On October 9th, next month, the American SPACE
SHUTTLE will take off again. But such an achievement
definitely does mean important juridical consequences at
world level.
THE SPACE SHUTTLE and the
welfare of humankind
The complete success of the first experiment in flight
of the United States space shuttle, now, proves the
reliability of operating, by steps, regular orbiting
transportation that would set up permanent living
habitat, secure and cheap, in space, that could be used
for laboratory, factory or even leisure purposes.
Would military use of the shuttle be precluded
?
The two space super-powers have initiated, during the
era of détente which brought euphoria, the January
27th 1967 treaty, open to all the States, upon the
principles that are to rule the activity of States in the
field of extra-atmospheric exploration and utilization,
included the moon and other celestial bodies. Number 1
Article states that "the exploration and utilization of
extra-atmospheric space, included the moon and other
celestial bodies have to be conducted on behalf of the
welfare and the interest of all countries … they are
the heritage of the whole of humankind".
As for the scope of this principle, proclaimed in
terms of a prophecy, the Soviet Union and U.S.A.
delegations belonging to U.N. agencies that have tried
for many years to draft a statute for telebroadcasting
and teledetection, have never been able to agree.
The last U.N. Assembly established the active
preparation of the Unites Nations Second Conference on
the peaceful exploration and utilization of space, that
is to take place in Vienna from August 8 to 21 1982. This
is an opportunity not to be missed and the Space Powers
are to be asked to conclude a protocol for
interpretation, which should make clear the ambiguous
terms of the 1967 Treaty ; the vagueness of the wording
need be put into harmony with the principles proclaimed,
since the ambiguity is a threat to peace.
