Outer Space Treaty

E26340

The Outer Space Treaty is the foundational international agreement that sets the basic legal framework for the peaceful, non-sovereign use and exploration of outer space by states.


Statements (59)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United Nations treaty
international treaty
space law treaty
adoptedBy United Nations General Assembly
adoptionResolution UN General Assembly Resolution 2222 (XXI)
appliesTo Moon
other celestial bodies
outer space
defines astronauts as envoys of mankind
depository Russia
surface form: "Russian Federation"

United Kingdom
United States of America
surface form: "United States"
enteredIntoForceOn 1967-10-10
enteredIntoForceStatus in force
foundationFor modern international space law
fullName Outer Space Treaty
surface form: "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies"
initialSignatoriesIncluded Soviet Union
United Kingdom
United States of America
surface form: "United States"
language Arabic
Chinese
English
French
Russian
Spanish
negotiatedDuring Cold War
obliges states to avoid adverse changes in the environment of the Earth resulting from space activities
states to avoid harmful contamination of outer space and celestial bodies
openedForSignatureOn 1967-01-27
placeSigned London, England
surface form: "London"

Moscow
Washington, D.C.
principle avoidance of harmful contamination of space and celestial bodies
freedom of exploration and use of outer space
international responsibility for national space activities
liability for damage caused by space objects
non-appropriation of outer space
peaceful purposes of outer space
use of the Moon and other celestial bodies exclusively for peaceful purposes
prohibits conduct of military maneuvers on the Moon and other celestial bodies
establishment of military bases on the Moon and other celestial bodies
national appropriation of outer space by claim of sovereignty
national appropriation of the Moon and other celestial bodies
placement of nuclear weapons in orbit
placement of weapons of mass destruction in outer space
testing of weapons on the Moon and other celestial bodies
relatedTo Liability Convention
Moon Agreement (limited signatories)
surface form: "Moon Agreement"

Registration Convention
Rescue Agreement
requires authorization and continuing supervision of non-governmental space activities by states parties
due regard to the corresponding interests of all other states parties
international responsibility of states for national activities in outer space
prompt assistance to astronauts in distress
registration of space objects through appropriate channels
scope activities of states in outer space
exploration and use of outer space
shortName Outer Space Treaty
subject space law

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

this entity surface form: "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies"
Artemis Accords basedOn Outer Space Treaty
subject surface form: "Moon Agreement"
Outer Space Treaty fullName Outer Space Treaty
this entity surface form: "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies"
Moon governingTreaty Outer Space Treaty
Space Race ledTo Outer Space Treaty
Outer Space Treaty shortName Outer Space Treaty

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