Outer Space Treaty 1967. Treaty on the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space

The States Parties to this Treaty, encouraged by the great prospects opening up before mankind as a result of the penetration of man into space, recognizing the common interest of all mankind in the progress of the exploration and use of outer space in peaceful purposes believing that the exploration and use of outer space should be directed to the benefit of all peoples, regardless of their degree of economic or scientific development, desiring to promote the development of a wide international cooperation both scientific and legal aspects of the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, believing that such cooperation will contribute to the development of mutual understanding and strengthening friendly relations between States and peoples, recalling Resolution 1962 (XVIII), entitled "Declaration of legal principles for the activities of States in the exploration and use of outer space", adopted unanimously by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 13 December 1963, recalling Resolution 1884 (XVIII), calling on States to refrain from launching orbit around the Earth of any objects with nuclear weapons or any other type of weapon mass destruction or from the installation of such weapons on celestial bodies adopted unanimously by the UN General Assembly on December 17, 1963, taking into account Resolution General Assembly UN 110(II) of 3 November 1947, which condemns propaganda designed or capable of creating or intensifying a threat to the peace, a breach of the peace, or acts of aggression, and considering that the said Resolution is applicable to outer space, Convinced that the Treaty on the Principles of Operation States on the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, will contribute to the implementation of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, have agreed as follows:

Article I

The exploration and use of outer space, including other celestial bodies, is carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, regardless of the degree of their economic or scientific development, and is the property of all mankind. Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is open for exploration and use by all states without any discrimination on the basis of equality and in accordance with international law, with free access to all areas of celestial bodies. Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is free for scientific research, and States promote and encourage international cooperation in such research.

Article II

Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation, either by claiming sovereignty over them, or by use or occupation, or by any other means.

Article III

The States Parties to the Treaty shall carry out activities in the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, in accordance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, in the interests of maintaining international peace and security and development of international cooperation and mutual understanding.

Article IV

The States Parties to the Treaty undertake not to launch into orbit around the Earth any objects with nuclear weapons or any other types of weapons of mass destruction, not to install such weapons on celestial bodies, or to place such weapons in outer space in any other way. The moon and other celestial bodies are used by all States Parties to the Treaty exclusively for peaceful purposes. It is forbidden to create military bases, structures and fortifications on celestial bodies, to test any types of weapons and to conduct military maneuvers. The use of military personnel for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose is not prohibited. The use of any equipment or means necessary for the peaceful exploration of the Moon and other celestial bodies is also not prohibited.

Article V

The states parties to the Treaty consider cosmonauts as envoys of humanity into space and provide them with all possible assistance in the event of an accident, disaster or forced landing on the territory of another state party to the Treaty or on the high seas. Astronauts who make such an emergency landing must be kept safe and returned promptly to the State in whose registry their spacecraft is entered. When carrying out activities in outer space, including on celestial bodies, cosmonauts of one State Party to the Treaty shall render possible assistance to astronauts of other States Parties to the Treaty. The States Parties to the Treaty shall immediately inform the other States Parties to the Treaty or the Secretary General of the United Nations of the phenomena they discover in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, which could pose a danger to the life or health of astronauts.

Article VI

The States Parties to the Treaty bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, whether carried out by governmental bodies or non-governmental entities, and for ensuring that national activities are carried out in accordance with the provisions contained in in this Agreement. The activities of non-governmental legal entities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, must be carried out with the permission and under constant supervision of the relevant State Party to the Treaty. In the case of activities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, international organization, the responsibility for the implementation of this Treaty shall be borne, along with the international organization, by the States Parties to the Treaty participating in it.

Article VII

Each State Party to the Treaty that launches or arranges for the launch of an object into outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, as well as each State Party to the Treaty from whose territory or installations an object is launched, shall be internationally liable for damage caused by such objects or them constituent parts on Earth, in air or in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, to another State Party to the Treaty, its natural or legal entities.

