Treaty on Principles Governing Activities in Outer Space (Outer Space Treaty)
1967-01-27
1967-10-10
Summary
The Outer Space Treaty establishes that outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is free for exploration and use by all nations and cannot be appropriated by sovereignty claims. It prohibits placing nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies. The treaty has been tested by the growth of commercial space activities and the question of space resource utilization.
Parties
U.S. Implementing Legislation
Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015
51 U.S.C. §§ 51301–51303
Authorizes U.S. citizens to possess, own, transport, use, and sell space resources, raising questions about consistency with the Outer Space Treaty's non-appropriation principle.
Key Cases
Space resource rights remain largely untested in court — potential tension between U.S. legislation and treaty obligations