Not long ago I ran across an advertisement offering acres of land on the moon. While I admit that the prices for even the most prime locations were very reasonable (averaging around $20 each), I had to wonder exactly what are the legalities of such a purchase, and how exactly would I ever hire a maid to keep up with the dust?
Apparently Mars is for sale too, but red simply isnt my color.
Anyway, while these types of extraterrestrial deeds make a great conversation piece, they do not represent any type of ownership. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty clearly states that space cannot be claimed as it is something communal to all humankind. All of the nations with space programs have signed this treaty including notably Japan, the UK, and Russia along with the United States.
Additionally there is an International Moon Treaty that went into effect in 1984. Like the Outer Space Treaty, it forbids any type of private land ownership on the moon. Unfortunately this met with less resounding results, having been signed by only 13 nations (none of whom are seriously promoting space travel).
What this means is that unless a person or group can prove they intend to occupy Pluto when claiming that territory, theres simply no legal way to do so. If it had been possible Disney would already have done so, just for the dwarf planets propitious name!
While the forward-thinking real estate agent may have stars in his or her eyes, for now it seems they will have to be content with showing homes on Terra Firma. This hairy ape, however, looks forward to the day when we can enjoy an open house on the moon or even orbiting space stations. Wow what a view!
