The Space Race, part 3 (Outer Space Treaty)

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Before I will move further, I will mention Outer Space Treaty.

 Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (Outer Space Treaty)

 The US and Soviet Union discussed on the peaceful uses of the space by 1958. The committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was created by the United Nations in 1959. 

 US and Soviet Unions supported the resolution on the Peaceful Uses of Space. President Kennedy proposed cooperative American Soviet space program. The United Nations created a Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, which was signed by the Unites States, Soviet Union and the United Kingdom on January 27, 1967 and went into the force the following October 10. 

 This treaty:
  • bars party States from placing weapons of mass destruction in Earth orbit, on the Moon, or any other celestial body;
  • 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;
  • declares 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;
  • explicitly forbids any government from claiming a celestial resource such as the Moon or a planet, claiming that they are the common heritage of mankind, "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;
  • holds any State liable for damages caused by their space object;
  • declares 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 "States Parties shall bear international responsibility for national space activities whether carried out by governmental or non-governmental entities"; and
  • "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."


Green 105 Parties, Yellow Signatories, Red Non-parties 
The treaty remains in force. 

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