Article VIII

A State Party to the Treaty, in whose register an object launched into outer space is entered, retains jurisdiction and control over such an object and over any crew of this object during their stay in outer space, including on a celestial body. Ownership rights to space objects launched into outer space, including objects delivered or built on a celestial body, and their constituent parts remain unaffected while they are in outer space or on a celestial body, or upon return to Earth. Such objects or their constituent parts, found outside the State Party to the Treaty in whose register they are entered, must be returned to that State Party to the Treaty; however, such State must, upon request, provide identification data prior to return.

Article IX

In the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, the States Parties to the Treaty must be guided by the principle of cooperation and mutual assistance and must carry out all their activities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, with due regard to the respective interests of all other States -participants of the Agreement. The States Parties to the Treaty shall carry out the study and exploration of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, in such a way as to avoid their harmful pollution, as well as adverse changes in the earth's environment due to the delivery of extraterrestrial matter, and to this end, if necessary, take appropriate measures . If any State Party to the Treaty has reason to believe that an activity or experiment planned by that State Party to the Treaty or the citizens of that State Party to the Treaty in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, will cause potentially harmful interference to the activities of other States Parties of the Treaty on the Peaceful Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, it should undertake appropriate international consultations before embarking on such an activity or experiment. A State Party to the Treaty that has reason to believe that an activity or experiment planned by another State Party to the Treaty in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, will cause potentially harmful interference with activities in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies body, may request consultation regarding such activity or experiment.

Article X

In order to promote international cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, in accordance with the objectives of this Treaty, the States Parties to the Treaty will, on an equal basis, consider requests from other States Parties to the Treaty to provide them with the opportunity to observe the flight of those launched by these states of space objects. The nature and conditions for granting the opportunity mentioned above are determined by agreement between the States concerned.

Article XI

In order to promote international cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, the States Parties to the Treaty operating in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, agree to keep the Secretary-General of the United Nations as well as the public and international scientific community about the nature, course, places and results of such activities. Upon receipt of the above information, the Secretary-General of the United Nations should be ready to disseminate it immediately and effectively.

Article XII

All stations, installations, equipment and spaceships on the Moon and other celestial bodies are open to representatives of other States Parties to this Treaty on the basis of reciprocity. These representatives shall communicate well in advance of the planned visit in order to allow appropriate consultations and to take the utmost precautions to ensure security and avoid interference with normal operations at the facility to be visited.

Article XIII

The provisions of this Treaty shall apply to the activities of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, regardless of whether such activities are carried out by one State Party to the Treaty or jointly with other States, including within the framework of international intergovernmental organizations. Practical issues that may arise in connection with the implementation by international intergovernmental organizations of activities in the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, are resolved by the States Parties to the Treaty either with the relevant international organization, or with one or more member states of this international organization that are parties to this Agreement.

Article XIV

This Treaty shall be open for signature by all States. Any State which does not sign this Treaty before it comes into force in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article may accede to it at any time.

This Treaty is subject to ratification by the states that have signed it. Instruments of ratification and accession shall be deposited with the governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America, which are hereby designated as depositary governments.

This Treaty shall enter into force upon the deposit of instruments of ratification by five governments, including the governments designated as depositary governments of this Treaty.

For States whose instruments of ratification or accession are deposited after the entry into force of this Treaty, it shall enter into force on the date of the deposit of their instruments of ratification or accession.

The Depositary Governments shall promptly notify all signatory and acceding States of the date of each signature, the date of deposit of each instrument of ratification and accession, the date of entry into force of this Treaty, and any other notifications.

This Treaty shall be registered by the Depositary Governments in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Article XV

Any State Party to the Treaty may propose amendments to this Treaty. The amendments shall enter into force for each State Party to the Treaty accepting the amendments upon acceptance by a majority of the States Parties to the Treaty, and subsequently for each remaining State Party to the Treaty on the date of its acceptance of those amendments.

Article XVI

Any State Party to the Treaty may give notice of its withdrawal from the Treaty one year after its entry into force by written notification to the depositary governments. Such withdrawal shall take effect one year after the date of receipt of this notice.

