When multi-millionaire computer game developer Richard Garriott purchased a missing lunar rover from the Russians in 1993, his friends thought he was crazy. However, after scientists recently discovered the long lost Lunokhod 2 rover marooned on the same lunar surface it had vanished from over three decades ago, it may just be Garriott who gets the last laugh.
Since acquiring the rover for $68,500 at an auction at Sotheby's, Garriott has boastfully maintained that he is "the world's only private owner of an object on a foreign celestial body."
Now Garriott is taking the braggadocio up a notch, claiming that he may own not only the land on which his rover rests, but the 25 miles of moon that has been disturbed and surveyed by the Lunkohod 2 as well.
Despite very public skepticism towards his claims, we asked Garriott to play Nostradamus and predict what may one day occupy his supposed celestial real estate.
"If you build one atmosphere-domed enclosure, with a low enough gravitational force, then with only the power exertable [sic] with the human body, you'll be able to fly under your own power," he says. "And so flying around in domed habitats akin to Leonardo Da Vinci's one-man flying machine, I think will be one of the most entertaining things to do on the moon."
Unfortunately, before Garriott can break ground on his "FlyDome" (not bad, right?) he must first contend with the many cynics who cite the Outer Space Treaty's contention that no one person can rightfully own any extraterrestrial property."People can say whatever they want," Explains Associate Professor Ram Jakhu of McGill University's Institute of Air and Space Law. "But what is the legal basis of the argument? He needs a piece of paper that is supported by law."
Jakhu insists that there is no governing body on the face of the earth that can grant Garriott such a document. "The land on which the rover lays does not belong to him, and it cannot belong to anyone. It's a very simple thing."
Garriott defiantly suggests that people on Earth have no right to place sanctions on any kind of lunar dealings that may or may not occur in the future. "None of us (lunar settlers) are going to care what the people on Earth say we should or should not be doing on the moon."
Garriott, who amassed his fortune by creating the popular RPG series "Ultima," paid $30 million to visit the International Space Station in 2008, where he spent 12 days. Is he the Richard Branson for the "Dungeons & Dragons" set?
"The thrill of exploration and discovery that I feel when I travel on the surface of the earth to Antarctica, to the deep sea, and even to space, is identical to the thrill that I feel and love to create when I build these virtual worlds."
Take that, Space Treaty.


























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Comments:
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Tuesday 30 March
By jim
If he ll buy that I will sell some of Uranus an the Big Dipper
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By Al Schrader
I discovered the graviton particle (the thing that causes gravity & inertia). Inertia is the force that controls the movements in clocks, etc. The moon has one sixth the inertia of the earth. A mechanical alarm clock, grandfather clock, etc. will run six times faster on the moon. The big question is, will humans age six times faster while on the moon when compared to humans here on the earth ? Everything on paper says yes.
Tuesday 30 March
By stephen
Sorry Jim, butt my anus isn't for sale or rent, rooms to let for 50 cents. I've got old stogies that i have found, short and not too big around. King of the moon :)
Tuesday 30 March
By The Blakes
OK, I'll play along! He owns the rover, but I say I own the area of the moon that it's parked on! Thus, he is now illegally parked and owes me $25 a day for every day that the rover stays there, so start sending those parking ticket payments pal!
Pay up or move your illegally parked rover you rich idiot! lol!!!
Tuesday 30 March
By bobo
It sounds like somebody is letting the money go to their head and thinks they can own anything. what a jack off! oh I alomost forgot I own Jupiter...
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By Gerald Spencer
Paper, not people, ages six times faster on the moon.
Tuesday 30 March
By bobo
maybe he will put the Big Dipper in Uranus
Reply
Thursday 01 April
By leolux10
Then tell you to suck his Venus....
Tuesday 30 March
By chris
i'll ee you on.. the dark side.. of the moon
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By Ralph
Now, ain't that a typical capitalistic move?? When you buy a car, do you own the ground that you park on?? Do you own the land that gets splashed when driving through a puddle?? Somebody better straighten this dude out quick!!
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By Richard
OK...then pay the back taxes with penealty.
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By JEAN
Well, who is doing the selling.?? you first have to own to sell.?? albeit, look at it this way..they stole property from the indians, then later put them on reservations, and now the governments are kicking them off the reservations, sending them to school, but have sold the properties (that used to be the reservations).You have to know the person that is going to sale the properties (JOKE). Any way...everyone says that there is life on other planets, how do you know, if it is not already owned by an individual on another planet.? (JOKE again as I personally believe that God made man on this planet ONLY)
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By woodycoxghm
GOD, Please ignore Looooo, he doesn't exist, just something that popped out of some wormhole.
Tuesday 30 March
By gerry
You can't own the moon. Ok, if you own the moon then give me a piece. haha. Oh wait, too high to reach it? Can't spend any time on it? What a lost cause to own something you can't reach. haha. oh lordy. this is the funniest thing I have ever read. It is ridiculous
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By Scott
So the way it's worded is as follows and I quote "According To Outer Space Treaty no one person can own any extraterrestrail property" no one person, so corporations are in then right?
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By j
Nobody owns a Got Damn thing. You don't even own your own life. You only lease it for a predetermined time.
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By jamestaylorm
Space junk doesn't count. You have to go in person and plant your flag. Just like here on earth and as far as I know only one country has done it!
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By nick
AMERICA.....FCK YEA!!!!
Tuesday 30 March
By Angiebaby
Oh! Oh! Oh! Wouldn't I love to be the real estate agent with this guy for a client! I'd be selling this stupid bastard constellations, black holes, planets, rings around planets, galaxies. But it doesn't say where I can find him! So, if any of you know how I can find him, let me know. I've got a bridge I'd like to sell him, while I'm at it!
Reply
Tuesday 30 March
By don't like to hear the truth
And you wonder how they made all their money. Talk about arrogance! People that THINK they own things, especially other people are out of their minds! Slavery has been dead for years! Let me sell them a pile of shit and tell them it's gold. Dumb bastards would probably believe it! LOL Talk about stupid!