Open AccessIn Search of a Legal Solution to the Weaponisation of Space: A Russian Perspective
Author(s) -
Yevgeny Zvedre
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
national security journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2703-1934
pISSN - 2703-1926
DOI - 10.36878/nsj20200201.06
Subject(s) - outer space , space (punctuation) , context (archaeology) , political science , arms control , law , international law , international community , work (physics) , china , software deployment , soviet union , nuclear weapon , space law , engineering , geography , computer science , politics , mechanical engineering , software engineering , archaeology , commercialization , operating system
This article is primarily focused on the diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing the weaponisation of outer space, or development of weapon systems designed to destroy targets, either orbital or terrestrial, or from the ground in outer space. Along with that, a number of anti-satellite weapon projects that both the United States (US) and the Soviet Union/Russia have been developing since the 1950s are briefly described as examples of their military competition in space. Highlighted is the work that has been done within the United Nations (UN) context to develop a corpus of universal principles and norms governing international exploration of outer space as the common heritage of humankind, free from the use of force. The author also highlights the positive role that arms control treaties have been playing in preventing deployment of weapons in space. Particular emphasis is given to the potential consequences for global security should attack weapons appear in outer space, and to the importance of a further targeted effort by the international community to work out additional regulations strengthening space security. In this regard, draft treaties on the prevention of weapons in space introduced by Russia and China, and the European Union’s International Code of conduct for Space are emphasised.