Outer Space Treaty
Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies | |
---|---|
Parties Signatories Non-parties | |
Signed | 27 January 1967 |
Location | London, Moscow and Washington, D.C. |
Effective | 10 October 1967 |
Condition | 5 ratifications, including the depositary Governments |
Parties | 104[1] |
Depositary | Governments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America |
Languages | English, French, Russian, Spanish and Chinese |
Outer Space Treaty of 1967 at Wikisource |
The Outer Space Treaty, formally the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, is a treaty that forms the basis of international space law. The treaty was opened for signature in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union on 27 January 1967, and entered into force on 10 October 1967. As of September 2015, 104 countries are parties to the treaty, while another 24 have signed the treaty but have not completed ratification.[1] In addition, the Republic of China (Taiwan), which is currently only recognized by 21 UN member states, ratified the treaty prior to the United Nations General Assembly's vote to transfer China's seat to the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1971.[2]
Key points
The Outer Space Treaty represents the basic legal framework of international space law. Among its principles, it bars states party to the treaty from placing weapons of mass destruction in orbit of Earth, installing them on the Moon or any other celestial body, or otherwise stationing them in outer space. It exclusively limits the use of the Moon and other celestial bodies to peaceful purposes and expressly prohibits their use for testing weapons of any kind, conducting military maneuvers, or establishing military bases, installations, and fortifications (Art.IV). However, the Treaty does not prohibit the placement of conventional weapons in orbit. The treaty also states that the exploration of outer space shall be done to benefit all countries and shall be free for exploration and use by all the States.
The treaty explicitly forbids any government from claiming a celestial resource such as the Moon or a planet.[3] Art. II of the Treaty states that "outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means". However, the State that launches a space object retains jurisdiction and control over that object.[4] The State is also liable for damages caused by their space object.[5]
Responsibility for activities in space
Article VI of the Outer Space Treaty deals with international responsibility, stating that "the activities of non-governmental entities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall require authorization and continuing supervision by the appropriate State Party to the Treaty" and that States Parties shall bear international responsibility for national space activities whether carried out by governmental or non-governmental entities.
As a result of discussions arising from Project West Ford in 1963, a consultation clause was included in Article IX of the Outer Space Treaty: "A State Party to the Treaty which has reason to believe that an activity or experiment planned by another State Party in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, would cause potentially harmful interference with activities in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, may request consultation concerning the activity or experiment."[6][7]
Follow-ups
- The Moon Treaty of 1979 was meant to be the follow-up to the Outer Space Treaty, but failed to be ratified by any major space-faring nation such as those capable of orbital spaceflight.[8] The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) oversees these treaties and other questions of space jurisdiction.
Status
List of parties
The Outer Space Treaty was opened for signature in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union on 27 January 1967, and entered into force on 10 October 1967. As of September 2015, 104 countries are parties to the treaty, while another 24 have signed the treaty but have not completed ratification.[1]
Multiple dates indicate the different days in which states submitted their signature or deposition, which varied by location. This location is noted by: (L) for London, (M) for Moscow, and (W) for Washington, DC.
State[1][9][10][11] | Signed | Deposited | Method |
---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Jan 30, 1967 (M) |
Mar 17, 1988 (L, M) Mar 21, 1988 (W) |
Ratification |
Algeria | Jan 27, 1992 (W) | Accession | |
Antigua and Barbuda | Nov 16, 1988 (W) Dec 26, 1988 (M) Jan 26, 1989 (L) |
Succession from United Kingdom | |
Argentina | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Apr 18, 1967 (M) |
