Buying Land on the Moon

[Kyle Love]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

The site also claims more than 300 million acres sold. At $30 an acre, that is more than $9 billion dollars.

Wish I had figured that out.


Wetzel

SHYSA! that's a lot of money....how can they really "claim ownership" of the moon though, seriously. I say we discover a new planet, call it FIRST, and sell land on it for 30 bucks and split the money between all the active teams! That would be one good way to keep teams!! haha

-Kyle

*500th post*

[tkwetzel]

They are planning on "a moon trip":

The Lunar Embassy's FIRST SPACECRAFT PROJECT is happening in 2004. Lunar spacecraft will transport our Official Lunar property Registry to the lunar surface for storage.

Looks like they might be using some of that fortune on that.

[Ryan Albright]

Originally Posted by tkwetzel

They are planning on "a moon trip":



Looks like they might be using some of that fortune on that.

mmm i am wandering if they are still planning on 2004 because they dont have much time left

[dlavery]

- PAH!! - Who needs stinkin' little ol' piece of moon dirt? I would much rather get a whole star!!!**

But in the mean time, let's analyze this. So Dennis Hope found a loophole that (so he claims) allows him to sell lots on the moon. At the same time, the very same UN Outer Space Treaty that provides the loophole also states that the moon and other celestial bodies are not, and can not be, owned by any (terrestrial) government. But what happens if someone else comes along and starts to sell lunar land plots as well - perhaps even the very same ones that Mr. Hope has already "sold"???

If that happened here, Mr. Hope would take you to court and present his title to the land and challenge your right to resell the title without ownership. But in the case of a lunar land rights dispute, no U.S. (or any other terrestrial) court has jurisdiction, due to the very same UN Outer Space Treaty. And there is no recognized Lunar Government with authority or jurisdiction either. Thus, there is no way for Mr. Hope to appeal to any recognized authority to prevent anyone else from laying claim to and selling "his" moon property.

So what we have here is a business model that, according to Mr. Hope, has resulted in over 2,000,000 sales at $29.00 each, or gross proceeds of >$58,000,000. Combine that with the lack of any government with jurisdiction over lunar land disputes, and the inability of Mr. Hope to prevent the formation of similar companies. To me, it sounds like the result is a great opportunity for a start-up business! Anyone interested in opening up a "Lunar Real Estate Office" ???

(note to self: copy this one over to the "Fundraising" thread! )

-dave

** actually, I did this several many years ago for my wife for her birthday. It was a lot of fun, and you do get a nice certificate out of the deal (even if it has no real legitimacy with the formal star naming process that is managed by the International Astronomical Union).

[Joshua May]

Originally Posted by Cory

It's like those "Buy a Star" things.

My parents actually bought a start for me when I was born. I've got the charts and papers and everything in a packet in the downstairs closet somewhere. I plan to set up shop there someday.

[MissInformation]

This means that the next time I demand... er... ask for the moon and the stars, there's no reason I should not receive it!

I wonder what other intangible gifts there are out there... I've heard there's some prime real estate in Hades, and they'll throw in a free hand basket to get you there...

Heidi

[KarenH]

As I recall, when our American astronauts landed on the moon, they left a U.S. flag there. That used to mean that a country was claiming the land; symbolically, it seems to me to imply the same thing these days, too. So is someone telling me the U.S. doesn't own the moon? Who says? Who does the U.N. think it is, anyway, and whoever does what it says? And who gave the U.N. authority to do anything?

[Adam Y.]

As I recall, when our American astronauts landed on the moon, they left a U.S. flag there. That used to mean that a country was claiming the land; symbolically, it seems to me to imply the same thing these days, too. So is someone telling me the U.S. doesn't own the moon? Who says? Who does the U.N. think it is, anyway, and whoever does what it says? And who gave the U.N. authority to do anything?

Actually it's a treaty and a treaty implies that all the countries actcually agreed to this. Also, buying land on the moons is just as valid as claiming the sun and charging everyone for sunlight. Of course someone has actually done this. Not to mention he isn't even the first crackpot that claimed he owned the moon.

Pop further contends that Dennis Hope's quest, which began in 1980, came too late. "A lunar claim was lodged in Chile back in 1953," Pop says, "and a Declaration of Lunar Ownership was issued by the city of Geneva, Ohio, back in 1966."

Elsewhere in the FAQ, and on the printed deed a customer receives, Lunar Embassy employs the word "novel" to describe its products. The word was suggest by lawyers 24 years ago, according to the FAQ, to "help avoid any frivolous lawsuits from a foreign country."

(The words "novel" and "novelty" are employed by star-naming businesses as a way to avoid the impression that their sales involve official products.)

Space article

[Mike]

Originally Posted by KarenH

And who gave the U.N. authority to do anything?

Reminds me of that Chappelle Show

"Come on UN, stop me! Stop me with your great army!"
or something like that

[7wizted_rea1ity]

Wow, land on the moon's actually been sold? That...worries me. When (or if) people start moving there, does that mean every night I'll see tiny establishments when looking up at the silver pearl reigning the night sky? In my opinion, the moon's not going to be so mysterious anymore if so. (Great, I need a new subject for poetry.) v.v

My first thought when I heard that was how greedy people are getting, selling things that aren't exactly tangible.... But I suppose that's not quite right and I guess one day the human race might expand there. Just my opinion, nothing more.

[RudimentaryPeni]

I hope this is a joke, because how is it someones to sell. Who owns the moon, no one. And it isnt anyones to claim they own, i guess the idea of imperialism is now going out of this world.

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by RudimentaryPeni

I hope this is a joke, because how is it someones to sell. Who owns the moon, no one. And it isnt anyones to claim they own, i guess the idea of imperialism is now going out of this world.

Not imperialism, imperialism is extending a nations control by territory grab(or economic domination). They arn't doing it for god or contry, but for money.

After all, There's a sucker born every minute.


Wetzel

[Jay H 237]

I wonder if they're also going to try to sell the Brooklyn Bridge?

[sammy]

Originally Posted by RudimentaryPeni

I hope this is a joke, because how is it someones to sell. Who owns the moon, no one. And it isnt anyones to claim they own, i guess the idea of imperialism is now going out of this world.

It's funny, because at one point, people believed that you couldn't own the earth either. Interesting, eh? There are still people that believe that the earth cannot be bought or sold because humans did not make the earth and have no right to rule it. But they have, and what's to stop them (us) from ruling the solar system too?

Sam

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by Jay H 237

I wonder if they're also going to try to sell the Brooklyn Bridge?

They can't. I already bought it.

-dave