Principle of the peaceful use of outer space

Abstract

Principle of the peace full uses of outer space is one of the basic principle of international law. It is currently the only legal obstacle for placement and use of the weapons in outer space. Today the international community is faced with the shift from the currently passive use of outer space to active military use of outer space of a destructive nature. Therefore, the principle of peaceful uses of outer space should be examined from the standpoint of contemporary international law. Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies is considered to be the most significant instrument which establish the principle of peaceful uses of outer space. Beside this Treaty, there are other significant multilateral and bilateral instruments which supplement and develop the principle of peaceful uses in various ways. In this paper, the historical development of the principle of the peaceful uses of outer space will be introduced, and various multilateral and bilateral treaties from this area will be examined. Since the outer space law is the part of the international law, application of the UN Charter should also be examined. Finally, current state of the development of the principle of peaceful uses of outer space and future courses of the principle will be considered.