Nemitz, a self-proclaimed space activist, envisioned humanity's future amongst the stars, but he also believed individuals could stake their claim on cosmic real estate. When he saw NASA's robotic emissary inching closer to Eros in 1996, his legal engines roared to life. No one, he argued, had ever declared ownership of this rocky wanderer, making it ripe for the taking. Thus, with a flourish and a dash of legal jargon, Nemitz declared himself the asteroid's rightful proprietor.
But claiming an asteroid is one thing, defending it from the prying probes of a space agency is quite another. Undeterred, Nemitz sent NASA a bill – a celestial parking ticket, if you will – for the princely sum of $20. This whimsical invoice covered a century of "parking" at a rate of 20 cents per year, a cosmic toll booth unlike any other.
NASA, unsurprisingly, didn't reach for their cosmic change purse. Instead, they politely declined his offer, citing legalese most of us wouldn't understand even with a degree in astrophysics. This legal dance culminated in a courtroom showdown, with Nemitz arguing his case for asteroid ownership.
The verdict? While the judge acknowledged the importance of the debate, Nemitz's claim was unfortunately grounded on a technicality – he lacked the legal standing to sue. Yet, even in defeat, his audacious act sparked a global conversation. Was space the ultimate commons, or could celestial bodies be parceled out like celestial subdivisions?
Nemitz's story became a cosmic Rorschach test. Some saw it as a publicity stunt, others as a legitimate push for legal clarity in the celestial frontier. Regardless of the perspective, one thing was certain: the man who dared to claim an asteroid had, at the very least, ignited a fiery debate about who truly owns the starry expanse above. And as humanity ventures further into the cosmos, that question might just hold the key to our future amongst the stars.
You’ve come this far…
Why not venture a little further into A.S.S. - our exclusive Australian Space Society.
And keep thrusting Australia into the deep unknown…
#Space_Aus
