About Outer Space Treaty:
- It is an international agreement that governs how nations act in space.
- Formally known as the "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies," it is one of international space law’s foundational documents.
- Born out of the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War and the competitive spirit of the space race, the treaty emerged as a response to the potential militarization of space.
- The overall purpose of the Outer Space Treaty is to keep space peaceful.
- The treaty was adopted by the United Nations in 1967.
- Its first signatories were the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union.
- 115 countries are parties to the treaty, including all major spacefaring nations, including India and China. Another 22 countries are signatories.
- It includes several important principles that guide space exploration and use to this day.
- According to the U.N. Office of Outer Space Affairs, the treaty’s key principles are:
- That the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all mankind
- That outer space shall be free for exploration and use by all states
- That outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means
- That states shall not place nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies or station them in outer space in any other manner;
- That the Moon and other celestial bodies shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes; prohibits their use for testing weapons of any kind, conducting military maneuvers, or establishing military bases, installations, and fortifications
- That astronauts shall be regarded as the envoys of mankind
- That states shall be responsible for national space activities whether carried out by governmental or non-governmental entities
- That states shall be liable for damage caused by their space objects
- That states shall avoid harmful contamination of space and celestial bodies.
- Verification:
- States Parties agree to inform the UN Secretary-General as well as the public and the international scientific community, to the greatest extent feasible and practicable, of the nature, conduct, locations, and results of activities covered in this treaty.
- The Treaty sets forth that all stations, installations, equipment, and space vehicles on the Moon and other celestial bodies shall be open to representatives of other States Parties on a reciprocal basis.
