What is it about?
At the end of the book, the authors set out an innovative proposed protocol to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. The new protocol is designed to ensure that non-State actors, such as corporations and armed groups attempting to exploit the outer space environment, are legally accountable for space pollution. This will provide a level playing field for current and future generations to conduct peaceful activities in outer space.
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Why is it important?
With outer space exploration growing rapidly, the risk of environmental pollution is also rising. This risk is accelerated by conflict and competition amongst space players. Large numbers of non-State actors launching objects into outer space heightens concerns about overcrowding in critical orbital zones, such as the geostationary orbit. In the absence of clear, systematic and global rules on space traffic management, disputes could arise, for example, with regard to collision avoidance measures, communication and access to preferred orbital regions. Additionally, the absence of binding regulations on resource extraction from celestial bodies creates the potential for disputes over ownership and exploitation rights.
Perspectives
The new book Lex Ad Astra is an important contribution to the flourishing literature on space law, and is particularly important because it addresses two key issues: the rise of non-State actors in space and the growing risk of pollution of the outer space environment.
Matthew Gillett
University of Essex
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Annex: Proposed New Protocol to the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 Addressing NSA Responsibility for Space Pollution, January 2025, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004724624_009.
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