Martian Meteorite’s $5.3 Million Price Tags the Cost of Cosmic Curiosity—But at What National Expense?

In an era when America must assert its leadership in space exploration and national sovereignty, the recent auction of the largest Martian meteorite ever found serves as a stark reminder: precious extraterrestrial resources are slipping into private hands without clear benefit to our nation. On Wednesday, Sotheby’s New York sold a 54-pound fragment blasted off Mars by asteroid impact—a rock named NWA 16788—for approximately $5.3 million. While the spectacle of owning a piece of the Red Planet captivates collectors and enthusiasts alike, this begs the question: why is such a significant scientific treasure subject to an opaque private sale rather...