Galactic Stone & Ironworks wrote: > I have a question about ownership and legality of these manmade > artifacts that fall from space and are found on private property. > > What is the law regarding objects that originate from private entities?
Of relevance here is the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, to which the USA is a signatory. It states, in Article VIII, that: "Ownership of objects launched into outer space, including objects landed or constructed on a celestial body, and of their component parts, is not affected by their presence in outer space or on a celestial body or by their return to the Earth. Such objects or component parts found beyond the limits of the State Party to the Treaty on whose registry they are carried shall be returned to that State Party, which shall, upon request, furnish identifying data prior to their return”." SpaceX is registered in the USA, so the USA is the "State Party" here. SpaceX is the owner. IANAL, but as I read this, if SpaceX wants it back, it has to be returned to them. - Marco ----- Dr Marco Langbroek e-mail: ma...@langbroek.org http://www.langbroek.org ----- ______________________________________________ Visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/meteoritecentral and the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com ______________________________________________ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com https://pairlist3.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list