{"id":8328,"date":"2025-09-08T10:55:33","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T10:55:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/"},"modified":"2025-09-10T07:48:35","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T07:48:35","slug":"law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/","title":{"rendered":"Law Without Borders: Justice In The Infinite Cosmos"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_Gets_the_Moon_and_Who_Has_the_Right\"><\/span>Who Gets the Moon, and Who Has the Right?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Can nations claim stars or launch without fight?<br \/>\nTreaties and laws, it\u2019s not just a show \u2014<br \/>\nLet\u2019s navigate space, by the legal code we know.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#Who_Gets_the_Moon_and_Who_Has_the_Right\" >Who Gets the Moon, and Who Has the Right?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#Introduction\" >Introduction<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#What_is_Space_Law\" >What is Space Law?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#Need_of_the_Law_of_Cosmos_and_Its_Background\" >Need of the Law of Cosmos and Its Background<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#The_Beginning_of_Space_Law\" >The Beginning of Space Law<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#Sputnik_A_Turning_Point\" >Sputnik: A Turning Point<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#Overview_of_the_Complete_Legal_Framework_of_Space_Law\" >Overview of the Complete Legal Framework of Space Law<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#What_Needs_to_Be_the_Road_Ahead\" >What Needs to Be the Road Ahead?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#Abstract\" >Abstract<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#References\" >References:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/law-without-borders-justice-in-the-infinite-cosmos-by\/#Books\" >Books:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction\"><\/span>Introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Space_Law\"><\/span>What is Space Law?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Space law can be described as the body of law governing space-related activities. Space law, much like general international law, comprises a variety of international agreements, treaties, conventions, and United Nations General Assembly resolutions as well as rules and regulations of international organizations.<\/p>\n<p>Space law addresses a variety of matters, such as, for example, the preservation of the space and Earth environment, liability for damages caused by space objects, the settlement of disputes, the rescue of astronauts, the sharing of information about potential dangers in outer space, the use of space-related technologies, and international cooperation.<\/p>\n<p>A number of fundamental principles guide the conduct of space activities, including the notion of space as the province of all humankind, the freedom of exploration and use of outer space by all states without discrimination, and the principle of non-appropriation of outer space.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Need_of_the_Law_of_Cosmos_and_Its_Background\"><\/span>Need of the Law of Cosmos and Its Background<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If no one owns the Moon, who has the right to sell \u201clunar land plots\u201d that companies already advertise online?<br \/>\nWho should clean up the \u201ccosmic junkyard\u201d of space debris \u2014 the polluter, the global community, or a new \u201cspace cleaning agency\u201d?<br \/>\nShould future colonies on Mars follow Earth\u2019s laws, or write their own \u201cMars Constitution\u201d?<\/p>\n<p>To get answers to such questions, it is first important to understand the need of space law before getting ahead in the further discussion.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Beginning_of_Space_Law\"><\/span>The Beginning of Space Law<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before 1957, no specific space law existed. International legal discussions focused only on air law under the Chicago Convention (1944), which granted states complete sovereignty over the air above their territory. However, the boundary between airspace (subject to sovereignty) and outer space (beyond sovereignty) was undefined.<\/p>\n<p>Then came the launch of Sputnik I (1957). On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite. This was the first human-made object to orbit the Earth. As it orbited, Sputnik passed over the territories of many states, raising critical questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Did this violate national sovereignty (as in air law)?<\/li>\n<li>Or was outer space a domain free for exploration, like the high seas?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sputnik_A_Turning_Point\"><\/span>Sputnik: A Turning Point<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The flight of Sputnik forced the international community to confront whether existing air law applied to outer space.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Customary acceptance of space freedom:<\/strong> No state protested against Sputnik\u2019s overflight. This silence was understood as state practice and legal acceptance that outer space was not subject to national sovereignty.