Intellectual Property and the Red Planet: Formulating IP Policies Towards the Successful Colonization of Mars

Human colonization of the planet Mars is not a question of “if” but rather of “when,” or “how soon?” The challenges ahead are immense but so too are the perceived benefits. This article addresses an aspect that, thus far, has been largely unexamined: the interaction between intellectual property laws on Earth and the mammoth Mars mission ahead. Specifically, this article discusses how IP laws and their structure and use can assist humans in reaching Mars and colonizing the Red Planet.