Mar 26, 1969 (M, W) | Ratification |
Australia | Jan 27, 1967 (W) | Oct 10, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Austria | Feb 20, 1967 (L, M, W) | Feb 26, 1968 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Azerbaijan | Sep 9, 2015 (L) | Accession | |
Bahamas | Aug 11, 1976 (L) Aug 13, 1976 (W) Aug 30, 1976 (M) |
Succession from United Kingdom | |
Bangladesh | Jan 14, 1986 (L) Jan 17, 1986 (W) Jan 24, 1986 (M) |
Accession | |
Barbados | Sep 12, 1968 (W) | Accession | |
Belarus | Feb 10, 1967 (M) | Oct 31, 1967 (M) | Ratification |
Belgium | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M) Feb 2, 1967 (W) |
Mar 30, 1973 (W) Mar 31, 1973 (L, M) |
Ratification |
Benin | Jun 19, 1986 (M) Jul 2, 1986 (L) Jul 7, 1986 (W) |
Accession | |
Brazil | Jan 30, 1967 (M) Feb 2, 1967 (L, W) |
Mar 5, 1969 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Bulgaria | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Mar 28, 1967 (M) Apr 11, 1967 (W) Apr 19, 1967 (L) |
Ratification |
Burkina Faso | Mar 3, 1967 (W) | Jun 18, 1968 (W) | Ratification |
Canada | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Oct 10, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Chile | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Feb 3, 1967 (L) Feb 20, 1967 (M) |
Oct 8, 1981 (W) | Ratification |
China | Dec 30, 1983 (W) Jan 6, 1984 (M) Jan 12, 1984 (L) |
Accession | |
Cuba | Jun 3, 1977 (M) | Accession | |
Cyprus | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Feb 15, 1967 (M) Feb 16, 1967 (L) |
Jul 5, 1972 (L, W) Sep 20, 1972 (M) |
Ratification |
Czech Republic | Jan 1, 1993 (M, W) Sep 29, 1993 (L) |
Succession from Czechoslovakia | |
Denmark | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Oct 10, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Dominican Republic | Jan 27, 1967 (W) | Nov 21, 1968 (W) | Ratification |
Ecuador | Jan 27, 1967 (W) May 16, 1967 (L) Jun 7, 1967 (M) |
Mar 7, 1969 (W) | Ratification |
Egypt | Jan 27, 1967 (M, W) | Oct 10, 1967 (W) Jan 23, 1968 (M) |
Ratification |
El Salvador | Jan 27, 1967 (W) | Jan 15, 1969 (W) | Ratification |
Equatorial Guinea | Jan 16, 1989 (M) | Accession | |
Estonia | Apr 19, 2010 (M) | Accession | |
Fiji | Jul 18, 1972 (W) Aug 14, 1972 (L) Aug 29, 1972 (M) |
Succession from United Kingdom | |
Finland | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Jul 12, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
France | Sep 25, 1967 (L, M, W) | Aug 5, 1970 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Germany | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Feb 10, 1971 (L, W) | Ratification |
Greece | Jan 27, 1967 (W) | Jan 19, 1971 (L) | Ratification |
Guinea-Bissau | Aug 20, 1976 (M) | Accession | |
Hungary | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Jun 26, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Iceland | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Feb 5, 1968 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
India | Mar 3, 1967 (L, M, W) | Jan 18, 1982 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Indonesia | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Jan 30, 1967 (M) Feb 14, 1967 (L) |
Jun 25, 2002 (L) | Ratification |
Iraq | Feb 27, 1967 (L, W) Mar 9, 1967 (M) |
Dec 4, 1968 (M) Sep 23, 1969 (L) |
Ratification |
Ireland | Jan 27, 1967 (L, W) | Jul 17, 1968 (W) Jul 19, 1968 (L) |
Ratification |
Israel | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Feb 18, 1977 (W) Mar 1, 1977 (L) Apr 4, 1977 (M) |
Ratification |
Italy | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | May 4, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Jamaica | Jun 29, 1967 (L, M, W) | Aug 6, 1970 (W) Aug 10, 1970 (L) Aug 21, 1970 (M) |
Ratification |
Japan | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Oct 10, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Kazakhstan | Jun 11, 1998 (M) | Accession | |
Kenya | Jan 19, 1984 (L) | Accession | |
North Korea | Mar 5, 2009 (M) | Accession | |
South Korea | Jan 27, 1967 (W) | Oct 13, 1967 (W) | Ratification |
Kuwait | Jun 7, 1972 (W) Jun 20, 1972 (L) Jul 4, 1972 (M) |
Accession | |
Laos | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Jan 30, 1967 (L) Feb 2, 1967 (M) |
Nov 27, 1972 (M) Nov 29, 1972 (W) Jan 15, 1973 (L) |
Ratification |
Lebanon | Feb 23, 1967 (L, M, W) | Mar 31, 1969 (L, M) Jun 30, 1969 (W) |
Ratification |
Libya | Jul 3, 1968 (W) | Accession | |
Lithuania | Mar 25, 2013 (W) | Accession | |
Luxembourg | Jan 27, 1967 (M, W) Jan 31, 1967 (L) |
Jan 17, 2006 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Madagascar | Aug 22, 1968 (W) | Accession | |
Mali | Jun 11, 1968 (M) | Accession | |
Mauritius | Apr 7, 1969 (W) Apr 21, 1969 (L) May 13, 1969 (M) |
