Exploring Space in the Spirit of Kinship
itage . The first step to consensus is to identify sites in space that the international community can agree need special recognition and use that agreement as a baseline to establish recognizable norms to balance the non-appropriation and due regard standards imposed by the Outer Space Treaty . Part II provides a summary and review of relevant portions of international space law . Part III discusses the importance of protecting cultural heritage and draws attention to efforts implemented on Earth . Part
II . The Outer Space Treaty Regime
A . The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
In October 1957 , Sputnik 1 became the first human-made object to reach space . 10 Shortly thereafter , the United Nations ( UN ), “[ r ] ecognizing the com- mon interest of [ hu ] mankind in outer space ... and that it is the common aim that outer space should be used for peaceful purposes [ and ] [ w ] ishing to avoid the extension of present national rivalries in this new field ,” 11 created an ad hoc committee to , among other things , report on the “ nature of legal problems which may arise in the carrying out of programmes to explore outer space .” 12 The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space ( COPU- OS ) was made a permanent body in 1959 . 13 COPUOS was the backdrop for negotiation and implementation the treaties which today govern space activities . Four other treaties related to sovereign space activities were negotiated in the wake of the Outer Space Treaty , colloquially known as the Rescue Agreement , 14 the Liability Convention , 15 the Registration Convention , 16 and the Moon Agreement . 17 As their names suggest , these agreements respectively offer more detailed guidance on how States should act in relation to the rescue of astronauts ; responsibility and liability for damage caused by space objects ; and the registration of objects launched or intended to be launched
10 Sputnik 1 , NASA . Gov , https :// www . nasa . gov / multimedia / imagegallery / image _ feature _ 924 . html 11 U . N . G . A . Res . 1348 ( XIII ) ( Dec . 13 , 1958 ). 12 Id . 13 U . N . G . A . Res . 1472 ( XIV ) ( Dec . 12 , 1959 ).
14 Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts , the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space , Apr . 22 , 1968 , 672 U . N . T . S . 119 .
15 Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects arts . II-III , Mar . 29 , 1972 , 24 U . S . T . 2389 , 961 U . N . T . S . 187 [ hereinafter Liability Convention ].
16 Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space art . I , Jan . 14 , 1975 , 28 U . S . T . 695 , 1023 U . N . T . S . 15 .
17 Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies , Dec . 18 , 1979 , 1363 U . N . T . S . 3 [ hereinafter Moon Agreement ].
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