# Moon real-estate via 'loophole'?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-real-estate-via-loophole/331310>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 16, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-real-estate-via-loophole/331310 "2005-11-16T15:21:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-real-estate-via-loophole/331310/1 "2005-11-16T15:21:56Z")

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[http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/11/15/china.moon.real.estate.reut/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/11/15/china.moon.real.estate.reut/index.html)

I’ve seen this story before. The part that intrigues me is this:

> [@CNN](#):
>
> The domestically financed firm is the China agent of the U.S.-based Lunar Embassy, an extra-terrestrial real estate agency aimed at exploiting what it sees as a loophole in a 1967 international treaty on the moon.

I’m wondering what loophole they’re speaking of. I was under the impression that the international treaty pretty much established no terrestrial body could ‘own’ portions of the moon. Or am I off on this?

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**Author:** ![Tevildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Tevildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tevildo)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-real-estate-via-loophole/331310/2 "2005-11-16T15:23:43Z")

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As I understand it, the convention prevents any _nation_ from making territorial claims to the Moon, but it doesn’t prevent an _individual_ from making such claims.

Whether or not those claims will stand up in court is another matter.

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**Author:** ![eviladam\_part\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/da6949/32.png) [@eviladam\_part\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eviladam_part_2)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-real-estate-via-loophole/331310/3 "2005-11-16T16:07:33Z")

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after you buy some lunar real estate, i have some magical beans you might be interested in.

Satisfaction guaranteed!\*

- not a guarantee

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-real-estate-via-loophole/331310/4 "2005-11-16T16:10:11Z")

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[Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies](http://www.state.gov/t/ac/trt/5181.htm).

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**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-real-estate-via-loophole/331310/5 "2005-11-16T17:44:45Z")

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**Tevildo** is correct. This daft idea works on the principle of having your picking your laws where it suits you.

International law says nothing about **not** allowing individuals to claim land on the moon. However, international law equally has nothing to say about individuals claiming land anywhere at all, never mind on the moon. So the guys selling this rubbish conveniently switch over to **U.S.** law in order to establish some sort of right for the individual to stake claims. Why U.S. law should apply in any way to the moon is never explained.

So you can claim away as much as you like, and you don’t need this companies involvement to do it. It still has no legal basis.