Beating the Rhetoric
The Outer Space Treaty was signed by the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union in January 1967 and it came into force in October 1967. Since then, this treaty has been signed and ratified by more than a hundred countries across the world. The Outer Space Treaty or OST forms the bedrock of the international law that governs outer space. The basic philosophy behind this treaty is rooted in the period that it was set in. The 1960s were a period when Cold War was at its peak and the Western Block and the Soviet Block thought of restricting the theatre of war or nuclear escalation. Since both the US and Soviet Union had by then launched extensive space probes , these powers decided to come togther to restrict the use of Outer Space as theatres of war.
This treaty bars parties from placing weapons of mass destructions in bodies orbiting Earth in Outer Space or any other celestial bodies. The treaty specfically was directed towards the Moon since both the US and Soviet Union at that point had launched lunar programs. This treaty exclusivly limits the use of Moon to peaceful and scientific purposes and bars the use of military maneouvers or excercises of any kind. The Treaty does not however prohibit the placing of conventional weapons in Space and declares Space as free for all. Astronauts are recognised as ambassadors of mankind rather than the individual country that they belong to.
The treaty contains seventeen articles which the nations must adhere to. Article 1: This can be called the soul of the treaty. It states that the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development. This shall be used for the benefit for all mankind in accordance with equality without discrimination of any manner. Outer Space is the domain for scientific investigatin and States will encourage and facilitate each other towards the same.
Article 2: It Prohibits the use of outer space including moon and other clestial bodies from being earmarked by claims of sovreignty by nations by occuptation or any other means. Article 3: This article states that all states and nations will conduct themslevs in outer space in accordance to international laws and conventions. Article 4: Prohibits the use of weapons of mass destruction from orbiting in outer space or their stationing in any manner.
Article 5: It outlines that the moon and other celestial bodies shall be used by all States Parties to the Treaty exclusively for peaceful purposes. The establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of military manoeuvres on celestial bodies shall be forbidden. The use of military personnel for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes shall not be prohibited. The use of any equipment or facility necessary for peaceful exploration of the moon and other celestial bodies shall also not be prohibited. The 5th Article of the treaty regards astronauts as envoys of mankind in outer space.
Article 6: It fixes international responsibility for national activities in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, whether such activities are carried on by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities, and for assuring that national activities are carried out in conformity with the provisions set forth in the present Treaty. Article 7: It fixes liability for damages on nations partaking in activties in outer space. Article 8: Fixes responsiblity of goods as well as of acitivties of outerspace and tries to harmonise the nation claims within the framework of international cooperation.
Article 9: It talks about principle of cooperation and mutual asistance and also urges nations to restrict the contamination of the outer space environment. Should a state beleive its activties can contaminate the outer space it must seek international consultations before indulging in such a beahviour because the treaty beleives that space is for all. Article 10: It forms the bedrock of international equality. It states that to promote international co-operation in the exploration and use of outer space , nations must favourly consider requests of other nations.Such examples are in vogue when India launched 104 satellites recently into space with satellites from not only India but also more than six other nations.
Article 11: It gives primacy to the Secretary General of the United Nations to conduct activties in a bipartisaian manner which would benefit mankind as a whole and ensure international cooperation. Article12: It states that all stations, installations, equipment and space vehicles on the moon and other celestial bodies shall be open to representatives of other States Parties to the Treaty on a basis of reciprocity. Article 13: states that the provisions of this Treaty shall apply to the activities of States Parties to the Treaty in the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, whether such activities are carried on by a single State Party to the Treaty or jointly with other States, including cases where they are carried on within the framework of international inter-governmental organizations. Article 14: It says that the Treaty is open for all. Article 15: It gives the power to propose amendment to this treaty by any party. Article 16: It talks about the terms as equal. Article 17: It is merely an administrative direction towards how the treaty is notified by the UN to the Depository Governments as well as the acceding states.
This treaty is one of the most sucessful in terms of the fact that nations have acceeded and lived by it for the past fifty years. Also by seeing all nations as equal this treaty truly respects the spirit of international cooperation. In the history of mankind the treaty on outer space stands as one of its biggest achievments in international cooperation and unity.
-( The views expressed by the author are personal)