RT journal article
T1 Drawing lines in a borderless outer space: legal challenges to the establishment of safety zones
A1 Cinelli, Claudia
K1 Non-appropriation
K1 free access
K1 safety zone
K1 no harmful interference
K1 due regard obligation
K1 principio de no apropiación
K1 libre acceso
K1 zona de seguridad
K1 prevención de contaminación nociva
AB International outer space law, primarily developed in the late 1960s and 1970s, increasingly reveals its limitations in addressing the complexity and scale of contemporary space activities. As of 31 December 2024, approximately 18,070 functional space objects had been officiallyregistered —representing nearly 89% of all launches since 1957— underscoring the intensity andacceleration of orbital operations. Concurrently, multiple missions targeting lunar exploration andutilization are actively underway. This rapid evolution has exposed significant normative gaps, particularly concerning the legal status and operationalization of safety zones. Such zones are gainingrelevance as instruments to mitigate orbital congestion, prevent harmful interference, safeguard critical infrastructure and ensure the safe execution of high-risk operations, including the exploitationof celestial resources. Notably, safety zones have not been established through binding multilateralinstruments, but have instead emerged from the operational practices of spacefaring actors, as wellas from policy measures articulated in soft law instruments. Considering this, the main researchquestion addressed is: To what extent are the establishment and enforcement of safety zones lawfulunder the current corpus of international space law? The study seeks to highlight the urgent needfor coherent, equitable, and enforceable international rules capable of addressing these emergingregulatory challenges.
PB Editorial UCA
SN 2341-0868
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/37575
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/37575
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 10-may-2026