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Catalyst for international lawmaking:<\/strong> Sputnik directly pushed the United Nations to act upon:\n<ul>\n<li>1958: Formation of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)<\/li>\n<li>1961: UNGA Resolution 1721 \u2013 affirmed that international law applies to outer space<\/li>\n<li>1963: Declaration of Legal Principles (UNGA Resolution 1962)<\/li>\n<li>1967: Outer Space Treaty \u2013 the \u201cMagna Carta\u201d of space law<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overview_of_the_Complete_Legal_Framework_of_Space_Law\"><\/span>Overview of the Complete Legal Framework of Space Law<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The framework of space law can be divided into key phases:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>1957:<\/strong> Space age begins (Sputnik)<\/li>\n<li><strong>1958\u20131963: Foundations &amp; Early Principles<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>1959: UN establishes COPUOS (permanent) \u2013 RES 1472 (XIV)<\/li>\n<li>1961: UNGA RES 1721 (XVI): launch info registry + peaceful uses principles<\/li>\n<li>1963: Declaration of Legal Principles (UNGA RES 1962)<\/li>\n<li>1963: Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT): bans nuclear tests in outer space<\/li>\n<li>1963: UNGA RES 1884 (XVIII): refrain from placing nuclear weapons in orbit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>1967\u20131979: The Five UN Space Treaties (Core)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>1967: Outer Space Treaty (OST) \u2013 framework &amp; peaceful use<\/li>\n<li>1968: Rescue Agreement \u2013 astronauts\u2019 rescue &amp; return<\/li>\n<li>1972: Liability Convention \u2013 damage standards &amp; claims<\/li>\n<li>1975: Registration Convention \u2013 registry of space objects<\/li>\n<li>1979: Moon Agreement \u2013 governance principles for the Moon<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Needs_to_Be_the_Road_Ahead\"><\/span>What Needs to Be the Road Ahead?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Establishing new space norms and regulations:<\/strong> Addressing space debris, non-interference principles, spectrum management, proximity rules, and stricter regulations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Encouraging international cooperation:<\/strong> Promoting adoption of an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities (ICoC).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Leadership role for India:<\/strong> Advocating discussions within BRICS, SCO, and COPUOS to shape governance frameworks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Intellectual property (IP) recognition in space:<\/strong> Establishing legal frameworks for IP rights in outer space activities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ensuring responsible behavior:<\/strong> Shared policies among nations to promote peaceful exploration and use of space.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Abstract\"><\/span>Abstract<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The rapid advancement of space technology and the growing interest in outer space activities by both state and non-state actors have necessitated the development and evolution of space law as a distinct legal discipline. This assignment explores the foundational principles, legal frameworks, and contemporary challenges associated with the regulation of outer space.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>India&#8217;s space sector is undergoing a legal and economic transformation, with its space economy projected to reach $44 billion by 2033 and global market share rising to 8% by 2030. The introduction of the Space Activities Bill, IN-SPACe&#8217;s regulatory frameworks, and new state-level space policies signal a shift toward structured, innovation-driven governance. As India pioneers missions like SpaDeX and advances plans for its own space station, it is poised to lead in shaping global space law. Strategic legal clarity and international collaboration will be crucial to ensuring sustainable and equitable use of outer space.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"References\"><\/span>References:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>https:\/\/www.unoosa.org\/oosa\/en\/ourwork\/copuos\/index.html<\/li>\n<li>https:\/\/www.unoosa.org\/oosa\/en\/ourwork\/spacelaw\/treaties\/resolutions\/res_16_1721.html<\/li>\n<li>https:\/\/www.unoosa.org\/oosa\/en\/ourwork\/spacelaw\/principles\/legal-principles.html<\/li>\n<li>https:\/\/oxfordre.com\/planetaryscience\/display\/10.1093\/acrefore\/9780190647926.001.0001\/acrefore-9780190647926-e-43?d=%2F10.1093%2Facrefore%2F9780190647926.001.0001%2Facrefore-9780190647926-e-43&amp;p=emailAEEdu0Ab7r%2Fwg#acrefore-9780190647926-e-43-div1-5<\/li>\n<li>https:\/\/www.drishtiias.com\/blog\/space-law-and-the-future-of-space-exploration<\/li>\n<li>https:\/\/www.spacefoundation.org\/space_brief\/international-space-law\/<\/li>\n<li>https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/space-law<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Books\"><\/span>Books:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Myes S. Mc Dougal, Harold Laswell and Iuan A. Vlassic, <em>Law and Public Order in Space<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Wilferd Jenks, <em>Space Law<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Written By:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Anubhuti Tripathi<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Harshita Chouhan <\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We (Anubhuti Tripathi and Harshita Chouhan) , law students with brimming interest in law, trying to learn from across the most astonishing statutes have combinely consoildated our research on space law into this article. Through our research we aim to explore how is the era of outer space going to bloom  for the future. This article represents our shared efforts to contribute thoughtful perspectives on this important topic<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":442,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"two_page_speed":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[80],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8328","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-international-law"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/442"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8328"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8328\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}