# Who owns the moon ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 26, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076 "2012-02-26T20:01:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/21 "2012-02-27T01:48:56Z")
> [@Craz3d117](#): > > Russia has actually already made it to the moon, however it was not manned, but they did send a lunar rover. Where it landed I am not sure though. > > As for ownership, whoever has the will and resources to establish a colony and enforce anyone else from doing so would essentially own the moon. I believe China wants to put a man on the moon by 2020. I’ve also heard America wants to put a man back up by 2018. However, I don’t think the latter will actually happen due to a myriad of reasons. What China plans to do with it if they succeed is anyone’s guess, although I would think not much. That’s what I was leaning towards, which ever nation invests the most and sets up some sort of base, colony etc. Would probably have a good case as far as ownership goes despite of any current treaties. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/22 "2012-02-27T07:03:16Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I recall reading that NASA wants the Apollo lunar sites historically protected. If China or Russia ever make it to the moon they need to land elsewhere. The proposal is discussed [here](http://www.space.com/13346-nasa-guidelines-protect-apollo-moon-landing-sites.html). I don’t know about the current status. A list of every damn piece of human artifacts left on the moon after Apollo II (shouldn’t biological ones count?) is [here](http://spacegrant.nmsu.edu/lunarlegacies/artifactlist.html). Many of the items–some of which I never heard of–are linked to photos. I can’t see much use in Wiki’s [list of man-made artifacts on the moon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_man-made_objects_on_the_Moon). Except for saying that mankind has left 140,000 lb of “debris” behind. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/23 "2012-02-27T15:49:05Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I own the moon. I’ve successfully kept trespassers out for over 40 years now. And that stuff you left there, it’s mine now. Over 40 years, you say? [These guys](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17) might disagree. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/24 "2012-02-27T16:07:53Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Over 40 years, you say? [These guys](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17) might disagree. 😉 They weren’t trespassers. They had my permission to land there. But that was the last time I granted it. Nobody cleans up after themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/25 "2012-02-27T16:10:17Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Right. Treaties seem to be little more than suggestions. We honored the Sioux Treaty of 1868 for six whole years, right up until gold was discovered in them there hills. My guess is the Outer Space Treaty will be honored right up until it makes sense to no longer do so. Who’s this “we”, kemosabe? Treaties- particularly multilateral treaties- are honored more often than not. The fact that the US government was run by crooks 150 years ago doesn’t signify. In any event, the odds that any one sovereign state will be able to control the Moon at any point in human history are slim at best. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/26 "2012-02-27T16:21:10Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Who’s this “we”, kemosabe? Treaties- particularly multilateral treaties- are honored more often than not. The fact that the US government was run by crooks 150 years ago doesn’t signify. > > In any event, the odds that any one sovereign state will be able to control the Moon at any point in human history are slim at best. Right. Just because if an invasion of the United States (a la Red Dawn) occurs, and my house may be unlawfully seized by force, does not alter the fact that I own my house. Similarly, just because someone may try to seize the moon in the future does not alter the fact that nobody owns the moon. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/27 "2012-02-28T00:00:02Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Who’s this “we”, kemosabe? Treaties- particularly multilateral treaties- are honored more often than not. The fact that the US government was run by crooks 150 years ago doesn’t signify. > > In any event, the odds that any one sovereign state will be able to control the Moon at any point in human history are slim at best. It was not my intent to offend nor I didn’t mean to speak for you or anyone. I cited one treaty in passing as an example that treaties are often not honored. It’s easy to follow treaties when you aren’t asked to surrender anything and I expect the outer space treaty will be followed until we discover the a natural resource along with the technology to exploit it. Then we will see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/28 "2012-02-28T03:45:23Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > The [Outer Space Treaty](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty) says that everyone who’s a signatory agrees to respect celestial bodies as the common heritage of mankind. “common heritage of mankind” ?? LOL. Like, the Ancient Ones, in the days of Cthulhu, actually PUT that moon there for the lasting benefit of mankind? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/29 "2012-02-28T05:43:32Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > D.D. Harriman He didn’t own it, but he sure sold it! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/30 "2012-02-28T14:50:03Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > It was not my intent to offend nor I didn’t mean to speak for you or anyone. I cited one treaty in passing as an example that treaties are often not honored. It’s easy to follow treaties when you aren’t asked to surrender anything and I expect the outer space treaty will be followed until we discover the a natural resource along with the technology to exploit it. Then we will see what happens. I don’t doubt that the Moon will eventually be exploited for minerals. I just think it will happen within a framework of international cooperation. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/31 "2012-02-28T14:57:10Z")
I think the Inhumans rule over a portion of it from Attilan. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/32 "2012-02-28T15:02:49Z")
Someone once pointed out that if the earth were melted into a giant slagheap, then only 3 names would survive to be legible to aliens, on a plaque on the moon: _We came in peace for all mankind… Neil Armstrong Buzz Aldrin Richard M. Nixon, Pres. USA_ Of course, there’s one other item - a recorded inviation on Voyager… _“This is an invitation to come visit earth, on behalf of all mankind, I am Kurt Waldhem, Secretary gen’l United Nations.”_ ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/33 "2012-02-28T15:36:42Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I own the moon. I’ve successfully kept trespassers out for over 40 years now. And that stuff you left there, it’s mine now. The above-mentioned Outer Space Treaty says [otherwise.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14568260&postcount=8) If you try to exercise your ownership rights, Uncle Sam (and/or Uncle Vladimir) might not take too kindly to it. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/34 "2012-02-28T18:01:03Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I don’t doubt that the Moon will eventually be exploited for minerals. I just think it will happen within a framework of international cooperation. While I agree that humans achieve more when they cooperate, history suggests that they simply like to make war. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/35 "2012-02-28T22:53:13Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > The above-mentioned Outer Space Treaty says [otherwise.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14568260&postcount=8) If you try to exercise your ownership rights, Uncle Sam (and/or Uncle Vladimir) might not take too kindly to it. Oh great. Where’s **Chimera**? He said I could keep everything. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/36 "2015-09-25T15:25:20Z")
The BBC website recently posted a relevant article about ownership rights in space: [Who owns outer space? - BBC News](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34324443) ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/37 "2015-09-25T15:33:07Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > The BBC website recently posted a relevant article about ownership rights in space: [Who owns outer space? - BBC News](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34324443) Thanks for posting. I didn’t realize this was a zombie until mention of President Gingrich. ---
**Author:** ![MrQwertyasd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@MrQwertyasd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrQwertyasd)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/38 "2015-09-25T18:00:46Z")
“The [Outer Space Treaty](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty) says that everyone who’s a signatory agrees to respect celestial bodies as the common heritage of mankind.” So I can graze my sheep on it ? ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/39 "2015-09-25T19:03:36Z")
“Who owns the moon?” Well, who “owns” Earth? Also, “Who owns the moon now?” and “Who will own the moon five years from now?” do not necessarily have the same answer. ---
**Author:** ![kcor1953](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kcor1953/32/3221_2.png) [@kcor1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kcor1953)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076/40 "2015-09-25T21:08:20Z")
I’m glad this thread surfaced– What sf short story has a UN functionary, authorized to sell surplus property, accidentally sell the Moon to an alien? I’m sure it’s not a Heinlein but the Heinlein stories make this hard to search for. I’m reasonably sure it is a story collected in ppb, not a mag story never reprinted. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076.md?page=3)