TWiS 226: Who Owns the Moon? - Capitalism and Property Rights in Space

Capitalism—and a strong profit motivation—has driven enterprise for centuries. Two notable examples are the East India Company and the US transcontinental railroad, and the various tycoons who built it. In neither case, by today's standards, were the operations fair or ethical on a number of fronts. Can we do better in space? Dr. Rainer Zitelmann joins us to discuss capitalism and the importance of extraterrestrial land ownership as an enabler of human expansion off-Earth. He's got a lot to say, and not all of it is what you might expect. Join us for this fascinating and informative look at one business case for newspace.

Headlines:

• NASA's Roman Space Telescope Launches to Explore Cosmic Mysteries

• SpaceX Falcon Heavy Returns to Action for Major NASA Mission

• Blue Origin Selected to Build Mars Communications Relay for NASA

• Japan and Europe's BepiColombo Mission Arrives at Mercury

Main Topic: Who Owns the Moon? — Capitalism in Space With Dr. Rainer Zitelmann

• Dr. Zitelmann Explains Market Forces Transforming the Space Industry

• Historical Parallels Between Economic Reforms and the Privatization of Space

• The Outer Space Treaty and Legal Uncertainty Around Private Ownership Off-Earth

• Potential for Stock Markets and REITs for Off-World Real Estate and Resources

• China's Rapid Advancement in Private Space and Market-Driven Innovation