Who owns the Moon? The Outer Space Treaty & Moon Mining Rights
Who owns the Moon? Do the Moon landings make a country stakeholder as per the outer space treaty? Space treaties for Mining on Moon & other celestial bodies are already enacted. Find out the implications of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin lunar landing.
Who owns the Moon?
One of the most iconic pictures of a flag ever taken on the moon is with Buzz Aldrin standing next to the U.S flag. The incident of planting the U.S flag on the lunar soil created a buzz around the world community, “Who owns the Moon?” The alarm bells were ringing since many believed that the U.S is going to claim our nearest neighbor.
Their perspective was logical according to the historical incidents. A century ago, on our own planet planting a flag means claiming a territory for the motherland. Now, the question arises, whether planting the flag on lunar soil signify U.S jurisdiction over the lunar territory?
Europeans had the habit of claiming new territories around the globe except for the European parts. Particularly the Spanish, the English, the Dutch, the Portuguese and the French created massive colonial empires.
The absence of a common world order created large-scale disruption events in the world. Now, the logical notion that comes out of the mind is that planting a flag means establishing sovereignty over a territory. Does that answer our question, “Who owns the Moon?” Wait!!
But, when the astronauts landed on the lunar surface, they have more important things in mind. The U.S knew that raising a flag on the moon during the cold war would attract controversies.
Hence, the issue of the flag raising on the lunar soil has been taken care of. Thus the answer to whether Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, transformed the moon into a U.S territory is false. Neither they or NASA or the U.S government intended to stake a claim on the lunar soil. Now, the question arises, who govern the Space-related issues?
Who owns the Moon as per the Outer Space Treaty?
This Treaty forms the basis of international space law and order. It was introduced on 27 January 1967 and entered into force on 10 October 1967. Hence all the major stakeholders like the U.S and Russia along with other countries entered into a treaty. 107 countries are in this treaty.
The Outer Space Treaty is a legal framework to govern space law. It bars states from militarizing the space along with preventing the installation of weapons on the extraterristrial bodies. The Outer Space Treaty also prohibits the establishments of military bases and fortifications of any celestial body including our closest celestial neighbor.
However, the Outer Space Treaty does not have any provision to prohibit the placement of conventional weapons in the orbit. As a result, potentially destructive attacks like Kinetic Bombardment are still allowable. Hence, the outer space treaty does not give much information about our question about “Who owns the Moon?”
Other Space Treaties, Principle and Conferences to Support Outer Space Treaty
In order to support Outer Space Treaty, four other treaties were enacted in the world between the 1960s and 1970s, for peaceful space exploration. Let’s see what they say about our question “Who owns the Moon?
The “Rescue Agreement” (1968):
This agreement was formed to provide assistance to the astronauts during unintended landings and emergency. The states should take the responsibility to rescue them and provide all the necessary assistance to the astronauts.
The “Liability Convention” (1972):
This one outlines the damage or loss to human life caused due to space objects. The launching state is fully liable to pay compensation for damage caused by its space object on the surface of the earth.
The “Registration Convention” (1975):
This convention was enacted to help the nations to keep track of their satellites or other objects launched towards space. The United Nations registry is very essential for matters like avoiding space debris.
The “Moon Agreement” (1979):
This treaty gives out more details about the outer space treaty. It defines the property rights and the usage of the extraterrestrial bodies present in the solar system, except meteorites that naturally enter the Earth surface. However, the treaty is only signed by 16 nations, all of which are the minor players in space exploration activities.
Who owns the Moon? Mining on Moon and Asteroids
The legal status of the Moon states that all the countries can have access to the Moon for peaceful missions. But the Outer Space Treaty leaves many details unsettled. The countries like the United States and Luxembourg have the opinion that each country can allow its entrepreneurs to mine the celestial bodies and make money from it. Provided that such companies must abide by the international laws of the outer space.
On the other hand countries like Russia, Belgium and Brazil hold the opinion that the potential benefits from celestial bodies like other planets, comets and asteroids should be shared with the humanity as a whole. Else, a universal body should be made to carry out such missions like mining on moon and asteroids.
Conclusion
After looking at all the facts and figures about the outer space treaty, we can now see the world is still divided. The question about “Who owns the Moon?” is still complex. The outer space treaty does not clearly explain the jurisdiction of celestial bodies like our natural satellite, other planets, comets and asteroids.
Treaties do not clearly explain issues like mining on the moon and asteroids. With major space-faring nations like China, India and Japan having serious objectives to go back on the lunar surface. The stakes are even higher. Hence, we can conclude our question “Who owns the Moon?” by saying “No One Owns the Moon as of now”.
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