Srinagar: Just two days after India achieved the historic milestone with the landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface, an entrepreneur, and educator from Jammu and Kashmir made a unique purchase: land on the Moon.
Rupesh Masson is a 49-year-old businessman from Jammu and Kashmir. Masson also serves as the regional director of UCMAS for Jammu and Kashmir, and Leh.
Talking to a national newspaper, Masson shared the details of his lunar property. He revealed that he had purchased land on “Luna Earth Moon, Tract 55-Parcel 10772 known as Lacus Felicitatis (Lake of Happiness).”
Masson said the idea behind buying a plot on the Moon was linked to humanity’s inherent curiosity about what lies out there.
“Ideas of occupying space on the moon are a reflection of our quest to see what lies beyond, which is itself a reflection of our quest for deeper meaning within ourselves,” he said.
This lunar property was purchased from The Lunar Registry in New York City and was officially certified on August 25, according to Masson.
He said that the Moon represents a symbol of hope for the future and could also serve as a psychological escape hatch for humans facing the challenges of climate change.
Masson said that owning land on the Moon can provide a sense of preparedness for an uncertain future.
He also noted that approximately 675 celebrities and three former US presidents also own extraterrestrial land on the Moon and other planets.
Currently, the price of a plot at Lacus Felicitatis — where Masson purchased land — is $29.07 per acre (₹2,405 per acre), as listed on the Lunar Registry website.
There are other locations, like the Sea of Rains and the Bay of Rainbows on the Moon, where land is available for purchase.
The success of India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission appears to have contributed to increased interest in purchasing lunar land.
The Lunar Registry has reported a surge in orders following Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing. Due to high demand, the company is facing delays in processing and fulfilling land ownership documents.
“Due to extremely high order volume following the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3, we are currently experiencing lengthy processing and fulfillment delays,” said the company on its website.