Marketplace Tech Is the moon (and its resources) up for grabs?
14 snips
Feb 11, 2026 Saadia Pekkanen, a University of Washington professor of space law and policy, explains the rush to the moon and why countries eye its resources. She breaks down legal limits on sovereignty and how extraction might work. She compares lunar rules to high-seas fishing and discusses the need for transparency, energy plans, and diplomatic frameworks for living side-by-side on the moon.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Moon Ownership Versus Resource Use
- No nation can claim territory on the moon under international space law, but commercial exploitation of lunar resources is allowed.
- The U.S. leads the nonbinding Artemis Accords to set principles for resource use with about 61 signatories.
Finders Keepers Analogy
- Pekkanen compares lunar resource rights to fishing on the high seas: you don't own the sea but you own what you take.
- This analogy frames how states might permit commercial removal and sale of lunar materials.
Not Everyone Agrees On Rules
- China and Russia have not signed the Artemis Accords, complicating global coordination on lunar rules.
- Pekkanen stresses diplomacy and peaceful coexistence will be needed despite differing commitments.