Is it illegal to own lunar material?

It is illegal to own or possess any lunar material brought back from the Apollo program, including those samples gifted to the states and other nations.

Are moon rocks legal?

Although NASA’s lunar missions returned more than 842 pounds of moon rock to Earth, it is illegal for private citizens to own any of it (lunar meteorites, however, are perfectly legal). Instead, lunar samples were used as goodwill gifts to 135 countries and each of the 50 states.

Is Moon Dust legal?

In 2011, NASA conducted a sting against Joann Davis in California. She had a paperweight with lunar material inside she had received as a gift from her husband, and was trying to sell it. “There is no law against private persons owning lunar material.

Can you really buy moon rocks?

It is illegal for private citizens to own or buy any authentic Moon Rocks or related material. Lunar samples obtained on Earth through findings of crashed lunar meteorites are legal. You can’t buy moon rocks but you can buy meteorites.

Who owns moon dust?

The US space agency NASA awarded contracts to four companies on Thursday to collect lunar samples for $1 to $15,000, rock-bottom prices that are intended to set a precedent for future exploitation of space resources by the private sector.

Can we touch moon dust?

Moon dust may not burn you, but it’s no picnic. Like Earth sand, moon dust is effectively made of tiny glass shards, but the sharp edges have not been worn down by erosion. As a result, it can be pretty unhealthy.

How much is lunar soil worth?

The samples were recovered, and NASA estimated their value during the ensuing court case at about $1 million for 10 oz (280 g) of material.

How much is a gram of moon dust worth?

NASA astronauts brought 842 pounds (382 kilograms) of lunar material home to Earth between 1969 and 1972, souvenirs from their Apollo moonwalking jaunts. A court has valued this stuff at $1.44 million per ounce ($50,800 per gram), based on how much those NASA missions cost.