Facts About: Outer Space Treaty and Moon Treaty

The US President had signed the US Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act in November 2015. The law allows US citizens and companies to mine the asteroids and other celestial bodies. While the act extends property rights over space minerals, it won’t allow for claiming ownership of a celestial body. The bill provided enough comfort level to the space start-ups and potential investors in the US. The signing of the act is seen as a race for outer space minerals.

There are two international level agreements related to space activities.

Outer Space Treaty (1967)

The Outer Space Treaty also known as ‘Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies’ laid down the basic framework for international regulation on space related activities. Presently more than 100 countries are signatories to it. United States is also one of the signatories. The law universalises the outer space. It emphasises that no country can claim exclusive sovereignty of jurisdiction over space. It also prohibits countries from deploying “nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction” in outer space. The treaty repeatedly emphasises that space is to be used for peaceful purposes.

Moon Agreement (1979)

The agreement was signed following an initiative by the Soviet Union. The treaty also known as ‘Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies’ bans all explorations and uses of celestial bodies without the approval or benefit of other states. It covers all celestial bodies including orbits. Very few countries are signatories to it. United States is not a signatory to it.