Outer Space Law: Legal Policy and Practice

The potential use of space for military purposes has, since the end of the Second World War, been intrinsically linked to the development of space technology and space flight. The political relevance of outer space continues to be recognised by nations, particularly the strategic benefit of Earth observation from outer space as a national security tool. However, the dual-use potential of many space applications increasingly blurs the distinction between the military and non-military uses of space. In fact, many States have openly declared their willingness to protect their space assets by military means and some have even described outer space as a war-fighting domain.