The international community will have to take this issue very carefully in the near future, the state corporation noted
MOSCOW, January 27. /tass/. The international community should develop a legally binding document that will regulate the development of space resources for commercial purposes. This was stated to TASS in the press service of Roscosmos on the eve of the 55th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Principles of the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
"In the near future, the international community will have to take this issue very carefully and create a legally binding document on the development of space resources for commercial purposes based on international consensus," the press service said in response to the question of how the 1967 treaty correlates with the law "On the Competitiveness of Commercial Space Launches" adopted in the United States, which permits commercial exploration and exploitation of resources without declaring ownership of the object being developed.
Such a document, the state corporation is convinced, will ensure the application of international law to such activities.
Roscosmos recalled that the legal regulation of exploration and production of space resources is being actively discussed at international venues, including within the framework of the UN. According to the state corporation, national legislation can become an addition to international space law and contribute to its development, but only if it complies with the international obligations of the state and has a positive effect for establishing the future international legal regime in space.
The Outer Space Treaty
The 1967 Treaty is one of the fundamental documents of international space law, the press service recalled. "At the same time, the increase in the number of participants in space activities <...> entails a lot of technical, legal and political problems that require serious global consideration, primarily at the UN site," Roscosmos said.
The Treaty on the Principles of Activities for the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, was signed on January 27, 1967 by the Soviet Union, the United States and Great Britain. At the same time, it was opened for signing by the rest of the world. The document entered into force on October 10, 1967 (the condition was ratification by five States, including three depositary Powers). This document was approved at the 21st session of the UN General Assembly on December 19, 1966.
As of January 2022, 111 States are parties to the Outer Space Treaty, another 23 have signed the document, but have not completed ratification.