Article XVII

This Treaty, the Russian, English, French, Spanish and Chinese texts of which are equally authentic, has been deposited in the archives of the depositary governments. Duly certified copies of this Treaty have been transmitted by the depositary governments to the governments of the states that have signed the Treaty and acceded to it. In witness whereof, the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto, have signed this Treaty.

Done in triplicate in the cities of Moscow, Washington and London on January 27, one thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven.

The agreement entered into force on 10/10/1967. 222 states participate in it. The USSR ratified the Treaty (Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces of May 18, 1967). The treaty entered into force for the USSR on 10/10/1967.

Outer Space Treaty (full official name: Treaty on Principles for the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies) is an intergovernmental document.
It is the basis of international space law. December 19, 1966 approved by the 21st session of the UN General Assembly. On January 27, 1967, the Treaty was signed by the United States of America, Great Britain and Soviet Union, entered into force on October 10, 1967. As of October 2011, 100 countries are States parties to the Treaty, and another 26 have signed it but have not completed ratification. The treaty is open-ended and open for signing by all states. Provides the right of each state at any time to refuse to participate in it.

The Outer Space Treaty defines the basic legal framework for international space law.
Consists of a preamble and 17 articles; establishes that the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, regardless of the degree of their economic and scientific development, and that space and celestial bodies are open to all states without any discrimination on the basis of equality (Art. 1). According to the treaty, activities in outer space must be carried out in accordance with international law, in the interests of maintaining international peace and security and developing international cooperation and mutual assistance (Article III). Guarantees are provided for the protection of the legitimate interests of each state individually and of the entire international community as a whole against abuse of the rights granted. The signatory states undertake not to launch objects with nuclear weapons or other types of weapons of mass destruction into outer space, to use the Moon and other celestial bodies exclusively for peaceful purposes, not to allow the creation of military bases, structures and fortifications on them, and the testing of any type of weapon. and conducting military maneuvers. However, the Treaty does not prohibit the placement of conventional weapons in orbit.
The agreement defines general principle international responsibility of the states - its participants for national activities in outer space, regardless of whether it is carried out by governmental bodies or non-governmental legal entities, as well as liability for damage caused by space objects or their components to the state party to the treaty, its individuals or legal entities, regardless of the place of damage: on the ground, in the air or outer space. States are obliged to exercise special care when conducting experiments in outer space that could interfere with the activities of other states or have adverse effects on the earth's environment. The use of outer space for propaganda of war is recognized as unacceptable.
In the field of cooperation in outer space, the treaty fixed that cosmonauts of one state should provide possible assistance to cosmonauts of another state when carrying out activities in space or on celestial bodies; all stations, installations, equipment, and spacecraft on the Moon and other celestial bodies are open to representatives of other states parties to the treaty on the basis of reciprocity. Astronauts are considered as messengers of humanity into space, they should be provided with all possible assistance in the event of an accident, disaster or forced landing. Among the principles is the prohibition for participating states to place nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction in Earth's orbit, to place them on the Moon or any other celestial body, or on a station in outer space.

Used sources:

1. Space Treaty - Wikipedia [Electronic resource]. - 2012. - Access mode: http://ru.wikipedia.org.
2. Outer Space Treaty 1967 - Large Soviet Encyclopedia[Electronic resource]. – 2012. – Access mode:

A photo: myfest.ru

On January 27, 1967, in Moscow, Washington and London, the depositary states - the USSR, the USA and Great Britain signed the Treaty on the principles of the activities of states in the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies. Among the principles stipulated in this document, of particular importance is the prohibition for participating States to place nuclear weapons or any weapons of mass destruction in the Earth's orbit, to install them on the Moon or other celestial body, or on a station in outer space. Thus, a barrier was placed on the transfer of nuclear technologies and the arms race associated with their development outside the planet Earth, and outer space was declared a space of peace, free from military bases and maneuvers. The treaty entered into force in October 1967. As of January 2017, 105 countries are States parties to the Treaty, and another 24 have signed the treaty but have not completed ratification.

