Legal Challenges of Space Geopolitics

The law on outer space is built on the 1967 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (hereinafter: the OST), which was signed by 132 countries including the permanent members of the United Nations’ Security Council together with other (now) major space powers, and on the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space of 19 December 1967, (which entered into force on 3 December 1968), the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects of 29 November 1971, (which entered into force on 1 September 1972), the Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space of 12 November 1974, (entered into force on 15 September 1976) and the Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (hereinafter: the Moon Agreement) of 5 December 1979, (which entered into force on 11 July 1984). However, the Moon Agreement has been ratified by only a few states, none of which currently conduct significant space activities.