Claims to own the Moon or parts thereof by private parties have been made for many years, but so far such claims have not been taken very seriously. However, this could change, as “deeds to lunar property” have started to appear, raising the opportunity for individuals to be misled. In addition, the scope of such claims has been extended recently to other celestial bodies. Thus, the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) has concluded that there is a need for a statement regarding the current legal situation concerning claims to private property rights to the Moon and other celestial bodies or parts thereof. While this issue is only a small part of a much broader context surrounding private sector activities on the Moon and other celestial bodies, this statement is limited only to the topic of claims to private property rights to the Moon and other celestial bodies or parts thereof.
Read the full statement below:
