Space is governed by five key international treaties, informally known as the Outer Space Treaty, the Rescue Agreement, the Liability Convention, the Registration Convention and the Moon Agreement (their formal names are much, much longer).
space law
can be described as the set of laws governing space-related activities. Space law, like general international law, encompasses a variety of international agreements, treaties, conventions and resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as rules and regulations of international organizations. Outer space is far from a lawless vacuum.The delimitation between airspace and outer space is not yet legally defined. Space law also seeks to provide a framework for dispute resolution for matters arising in space. It also includes instruments, institutions and mechanisms; national laws, regulations, technical standards and procedures; codes of conduct and confidence-building measures among space actors; all of which are discussed, formulated and implemented at various levels of government. Binding national governance and enforcement mechanisms promote space security in accordance with each state's unique interpretation of international law of common space, accepted best practices and expected standards of conduct.
The Foundation participates in partnerships and collaborations that help raise awareness of space law and how space disputes can be resolved as humans venture further away from Earth in the not-too-distant future. While other States may have laws and carry out activities that have an impact on the space object, such laws and activities would be invalid or illegal, respectively, to the extent that they amount to control over the space object. Since the Cold War, the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (the Outer Space Treaty) and the International Telecommunication Union have served as a constitutional and joint legal framework for principles and procedures constituting space law. Other areas of international law that may be relevant could include international human rights law and international environmental law.
Despite all political obstacles, decision-making leaders must prioritize the development of effective international space law, first and foremost by committing to strengthening international dialogues, encouraging openness, greater transparency and information exchange, and avoiding pushing national agendas instead to ensure that space remains a global common good. The Outer Space Treaty also incorporates the Charter of the United Nations by reference, and requires Parties to ensure that activities are carried out in accordance with other forms of international law, such as customary international law (the custom and practice of States). Space law also covers national laws, and many countries have adopted national space legislation in recent years. However, such use must be in accordance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, which prohibits the threat or use of force against other States (art.
2). Under most domestic legal instruments, an individual or industry could initiate a lawsuit against another person or industry, but with respect to international space law, the Liability Convention determined that States are ultimately responsible, even if an incident is caused by an actor private. Currently, the international regime of space law grants legal authority to regulate and manage space activities to nation-States, not international organizations, through Article VI of the Outer Space Treaty. The origins of space law date back to 1919, with international law recognizing the sovereignty of each country over airspace directly over its territory, later reinforced by the Chicago Convention in 1944. This would include, for example, the inherent right to national self-defence, recognized in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, and therefore military defensive activities in outer space would be lawful.
I); the prohibition of national appropriation or claims of sovereignty of outer space or celestial objects (Art. . .