Succession from United Kingdom | |
Mexico | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Jan 31, 1968 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Mongolia | Jan 27, 1967 (M) | Oct 10, 1967 (M) | Ratification |
Morocco | Dec 21, 1967 (L, M) Dec 22, 1967 (W) |
Accession | |
Myanmar | May 22, 1967 (L, M, W) | Mar 18, 1970 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Nepal | Feb 3, 1967 (M, W) Feb 6, 1967 (L) |
Oct 10, 1967 (L) Oct 16, 1967 (M) Nov 22, 1967 (W) |
Ratification |
Netherlands | Feb 10, 1967 (L, M, W) | Oct 10, 1969 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
New Zealand | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | May 31, 1968 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Niger | Feb 1, 1967 (W) | Apr 17, 1967 (L) May 3, 1967 (W) |
Ratification |
Nigeria | Nov 14, 1967 (L) | Accession | |
Norway | Feb 3, 1967 (L, M, W) | Jul 1, 1969 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Pakistan | Sep 12, 1967 (L, M, W) | Apr 8, 1968 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Papua New Guinea | Oct 27, 1980 (L) Nov 13, 1980 (M) Mar 16, 1981 (W) |
Succession from Australia | |
Peru | Jun 30, 1967 (W) | Feb 28, 1979 (M) Mar 1, 1979 (L) Mar 21, 1979 (W) |
Ratification |
Poland | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Jan 30, 1968 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Portugal | May 29, 1996 (L) | Accession | |
Qatar | Mar 13, 2012 (W) | Accession | |
Romania | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Apr 9, 1968 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Russia | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Oct 10, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | May 13, 1999 (L) | Succession from United Kingdom | |
San Marino | Apr 21, 1967 (W) Apr 24, 1967 (L) Jun 6, 1967 (M) |
Oct 29, 1968 (W) Nov 21, 1968 (M) Feb 3, 1969 (L) |
Ratification |
Saudi Arabia | Dec 17, 1976 (W) | Accession | |
Seychelles | Jan 5, 1978 (L) | Accession | |
Sierra Leone | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M) May 16, 1967 (W) |
Jul 13, 1967 (M) Jul 14, 1967 (W) Oct 25, 1967 (L) |
Ratification |
Singapore | Sep 10, 1976 (L, M, W) | Accession | |
Slovakia | Jan 1, 1993 (M, W) May 17, 1993 (L) |
Succession from Czechoslovakia | |
South Africa | Mar 1, 1967 (W) | Sep 30, 1968 (W) Oct 8, 1968 (L) Nov 14, 1968 (M) |
Ratification |
Spain | Nov 27, 1968 (L) Dec 7, 1968 (W) |
Accession | |
Sri Lanka | Mar 10, 1967 (L) | Nov 18, 1986 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Sweden | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Oct 11, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Switzerland | Jan 27, 1967 (L, W) Jan 30, 1967 (M) |
Dec 18, 1969 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Syria | Nov 19, 1968 (M) | Accession | |
Thailand | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Sep 5, 1968 (L) Sep 9, 1968 (M) Sep 10, 1968 (W) |
Ratification |
Togo | Jan 27, 1967 (W) | Jun 26, 1989 (W) | Ratification |
Tonga | Jun 22, 1971 (M) Jul 7, 1971 (L, W) |
Succession from United Kingdom | |
Tunisia | Jan 27, 1967 (L, W) Feb 15, 1967 (M) |
Mar 28, 1968 (L) Apr 4, 1968 (M) Apr 17, 1968 (W) |
Ratification |
Turkey | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Mar 27, 1968 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Uganda | Apr 24, 1968 (W) | Accession | |
Ukraine | Feb 10, 1967 (M) | Oct 31, 1967 (M) | Ratification |
United Arab Emirates | Oct 4, 2000 (W) | Accession | |
United Kingdom | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Oct 10, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
United States | Jan 27, 1967 (L, M, W) | Oct 10, 1967 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
Uruguay | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Jan 30, 1967 (M) |
Aug 31, 1970 (W) | Ratification |
Venezuela | Jan 27, 1967 (W) | Mar 3, 1970 (W) | Ratification |
Vietnam | Jun 20, 1980 (M) | Accession | |
Yemen | Jun 1, 1979 (M) | Accession | |
Zambia | Aug 20, 1973 (W) Aug 21, 1973 (M) Aug 28, 1973 (L) |
Accession |
Partially recognized state abiding by treaty
The Republic of China (Taiwan), which is currently only recognized by 21 UN member states, ratified the treaty prior to the United Nations General Assembly's vote to transfer China's seat to the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1971. When the PRC subsequently ratified the treaty, they described the Republic of China's (ROC) ratification as "illegal". The ROC has committed itself to continue to adhere to the requirements of the treaty, and the United States has declared that they still consider them to be "bound by its obligations".[2]
State | Signed | Deposited | Method |
