Context: As ambitious space missions are proliferating with advances in commercial space flight, there are concerns about possible indiscriminate space mining, interplanetary contamination and militarization of outer space.
Space event launched during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Mars mission: The launch of mission to Mars by China and US, along with the UAE’s Mars orbiter.
• Space-X: The first astronaut trip to orbit on a commercial enterprise.
• Navigation satellite: China’s launched new rival of GPS called BEIDOU and making to the elite group of countries with their own global navigation satellite system [GNSS].
• Space weapon: The US accused Russia of test- firing an anti-satellite weapon in space.

Positive Implications of Space technology

• Low latency Internet system: Starlink is a satellite constellation being constructed by Space-X to provide global Internet access.It transcend the digital divide and provide everyone, everywhere access to services such as distance education and telemedicine.
• Space data or big data from space: Space technology is being utilized to collect and analyze data to deliver clear insights in weather forecasting, global logistic, crop harvesting and disaster response.
• Space manufacturing: It includes manufacturing of very few materials that can only be made in the microgravity environment of space and have sufficient value back on Earth.
• For example- ZBLAN: A fiber optic material that may lead to much lower signal losses per length of fiber than anything that can be made on Earth.

Legal Principles for outer space: The United Nations General Assembly adopted five declarations and legal principles:

• The Outer Space Treaty (1967): Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
• The Rescue Agreement (1968): Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
• The Liability Convention (1972): Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects.
• The Registration Convention (1976): Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
• The Moon Agreement (1984): Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.

Major challenges in utilizing full potential of Outer Space
Outdated space laws

• As the outer space becomes democratized, commercialized and crowded, the multilateral framework for its governance is becoming outdated.
• Space laws do not have dispute settlement mechanism.
• The laws are silent on collisions and debris and offer insufficient guidance on interference with the others space assets.

State-centric legal framework

• The legislation is state-centric, placing responsibility on states alone.
• Lack of alignmentof domestic and international frameworks will start a damaging free-for-all competition for celestial resources.

Misuse of strategic position

• Military purpose: Commercial satellite data could be acquired by the government to monitor military movement.
• Space military weapon: Some countries send payload into space that looks capable of being a military weapon. These kinds of test produce substantial debris that could damage other satellite.

Road Ahead

• There is dire need of space legislation which will enable coherence across technical, legal, commercial, diplomatic and defence goals for all participating parties. It is a high time for the world to frame new laws that address global governance, regulatory and arms control issues in outer space.