Ownership of the Moon is still being debated. Although the United Nations (UN) proposed a policy prohibiting ownership of all objects in outer space (including planets and Moons) in the early 1980's, it was only ratified by a handful of countries. This UN policy is not taken seriously on a multinational level because countries with viable a space program have refused signed it, therefore the debate about ownership of the Moon and other celestial bodies rages on. See the following links for more information regarding Outer Space property rights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_Treaty
http://www.space-settlement-institute.org/jalcpr.htm
http://www.LunarProperties.com
This debate will most likely continue until some Country, or Company, builds a permanent Lunar Settlement and claims ownership. Once this type of settlement occurs, it will prompt the world's leading space exploring countries to settle this debate once and for all. In the end, money, mining rights, and actual possession of the land will undoubtedly play a key role in deciding how to develop and occupy the Moon.
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