While NASA is on a mission to return to the moon, NFTs are not headed that way.
A popular crypto slang is ‘to the moon’, which basically means a crypto asset is predicted to get really valuable.
The space agency’s logos and imagery are popular for merchandise makers, some of whom are officially licensed. It was thus expected that the same will find their way to the NFT space.
However, NASA has clarified that their assets are not to be tokenized, which would mean transferring copyright to the NFT holders.
In a recent media usage guidelines update, NASA categorically states that it does not wish for their assets to be used as NFTs.
“Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are, in essence, digital tokens owned by someone as a “one of a kind” digital asset. NASA does not wish for its images to be used for these purposes.
NASA is not approving any merchandising applications involving Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), as they are not consistent with the categories of products the Agency is approved to merchandise.”
NASA
Typically, NASA’s videos and images are not copyrighted by virtue of being a US government agency.
NFTs, by virtue of being unique digital assets, would therefore break this rule, since ownership would belong to one person or entity.
“It is unlawful to falsely claim copyright or other rights in NASA material,” NASA adds in their guidelines.
It however remains unclear how NASA would go about enforcing this in the wild west that is the internet.