---|---|---|---|
Republic of China | 27 Jan 1967 | 24 Jul 1970 | Ratification |
States that have signed but not ratified
State | Signed |
---|---|
Bolivia | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Botswana | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Burundi | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Cameroon | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Central African Republic | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Colombia | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Apr 29, 1967 (M) May 4, 1967 (L) |
Ethiopia | Jan 27, 1967 (L, W) Feb 10, 1967 (M) |
Gambia | Jun 2, 1967 (L) |
Ghana | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Feb 15, 1967 (M) Mar 3, 1967 (L) |
Guyana | Feb 3, 1967 (W) |
Haiti | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Holy See | Apr 5, 1967 (L) |
Honduras | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Iran | Jan 27, 1967 (L) |
Jordan | Feb 2, 1967 (W) |
Lesotho | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Malaysia | Feb 20, 1967 (W) Feb 21, 1967 (L) May 3, 1967 (M) |
Nicaragua | Jan 27, 1967 (W) Feb 13, 1967 (L) |
Panama | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Philippines | Jan 27, 1967 (L, W) Apr 29, 1967 (M) |
Rwanda | Jan 27, 1967 (W) |
Somalia | Feb 2, 1967 (W) |
Trinidad and Tobago | Jul 24, 1967 (L) Aug 17, 1967 (M) Sep 28, 1967 (W) |
See also
- High-altitude nuclear explosion (HANE)
- Lunar Flag Assembly
- Militarization of space
- Apollo 1 - the first NASA astronaut spacecraft fatality (occurred on January 27, 1967, the day the Outer Space Treaty was signed)
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
- 1 2 "China: Accession to Outer Space Treaty". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
- ↑ Jennifer Frakes, (2003) The Common Heritage of Mankind Principle and the Deep Seabed, Outer Space, and Antarctica: Will Developed and Developing Nations Reach a Compromise? Wiscoscin International Law Journal, 21, at 409
- ↑ Wikisource:Outer Space Treaty of 1967#Article VIII
- ↑ Wikisource:Outer Space Treaty of 1967#Article VII
- ↑ Terrill Jr., Delbert R. (May 1999), Project West Ford, "The Air Force Role in Developing International Outer Space Law" (PDF), Air Force History and Museums:63–67
- ↑ Wikisource:Outer Space Treaty of 1967#Article IX
- ↑ Status of international agreements relating to activities in outer space as at 1 January 2008 United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, 2008
- ↑ "TREATY ON PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF STATES IN THE EXPLORATION AND USE OF OUTER SPACE, INCLUDING THE MOON AND OTHER CELESTIAL BODIES". Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-04. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
"Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and other Celestial Bodies [London version]". Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Retrieved 2015-02-28. - ↑ "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and other Celestial Bodies" (PDF). United States Department of State. 2010-10-06. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
- ↑ "Договор о принципах деятельности государств по исследованию и использованию космического пространства, включая Луну и другие небесные тела" (in Russian). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2015-08-28.
External links
Wikisource has original text related to this article: |
- International Institute of Space Law
- Full text of the "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies" in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, or Spanish
- Status of International Agreements relating to Activities in Outer Space (list of state parties to treaty), UN Office for Outer Space Affairs
- The Case for Withdrawing From The 1967 Outer Space Treaty
- Still Relevant (and Important) After All These Years: The case for supporting the Outer Space Treaty
- Squadron Leader KK Nair's "Space:The Frontiers of Modern Defence" Knowledge World Publishers, New Delhi, Chap-5 (Examining Space Law...), Pg 84–104, available at
- Introductory note by Vladimír Kopal, procedural history note and audiovisual material on the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies in the Historic Archives of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
- Lecture by Vladimír Kopal entitled The Progressive Development of International Space Law by the United Nations in the Lecture Series of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
- Lecture by Vladlen Stepanovich Vereshchetin entitled The Law of Outer Space in the General Legal Field (Commonalities and Particularities) in the Lecture Series of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law