Abstract
As we move into the future, the role of law in maintaining peace in space continues to be relevant, but equally relevant is the role of law in enabling peaceful use of space as is ordinarily understood. A peaceful use not just restricted to conflict prevention, but the wider expanse of conducting affairs in space ‘peaceably’, without fear of debris collisions, environmental degradation and unfair commercial gain, competition among other things. Towards this end, this chapter seeks to go beyond the traditional narrow confines of the treaty interpretation of ‘peaceful use of space’ to a broader, more contextual and pragmatic interpretation.
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Notes
- 1.
Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, 27 January 1967, 610 UNTS 205 (entered into force 10 October 1967) [OST].
Union of Concerned Scientists, “UCS Satellite Database”, online: https://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear-weapons/space-weapons/satellite-database#.WptYTOjwbIV (accessed on 10 April 2017).
- 2.
Kendall (2018).
- 3.
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 23 May 1969, 1155 UNTS 331, 8 ILM 679 (1969), 63 AJIL 875 (1969) (entered into force 27 January 1980) [VCLT].
- 4.
Ibid. Article 31.
- 5.
For details, see “News-Conference Remarks by President Eisenhower, 9 October 1957” in Bess CM Reijnen, The United Nations Space Treaties Analysed (Utrecht: Editions Frontieres 1992), at 26–37.
- 6.
Dickson (2001).
- 7.
- 8.
The Soviets were the early pioneers of space law. For example, Dr Stephen E. Doyle in his book “Origins of International Space Law” refers to papers presented at an air law conference in Moscow in 1926 that dealt with debates about the nature and extent of national sovereignty in airspace. Additionally, mention is also made of Czech professor Vladmir Mandall writing the world’s first major work of substance on the subject of space law in 1932. See Laude supra note 7.
- 9.
Korovin (1934).
- 10.
Foont (2007), 695 at 718.
- 11.
As noted by Jenks (1965), at 97.
- 12.
Doyle (2002b), at 1–4, quoting extracts from V. A. Zarzar.
- 13.
Mandl (1932).
- 14.
Grotius (2004).
- 15.
Almond (1991).
- 16.
The Antarctic Treaty, 1 December 1959, 402 UNTS 71 (entered into force 1961).
- 17.
Western Working Paper Submitted to the Disarmament Subcommittee: Proposals for Partial Measures of Disarmament, UN Doc DC/SC.1/66 in Fifth Report of the Sub-Committee of the Disarmament Commission UN Doc DC/113, Annex 5, 869 at 871.
- 18.
Question of the Peaceful Use of Outer Space, Res 1348 (XII), UNGA, 13th Session (14 November 1958).
- 19.
Peebles (1983), at 52.
- 20.
NASA, Sputnik and the Dawn of the Space Age, online: https://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/.
- 21.
Reed (1987).
- 22.
Roger D. Lanius, “Sputnik and the Origins of the Space Age” online: https://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/sputorig.html, accessed on 18 May 2017.
- 23.
By 1961, the US Department of Defense had entrusted the entire mission of managing and operating US military space launch vehicles and satellites to the Air Force.
- 24.
General Assembly Res 1348, supra note 29.
- 25.
McDougal et al. (1963), at 395.
- 26.
International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Resolution 1472 (XIV), UN General Assembly, 14th Session (12 December 1959).
- 27.
UN General Assembly Res 1348 (XII), supra, note 29.
- 28.
Christol (1991a), at 15–16.
- 29.
See Table 2.1 A, infra at 36.
- 30.
Grego (2012).
- 31.
See Table 2.2, infra, at 37.
- 32.
Jasentuliyana (2010), at 8.
- 33.
Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water, 5 August 1963, 480 UNTS 43; 1964 UKTS 3, Cmnd 2245; 14 UST 1313, TIAS 5433; 1964 2 ILM 883 (entered into force 10 October 1963), at 889–891.
- 34.
Alves (1991), at 70.
- 35.
US Central Intelligence Agency (1962).
- 36.
Ibid.
- 37.
UNCOPUOS Verbatim Records, United Nations Doc A/AC.105/PV.3 (March 1962), at 63.
- 38.
Reijnen (1992), at 103–105.
- 39.
Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, GA Resolution 1962 (XVIII) UNGA, 18th Sess., UN Doc A/RES/18/1962 (13 December 1963).
- 40.
These treaties include, Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, 27 January 1967, 610 UNTS 205 [OST]; Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched in Outer Space, 22 April 1968, 672 UNTS 119 [ARRA]; Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects, 29 March 1972, 961 UNTS 187 [LC]; Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space, 14 January 1975, 1023 UNTS 15 (in force 15 September 1956) [Reg Conv]; and Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, UN Doc. A/34/664, New York, 5 December 1979 [Moon Agreement].
- 41.
For details, see Christol (1991b), at 311–312.
- 42.
Fawcett (1968), at 15–16.
- 43.
Grego, supra note 29 at 7.
- 44.
Jakhu (2005).
- 45.
- 46.
Wescott (1990).
- 47.
New Catholic Encyclopedia (2003).
- 48.
Birch (1985).
- 49.
Lutfy and Toffolo (2018), at 393–395.
- 50.
Charter of the United Nations, 26 June 1945, 1 UNTS XVI (in force 24 October 1945) [UN Charter] Article 1.
- 51.
Kalb (2018), at 3–7.
- 52.
Fawcett, supra note 41.
- 53.
Status of International Agreements Relating to Activities in Outer Space as at 1 January 2018, UN COPUOUS, A/AC.105/C.2/2018/CRP.3 (9 April 2018).
- 54.
Erwin (2018).
- 55.
Hampson (2017).
- 56.
Bragg (2017).
- 57.
OST, supra note 39, Preamble.
- 58.
Ibid. Article 3.
- 59.
Ibid. These duties are implicitly and explicitly stated in the Preamble, Articles I, III, IV, VI and IX of OST.
- 60.
Constitution and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union 22 December 1992, Vol. 1825, 1-31251 (in force 1 July 1994) [ITU Constitution] Article 45.
- 61.
UNOOSA (2018), at iii.
- 62.
International Air Transport Association, “Early Days”, online: IATA https://www.iata.org/about/Pages/history-early-days.aspx (accessed on 22 May 2017).
- 63.
Leonard (2018), at 288–289.
- 64.
Scholvin and Wigell (2018), at 4.
- 65.
Foust (2018).
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Nair, K.K. (2019). The Principle of Peaceful Use of Outer Space: Reviewing the Scope of “Peaceful” in the Changed Context. In: Small Satellites and Sustainable Development - Solutions in International Space Law. SpringerBriefs in Law. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18620-3_2
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