🌌 DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE LAW (1957 to Present) –
Easy Study Guide 🧠
🛰️1957 – Launch of Sputnik-1 (USSR)
What happened? First artificial satellite launched
Why is it important?
→ Created global panic and urgency
→ No law existed to regulate space
→ Sparked demand for international space governance
🏛️1959 – Formation of COPUOS (UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of
Outer Space)
UN’s official forum for space law
What it does: Discusses legal and technical issues in space
Still active today
Foundation for future treaties
📜 1963 – UNGA Resolution 1962
Title: “Declaration of Legal Principles Governing Activities of States in Outer Space”
Importance:
→ First set of legal rules about space
→ Inspired the Outer Space Treaty later
🚀 1967 – Outer Space Treaty (OST)
Most important treaty in space law
Main points:
o No national appropriation (can't own Moon/planets)
o Peaceful use only
o States responsible for national and private actions (Article VI)
o Exploration is for the benefit of all
👩🚀 1968 – Rescue Agreement
If astronauts are in danger, all nations must help
Protects human life in space
Extends humanitarian law to space
💥 1972 – Liability Convention
Launching state is liable if their space object causes damage
2 types of liability:
o Absolute liability (on Earth)
o Fault-based liability (in space)
📖 1975 – Registration Convention
Countries must register space objects they launch
Ensures transparency and responsibility
Helps track satellites and assign liability
🌙 1979 – Moon Agreement
Moon = Common Heritage of Mankind
Problem: Very few countries signed (not USA, Russia, India)
Says resources on the Moon must be shared equally
Mostly symbolic, but still part of space law
☢️1992 – Principles on Nuclear Power Sources (NPS) in Outer Space
Adopted under UNGA Res. 47/68
Sets safety principles for using nuclear power (like for deep space missions)
Example: RTGs in Mars rovers
🛰️1998 – International Space Station (ISS) Agreement
Agreement between NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and CSA
Multilateral treaty for cooperation
Divides roles, funding, ownership of ISS modules
♻️2007 – COPUOS Debris Mitigation Guidelines
Non-binding rules to reduce space debris
Includes best practices like:
o De-orbit satellites after use
o Avoid explosions
o Share tracking data
🌱 2019 – LTS Guidelines (Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space
Activities)
21 voluntary guidelines by COPUOS
Focus on safety, sustainability, environmental protection
Encourages nations to work together long-term
🌕 2020s – Artemis Accords
Led by the USA (with NASA)
Promotes cooperation for Moon exploration
Supports commercial use, safety zones, transparency
Not a treaty — a set of bilateral agreements
Title: Development of International Space Law (1957 to Present)
🚀 1957: Launch of Sputnik-1 – The Wake-Up Call for Law
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik-1, the first artificial satellite,
marking the beginning of the space age. While this was a technological triumph, it raised
immediate legal concerns. Until then, international law primarily governed terrestrial
activities and airspace. With Sputnik, a man-made object was now traveling around Earth,
crossing over sovereign states without permission. This raised a fundamental question: Does
national sovereignty extend into outer space?
Legal Uncertainty Created by Sputnik:
Chicago Convention (1944) defined state sovereignty over airspace, but did not
define the boundary between airspace and outer space.
Sputnik's overflight set a de facto precedent that outer space is not subject to
sovereignty, because no nation objected.
The event sparked fears of space-based weapons and militarization, especially during
the Cold War.
Need for Regulation:
The launch demonstrated that outer space was accessible, and thus needed to be
governed.
The world now faced the challenge of balancing freedom of exploration with
national security.
The absence of legal norms for satellite activity, liability, or ownership created a
regulatory vacuum.
Sputnik served as the catalyst for initiating international discussions on space governance,
eventually leading to the creation of COPUOS.
🏛️1959: Establishment of COPUOS – United Nations Steps
In
In response to the legal uncertainty following Sputnik-1, the United Nations General
Assembly established the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in
1959 as a permanent committee under Resolution 1472 (XIV).
Historical Context:
The Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union made
international cooperation difficult, but both agreed that space should not become a
new battlefield.
The UN became the neutral platform to initiate global dialogue.
Mandate of COPUOS:
Promote international cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space.
Formulate international legal instruments governing space activities.
Encourage sharing of information and data related to outer space.
Review scientific and technical developments and their implications.
Structure:
Legal Subcommittee: Focuses on developing and reviewing treaties and principles.
Scientific and Technical Subcommittee: Deals with technological developments and
safety.
Achievements:
COPUOS became the forum that negotiated and adopted the five major UN space
treaties:
1. Outer Space Treaty (1967)
2. Rescue Agreement (1968)
3. Liability Convention (1972)
4. Registration Convention (1975)
5. Moon Agreement (1979)
COPUOS also continues to serve as the key global forum for discussing emerging space
issues, such as space debris, commercialization, and planetary protection.
📅 1963: UNGA Resolution 1962 – The Legal Principles
Declaration
The Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration
and Use of Outer Space (UNGA Res. 1962, XVIII) was adopted unanimously in 1963. This
was the first official legal framework that attempted to regulate state behavior in outer
space.
Legal Significance:
Served as a soft law instrument that influenced treaty drafting.
Declared space to be the "province of all mankind".
Reinforced that no national appropriation of space or celestial bodies is allowed.
Set a standard of international responsibility for actions in outer space.
Key Provisions:
1. Universal Benefit: Activities in space must benefit all countries.
2. Freedom of Exploration: Space is free for access and use by all.
3. Non-appropriation: No country can claim territory in space.
4. State Responsibility: States are responsible for both governmental and non-
governmental activities.
5. Liability: States are liable for damages caused by their space objects.
6. Astronaut Assistance: Astronauts are envoys of humanity and must be assisted.
7. Registration: Space objects should be registered to ensure accountability.
8. Environmental Responsibility: Avoid harmful contamination of outer space.
This declaration paved the way for the legally binding Outer Space Treaty of 1967,
functioning as a norm-setting instrument.
