International Space Law
Outer Space Treaty and Liability Convention
The Outer Space Treaty (OST), 1967, is the foundational instrument of international space law. It establishes that outer space is the province of all mankind, prohibits national appropriation of outer space or celestial bodies, and makes States internationally responsible for national space activities, including those of private entities. The Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (Liability Convention), 1972, establishes absolute liability for damage caused on Earth's surface and fault-based liability for damage in orbit.
- The OST was opened for signature in January 1967 and entered into force in October 1967; India is a signatory.
- Article VI of the OST makes States responsible for authorising and supervising their nationals' space activities — the legal basis for national space legislation like India's Space Policy 2023.
- Article VII of the OST and the Liability Convention create a "launching State" liability regime — relevant as space data centres become orbital infrastructure that could generate debris or cause collisions.
- The Liability Convention does not explicitly address orbital debris, creating a regulatory gap that becomes more acute as commercial infrastructure proliferates in LEO.
- Space debris in LEO — currently estimated at over 27,000 trackable objects — poses collision risk; adding data centre satellite clusters increases orbital congestion.
● Tracked since March 20, 2026 · last seen May 09, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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