Abstract: IN the recently published Hutchinson's History of the World, a work widely praised by authoritative historians, the author dedicates his final observations to the significance of the human conquest of outer space. He described this conquest as " the greatest of man's material triumps to date and as truly a new phase of history which marks a break in historical continuity as important as the European discovery of America or the industrial revolution." The chairman of the UN Outer Space Committee has spoken of space activities as holding forth a promise of enhancing our ability to survive, not only on the Planet Earth, but in the Universe itself. It is interesting to compare these statements with some of the observations made 20 years ago, shortly after the launching of the first Sputnik in October 1957. The then Archbishop of Canterbury expressed the following opinion: " The only people who are interested in this space business are people who have nothing better to think of, poor fellows." Shortly afterwards an article appeared in the Economist in which space lawyers were described as the lunatic fringe of the profession. Can we now—on the basis of the recent statements—conclude that mankind, through the experience of the last 20 years, has acquired a vision of the immense significance of the conquest of space in the evolution of international society. And that the period of disbelief and scepticism about its importance has now passed? The answer to this question is in the negative. Outside the relatively small circle of those who are directly concerned with various aspects of space developments, there is throughout the world still a great lack of awareness of the revolutionary influence which these developments are going to exercise on the life of every human being on Earth. My observations are not however restricted to the legal regime governing this new area of endeavour; they are also directed towards the legal status of the space immediately surrounding the Earth, namely, the airspace. My aim is to try to give a general impression of the most important legal rules at present governing the whole space above the

Abstract: Since the year 1957, when the space age was heralded with the launching of the first Earth satellite, space technology has made a fantastic progress. This technology has doubtless extended the frontiers of knowledge and enabled Man to augment his control over certain forces of nature. The potential of the peaceful uses of satellites in fields such as communications, meteorology, cartography, navigation is of enormous value. But, since the dividing line between civilian and military technology has vanished, Man can use the same means for enriching life on Earth as for destroying all life. This paper details the types of satellites that have so far been launched, that are in an experimental stage and that are on the drawing board, and the uses to which they are being put and can be put. The total picture that emerges is frightening in the extreme. Arms race has now invaded the outer space. While some industrialized countries (and China among those that are not) take some minor part in the space programme, t...

Abstract: Legal problems associated with nuclear power sources in space are discussed with particular reference to the Cosmos 954 incident. Deliberations of the Legal and Scientific and Technical Subcommittees on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on this subject are discussed.

Abstract: Do we need a unified approach to the resolution of tort and contract claims which have their genesis in outer space? During last year, a Czechoslovak, an East German, and a Pole joined Soviet Cosmonauts on the Soviet Space Station Salyut 6. 1 At least one West European citizen will participate with U.S. astronauts on board the first shuttle/space lab flight scheduled for December 2, 1980.2 By the end of this century there will be thousands of astronauts and mission personnel working together in an outer space environment.3 With extraterrestrial human activity, there will inevitably come the extraterrestrial tort (delictual) and contractual default. A fundamental question which will arise with the commission of torts (delicts) and the breaching of contracts in space is how to determine which substantive national laws apply, and which states may assume adjudicative and enforcement jurisdiction. Article 6 of the Outer Space Treaty4 provides that party states

Abstract: Zero gravity and the infinite pumping capacity of outer space produce interesting effects in metallurgical reactions