Private Property in Outer Space

Over the years I’ve heard folks in the science fiction community say that the outer space treaties prohibit private property.  This is not correct.

The quickest way to tell that this isn’t true is to note that Earth orbit is full of satellites owned by private entities.  Those satellites belong to their owners.

Often, however, what folks really mean is that private entities like you, me, or the nearest asteroid mining conglomerate can’t own what we’ve mined, and we can’t own land on the moon.

Th...