# Why didn't the US claim the moon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2000, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155 "2000-11-07T18:22:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MadHatter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MadHatter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadHatter)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/1 "2000-11-07T18:22:20Z")
Seems to me like it would have been a good idea. With the Cold War happening and everything, why didn’t Armstrong lay his flag in to the lunar surface and say: “I claim this moon as sovereign soil for the United States of America.” Well, why not? They got their first, they keep it, right? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/2 "2000-11-07T18:24:26Z")
I believe the US signed an international agreement of some kind that said that no one country could claim any other celestial body. Besides, it would have been tacky to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/3 "2000-11-07T18:26:47Z")
Because you only claim what you think you can hold. ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/4 "2000-11-07T18:29:38Z")
bobt is correct, we signed a treaty declaring the moon ‘the property of all mankind’. kind of like antarctica i guess. ---
**Author:** ![Reboot42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Reboot42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reboot42)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/5 "2000-11-07T18:34:18Z")
I think it was a diplomatic suggestion to not do so because I dimly recall around the time that we were getting closer to landing there, France, England, Germany, Canada and some other nations were expressing concern over one nation owning an entire world. There were great concerns that the US and/or Russia would do just that and promptly start establishing military bases there. Back then, with the limited technology we had, it would have been almost impossible to knock out a moon base from Earth, but very easy to launch mass missile attacks on any corner of the globe. Plus, with the radar and security systems then in use, a moon launch might go undetected until it was in the atmosphere, right over the target and too late to stop. I still think we should have claimed it because then we’d still be going back there. Major corporations just hate to see undeveloped, potentially exclusive territories go unspoiled. By now we’d probably have Moon Disney, the Moon Hilton, exclusive Moon vacation rent-a-cottage, and Moon McDonalds. Not to mention Moon Area 51, which would draw every UFO nut there to rent rooms in Moon Motel 6. Plus, someone would just _have_ to go Moon Boarding, Moon Base Jumping, Moon Buggy Racing, Moon Mountain Climbing and Moon Survival Camping. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/6 "2000-11-07T18:38:32Z")
The treaty in force in 1969 can be found here [http://www.state.gov/www/global/arms/treaties/space1.html](http://www.state.gov/www/global/arms/treaties/space1.html) The bigger concern was somebody using the moon or an orbiting space station to lob atomic bombs on the people below. There is a newer treaty which was signed in 1979 and went into force in 1984. It can be found here [http://www.houstonspacesociety.org/icon/ost/moontxt.html](http://www.houstonspacesociety.org/icon/ost/moontxt.html) I haven’t been able to find out who has signed this treaty. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/7 "2000-11-07T18:41:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alessan \* > \*\*Because you only claim what you think you can hold. \*\* But has _anyone_ else been there? Why waste funds to defend it when nobody else can get there. I say it’s ours! We oughta charge other countries for the romantic moonlight our property is shining down on them. :D:D ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/8 "2000-11-07T19:58:15Z")
At the time, remember, the US and the USSR were trying to win allies among non-aligned nations. The space race was an attempt on the part of both nations to “win the hearts and minds of people” as it was called, by not only showing technological superiority but also doing something that held the fascination of the ordinary person. The lunar missions were just perfect for this. Claiming the Moon for one country rather than coming in peace for all Mankind would have really messed up the psychological impact and made the US look like the greedy bad guys. ---
**Author:** ![cleosia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@cleosia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cleosia)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/9 "2000-11-07T20:35:30Z")
In general, you have to be able to either settle or make improvements to have a solid claim to a piece of property if you’re squatting. Last I saw we had no colonies there and you could hardly call the garbage we left behind “improvements.” On a side note: I think it would be interesting, if we ever did foolishly blow ourselves back to the stone age, to see how our descendants explained the space junk on the moon. Aliens? ---
**Author:** ![Meephead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Meephead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meephead)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/10 "2000-11-08T00:42:25Z")
> [@](#): > > I still think we should have claimed it because then we’d still be going back there. Major corporations just hate to see undeveloped, potentially exclusive territories go unspoiled. By now we’d probably have Moon Disney, the Moon Hilton, exclusive Moon vacation rent-a-cottage, and Moon McDonalds. Not to mention Moon Area 51, which would draw every UFO nut there to rent rooms in Moon Motel 6. > > Plus, someone would just _have_ to go Moon Boarding, Moon Base Jumping, Moon Buggy Racing, Moon Mountain Climbing and Moon Survival Camping. \*\* And what about Moon Pies? 😃 Oh wait…we already have those…Silly me! :wally ---
