Space Security

Sustainable use of Outer space

Like traditional activities in the domains of land, sea and air, activities in the domain of outer space can affect the peace and security of the international community on Earth. Outer space remains the last environment in which humanity has not deployed weapons.

Our goal is secure and sustainable access to and use of space, and freedom from space-based threats.

We are not likely to achieve this goal in one giant leap. Our aim is therefore to make progress through small, practical and achievable steps which create the preconditions for space actors to consider space weapons to be of marginal utility.

Main multilateral agreements

Non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament aspects of outer space have evolved, in part, through the development of treaties negotiated by the United Nation's Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). These agreements include:

• The 1967 Outer Space Treaty (formally titled as the Treaty on the Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.) The key principles of the Outer Space Treaty are found in Articles I and II. Article I declares that outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is "the province of all mankind" and "shall be free for the exploration and use by all States without discrimination of any kind, on a basis of equality and in accordance with international law." Pursuant to Article II, outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not "subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means." Article III specifies that the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies is to be carried out " in accordance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, in the interest of maintaining international peace and security." The Outer Space Treaty, however, only explicitly forbids the orbiting of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction about the Earth, their installation on celestial bodies or the stationing of such weapons in outer space in any other manner.

• The 1968 Rescue Agreement (formally entitled the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space). Seen largely as a confidence building measure during the Cold War, the Rescue Agreement requires nations to render all necessary assistance to astronauts or cosmonauts in distress and to return them and their spacecraft promptly to the launching authority should they land within the jurisdiction of another State Party.

• The 1972 Liability Convention (formally entitled as the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects). Created to ensure prompt and equitable compensation for victims of damage caused by space objects, the Liability Convention reinforces the view that states are legally responsible for their activities in outer space.

• The 1975 Registration Convention (formally entitled the Convention on the Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space establishes a mandatory and uniform registration system for objects launched into outer space. The Registration Convention requires mandatory reporting to the United Nations Secretary-General of information such as the date and location of the launch, basic orbital parameters after launch and the recovery date of the spacecraft.

• The 1979 Moon Agreement (formally entitled the Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies). The Moon Agreement reiterates the Outer Space Treaty's obligation that the Moon be used " exclusively for peaceful purposes" and prohibits the " threat or use of force or any other hostile act or threat of hostile act on the Moon." It is likewise prohibited to use the Moon in order to commit any such act or to engage in any such threat in relation to the Earth, the Moon, spacecraft, the personnel of spacecraft or artificial space objects. The Moon Agreement also requires that the States Parties " not place in orbit around or other trajectory to or around the Moon objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction or place or use such weapons on or in the Moon."

Canada has signed and ratified the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the 1968 Rescue Agreement, the 1972 Liability Convention and the 1975 Registration Convention. Canada has not signed the 1979 Moon Agreement, since the Canadian Space Program does not, for the near future, provide for activities which would justify such action.

Space Security