could some billionaire just wake up one morning and decide that when he dies, he’s going to be buried on the moon?

Question

What are the laws actually guiding issues like this? Who actually owns space bodies? Is outer space actually a no man’s land?

In: 3

Answer 1

The moon and all other celestial bodies are governed by the [Outer Space Treaty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty), to which almost all countries (particularly those with space programs) are signatories.

Truthfully I’m not sure that being buried on the moon would be a violation of that treaty, except maybe Article IX which requires signatories to “conduct exploration of the Moon and other celestial bodies so as to avoid their harmful contamination.” No one is allowed to own the moon but being buried somewhere doesn’t establish legal ownership.