaty prohibits national appropriation of outer space but does not explicitly address private ownership.
• 🙃 The lack of recognition from sovereign nations undermines the practicality of owning extraterrestrial real estate.
• 👾 Human colonization and resource exploitation in outer space may be incentivized if ownership rights were more defined and protected.
• 👾 The common heritage of mankind approach has hindered space exploration and development compared to the resource boom in the Arctic.
• 🧑‍🏭 Acts like vandalizing the Moon or harming extraterrestrial life may not be illegal, but they are ethically and morally questionable.
• 💁 The first person to touch the Moon with their bare hands was likely Terry Slezak, who accidentally got lunar soil on his hand during the Apollo mission.
• 🫁 Earth is constantly exposed to cosmic dust, including microscopic particles from the Moon, which can be inhaled and trapped in our lungs.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did NASA dismiss Gregory W. Nemitz's claim to own asteroid 433 Eros?

NASA dismissed Nemitz's claim because human claims to extraterrestrial real estate have no legal merit, as recognized by the US Attorney General.

Q: Can private individuals or companies own part of outer space?

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty does not explicitly address private ownership of outer space, but without recognition and support from a sovereign nation, ownership has no practical meaning.

Q: Why are individuals or corporations hesitant to claim and use extraterrestrial territory?

The Outer Space Treaty designates outer space as the common heritage of mankind, discouraging powerful entities like nations from defending individual claims and initiating disputes.

Q: What currently constitutes ownership in outer space?

According to the Outer Space Treaty, individuals and companies can own the objects they put into space, and they can temporarily obtain orbits granted by the International Telecommunication Union.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Gregory W. Nemitz registered land on asteroid 433 Eros and issued NASA a parking ticket, but his claim was dismissed by NASA and the US Attorney General.

• The 1979 Moon Treaty prohibits private ownership of outer space, but only 11 states have signed it.

• Ownership of extraterrestrial territory is risky due to the Outer Space Treaty, which states that outer space is the common heritage of mankind.