Who owns the moon? Space from a legal perspective

„Let’s Talk About Law“—the interactive discussion series is entering its next round at the Forum Recht Foundation’s Karlsruhe location.

Karlsruhe. Moon landings, private space companies, and plans to mine raw materials in space are increasingly bringing space into the spotlight. But while technical capabilities are growing, fundamental legal questions arise: Who owns the Moon? Is it permissible to claim territory in space? And what rules apply beyond Earth?

The political scientist discusses these questions 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 the Karlsruhe office of the Forum Recht Foundation. The discussion will be moderated by Alena Lagmöller.

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 that 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 outer space? What limits does international law place on the use of the Moon, asteroids, and other celestial bodies? Do we need new rules for outer 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, the audience is warmly invited to participate in the discussion by sharing their own questions and perspectives.

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. 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.

The conversation will take place at 7:00 p.m. in the Forum Recht Foundation in Karlsruhe (Karlstraße 45 A). Admission is free. Registration is not required.

Let's Talk About Law
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.