„Let’s Talk About Law“ – The interactive discussion series in Karlsruhe: Who Owns the Moon? A Legal Perspective on Outer Space

Moon landings, private space companies, and plans to mine raw materials in space are increasingly bringing space into the spotlight. But while the technical possibilities are growing, fundamental legal questions arise: Who owns the Moon? Is it permissible to claim territory in space? And what rules apply beyond Earth? Political scientist Prof. Dr. Kai-Uwe Schrogl and the legal scholar Prof. Dr. Marcus Schladebach at the next episode of „Let’s Talk About Law“ on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at our office in Karlsruhe. Alena Lagmöller will moderate the discussion.

The legal framework governing outer space is one of the key issues of our time. For a long time, outer space was considered the common heritage of humanity, intended solely for peaceful purposes, and its use was primarily envisioned by government entities. But this understanding is long gone: Private companies are building their own satellite networks and preparing for the race to exploit the Moon’s resources. Countries are using space for strategic military purposes. And looming over it all is the question: „Are they allowed to do that?“ Who owns space? What limits does international law place on the use of the Moon, asteroids, and other celestial bodies? Do we need new rules for space? And how can space law be effectively enforced?

The experts will examine the legal challenges beyond Earth's atmosphere and take the audience on a journey through the major legal issues of space. As always, you are cordially invited to join the discussion with your own questions and perspectives.

Guests

Prof. Dr. Kai-Uwe Schrogl is a political scientist and an expert on space policy and space law in Europe. He is a special advisor on political affairs at the European Space Agency (ESA) and an honorary professor of international technology policy at the Department of Political Science at Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen.

Photo: Private

Prof. Dr. Marcus Schladebach is a legal scholar and professor of public law, media law, and aviation and space law at the University of Potsdam. He has also served as the German delegate to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vienna since 2024.

Photo: Studioline Photography Berlin-Charlottenburg

Moderated by

The evening will be hosted by Alena Lagmöller. The lawyer has been an editor and reporter in the ARD legal news department for television, online, and radio since 2023, and has also served as a moderator for panel discussions on legal topics since 2025. This year, she will moderate all five „Let’s Talk About Law“ events in Karlsruhe and will therefore also be featured on the podcast of the same name.

Photo: Private

About the Event Series

Since 2025, the Forum Recht Foundation has been regularly hosting the „Let’s Talk About Recht“ discussion series at its venues in Karlsruhe and Leipzig. The guests are prominent figures from various fields of law who discuss their day-to-day work and share their perspectives on current legal topics—ranging from labor law and tenancy law to freedom of speech. The discussions are recorded and subsequently released as a live-on-tape podcast. Learn more about the event series here.

You can listen to the conversation on the "Live-on-Tape" podcast here, two weeks after the event. All previous episodes are already available online.

Listen to the interview about the series on Schwarzwaldradio from May 5, 2026, featuring Sina Ness, a research associate at the Forum Recht Foundation!