[plg94]

But are you allowed to sell it? I'd think it still belongs to NASA. If an airplane flies over your house and drops an engine into your back yard, you can't just auction it off but have to hand it over to the authorities. Or if someone – accidentally or not – throws his Rolex watch into your window. He'll have to pay for the damage, but the object is still his property.

[userbinator]

NASA was disposing of it.

[plg94]

That doesn't matter, in most jurisdictions stealing trash is still stealing. If I'm disposing chemical waste in your backyard, do you automatically become the owner?

[brabel]

How can you steal trash?? You're literally trying to get rid of it?! I am pretty sure you're never going to jail for taking someone else's trash (maybe you can get in trouble for trespassing or something like that, but for stealing?!?).

[bmelton]

I think you'd be so hard-pressed in finding a court that would convict someone of "stealing" for having been in the path of trash that was jettisoned through two stories of your home as for the prospect to be infinitesimal

[bombcar]

As part of the settlement with NASA over it, I'd try to get to keep it.