Who owns the Moon? A new space race means it could be up for grabs

The race to explore the Moon is heating up, with multiple countries and private companies vying for a piece of the lunar pie. China, India, Japan, and the US have all made significant strides in their lunar missions, and there are even plans to establish permanent bases on the Moon. However, this new era of lunar exploration is raising important questions about ownership and resource exploitation. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty declared that the Moon belongs to everyone and that any exploration should be carried out for the benefit of all humankind. But with the involvement of private companies like Intuitive Machines, which successfully landed a spacecraft on the Moon, the situation has become more complex. There are concerns about how lunar resources should be used and who should ultimately benefit from them. The Moon is believed to hold valuable resources such as minerals and water, making it an attractive prospect for commercial exploitation. However, international treaties have placed restrictions on the claiming of lunar resources, adding a layer of complexity to the situation.