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.
The proposal is discussed here. 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. 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. Except for saying that mankind has left 140,000 lb of “debris” behind.
Over 40 years, you say? These guys 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.
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.
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.
“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?
He didn’t own it, but he sure sold it!
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.
I think the Inhumans rule over a portion of it from Attilan.
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.”
The above-mentioned Outer Space Treaty says otherwise. If you try to exercise your ownership rights, Uncle Sam (and/or Uncle Vladimir) might not take too kindly to it.
While I agree that humans achieve more when they cooperate, history suggests that they simply like to make war.
Oh great. Where’s Chimera? He said I could keep everything.
The BBC website recently posted a relevant article about ownership rights in space: Who owns outer space? - BBC News
Thanks for posting. I didn’t realize this was a zombie until mention of President Gingrich.
“The 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 ?
“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.
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.