Does USA Own The Moon?

Like any territory, the "owner" is whoever has the power to establish a presence there and enforce laws relating to it. If I land on the Moon and set up laser cannons to keep other people away, or charge a tax to land, then I pretty much own it, no matter what any treaty might say.

Originally posted by marsha law
reply to post by Swatman

 

Yeah. Does the USA own the USA is a better question.

Isn't that the truth......................

It would be ridiculous for any nation to claim the moon as its own at this point. It would trigger an unprecedent world wide conflict. Maybe at some point it will be shared by a few countries as Antarctica.

Originally posted by prototism
Allegedly, the Outer Space Treaty addresses this very issue. Basically, it states that no single nation owns the moon, and that everything up there is property of humanity itself.

This raises another good question.
Will there be no such thing as tresspassing on the moon?

Perhaps the treaty keeps nations from owning the moon, but that doesnt mean that individuals cant buy themselves a piece of ocean front property on the moon!

The Lunar Registry

EXPAT WORLD

Lunar Land Lord

Lunar Real Estate

Lunar Embassy

Apparently, NASA acknowledges private lunar land ownership.

Article HERE. Must mean NASA plans on putting up a base soon.


Cheers!!!!

[edit on 15-12-2008 by RFBurns]

Na i think that if anyone does its the russians. there just a bit too sneaky and covert for me.