**Author:** ![MetropoChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@MetropoChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MetropoChris)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/11 "2000-11-08T01:03:15Z")
LOL. In fact that is the question that brought me to this site. I am one of the biggest sceptics on Cons. Theorys but for some reason this idea intrigued me, and in my search I found “The Straight Dope” Havent left since! Anyone here hold on to this doubt of the US’s lunar arrival? ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/12 "2000-11-08T01:11:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MetropoChris \* > \*\*Anyone here hold on to this doubt of the US’s lunar arrival? \*\* There’s a current thread [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=43775) where this conspiracy theory is debunked (or at least most of the supposed ‘evidence’ given for the theory is shown to be faulty). Basically, you have to compare the small amount of ‘evidence’ that the moon-hoax believers put forward, most of which can quite easily be answered by someone with knowledge of photography, compared to the masses of evidence that suggest man actually _did_ go to the moon (including personal testimonies from thousands of people who worked on different aspects of the projects). HenrySpencer ---
**Author:** ![labradorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@labradorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labradorian)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/13 "2000-11-08T01:53:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Alessan \* > > \*\*Because you only claim what you think you can hold. \*\* > > But has _anyone_ else been there? Why waste funds to defend it when nobody else can get there. > > I say it’s ours! We oughta charge other countries for the romantic moonlight our property is shining down on them. :D:D \*\* That’s fine. We’ll just bill youse Americans this winter for the lovely Canadian northern lights shining down on you. Not valid in Alaska. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/14 "2000-11-08T02:10:27Z")
IIRC, Neil Armstrong wanted to make his first words on the moon, “I claim this land for Texas,” but was talked out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Gnarly\_Narly\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/858c86/32.png) [@Gnarly\_Narly\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gnarly_Narly_Dude)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/15 "2000-11-08T02:23:15Z")
International agreements are made to be broken. If there was anything worth defending up there, I’m sure we’d claim it. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/16 "2000-11-08T08:41:45Z")
> [@](#): > > International agreements are made to be broken. > If there was anything worth defending up there, I’m sure we’d claim it. - G.N.D. - - - Damn straight. - The major factor in the commercialization of space is the vague ownership and law issue, and the people with the most guns up there will _very_ likely make the rules. Hopefully W gets in and we can continue our “UnStar NotWars, but very similar” projects. - MC ---
**Author:** ![MattTheCroc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MattTheCroc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattTheCroc)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/17 "2000-11-08T10:36:30Z")
If it wasn’t for the US, then what was the US flag for? ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/18 "2000-11-08T12:44:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by labradorian \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by Alessan \* > > > \*\*Because you only claim what you think you can hold. \*\* > > > > But has _anyone_ else been there? Why waste funds to defend it when nobody else can get there. > > > > I say it’s ours! We oughta charge other countries for the romantic moonlight our property is shining down on them. :D:D \*\* > > That’s fine. We’ll just bill youse Americans this winter for the lovely Canadian northern lights shining down on you. Not valid in Alaska. \*\* The Northern Lights are to make up for those @!#?@! Canadian cold fronts that you send down. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/19 "2000-11-08T13:11:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by muppetsoup \* > \*\*bobt is correct, we signed a treaty declaring the moon ‘the property of all mankind’. kind of like antarctica i guess. \*\* Antarctica is a slightly different case. While no country actually _owns_ it, the continent is divided into “claims” that have been made by several countries. There is a treaty saying that no actual declarations of property will be made and/or recognised on Antarctica. It is signed by 19 of the 26 consultative countries. Of those 19, the United States and Russia have expressed that they DO reserve the right to declare property themselves at any time in the future, but they will not recognize the current claims that have already been in existence for sometimes more than 100 years. Rrrrright. Sounds fair enough :rolleyes: See [this map](http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/islands_oceans_poles/Antarctic_Region_2000.jpg) for more information. ---
**Author:** ![Adolph\_Peewee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Adolph\_Peewee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adolph_Peewee)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155/20 "2000-11-08T14:41:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MattTheCroc \* > \*\*If it wasn’t for the US, then what was the US flag for? \*\* Probably because “EARTH” doesn’t have a flag…unless you wanna go for something like the UN…but that wasn’t around then was it?? I’m too young to know…or say anything intelligent for that matter! :wally [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-the-us-claim-the-moon/40155.md?page=2)