However, in modern conditions, when before our eyes there is a revision of the security architecture, which was built thanks, among other things, to the efforts of Soviet diplomacy, starting from the first years after the end of World War II, makes us turn to the prehistory of the signing of this most important document that laid the foundation for modern space law .

Prehistory of the conclusion of the Treaty

It is safe to say that the arms race in space between the two largest superpowers of the 20th century began as early as 1957, immediately after the Soviet Union launched the first artificial Earth satellite into orbit. The starting point for the use of outer space as a nuclear test site was Operation Argus, which was being prepared in the United States under conditions of heightened secrecy since the summer of 1958. The original goal of the developers was to launch two rockets within a month, which were supposed to explode at altitudes from 300 to 5000 km near the geomagnetic equator. The main purpose of the experiment was to study the damaging effects nuclear explosion in outer space, to terrestrial radars, communication systems and electronic equipment of satellites and ballistic missiles. The tests were carried out in the South Atlantic Ocean between 33 and 55 degrees south latitude. All explosions - August 27, August 30 and September 6 - were accompanied by launches of geophysical rockets with measuring equipment from various regions the globe both immediately before the explosions and after them. It is interesting that the Soviet specialists were able to get information about the first of the tests carried out in hot pursuit. On August 27, three geophysical rockets were launched from the Kapustin Yar test site, the measuring equipment of which recorded changes in the Earth's magnetic field. The reasons for this became clear a little later, when on March 19, 1959, an article appeared in the New York Times newspaper, which described the tests.

Despite all these developments, at first the rivalry between the two superpowers in space was rather peaceful. The situation changed radically in 1962-1963, when the United States conducted a series of 103 atmospheric nuclear testing. The international situation during this period was tense: in 1961, in Turkey, in the area of ​​the city of Izmir, american missiles medium-range "Jupiter", which posed a threat not only to the territory of the USSR, but also to the countries of the socialist camp. In April of the same year White House made an attempt to overthrow the regime of Fidel Castro in Cuba and made a landing of Cuban emigrants in the Bay of Pigs, which ended in their defeat at Playa Giron. The Soviet Union could not stand aside either. On August 30, 1961, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU N. Khrushchev announced the withdrawal of the USSR from the moratorium on nuclear tests, which the country had adhered to since November 3, 1958, and soon preparatory work was launched at the Semipalatinsk test site and Novaya Zemlya.

On January 27, 1967, the USSR, Great Britain and the USA signed the Treaty on the Principles of Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space. Currently, 105 countries are parties to the treaty. Another 24 have signed the treaty but have not completed ratification.

The defeat that the United States suffered in Cuba, as well as the fact that one of the pacific ocean tests disabled a number of artificial Earth satellites, forced Washington to go in 1963 to sign the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in three environments (in the atmosphere, outer space and under water). In 1967 new stage negotiations was marked by the signing of the Outer Space Treaty, which became one of the forerunners of political detente and international cooperation in outer space.

The problem of anti-satellite weapons in space

The arms race in space continued, but now Washington and Moscow were focusing on the development of anti-satellite weapons. According to the data of the well-known military expert Vladimir Shcherbakov, which he voiced in his interview with the Svobodnaya Pressa online publication, the most promising Soviet developments in this area were work in design office V.N.Chelomeya on the creation of a manned space station "Almaz". It consisted of an orbital station, a supply ship and two reusable descent vehicles. The station was armed with the "Shield-1" cannon, designed for firing in a vacuum. Over time, it was replaced by the Shield-2 system, equipped with two space-to-space missiles. The complex could shoot down satellites in orbit, conduct reconnaissance and bomb attacks on objects on the surface of the planet. Finally, as part of the work to strengthen the missile defense system, already in the 80s, the USSR was developing the Skif and Cascade orbital complexes.

At the same time, since the late 1970s, Moscow and Washington have been holding consultations on the limitation of strategic weapons within the framework of anti-satellite weapons. Serious progress did not occur for a long time: at first they could not agree on common terms, and then in Washington, at the initiative of US President Ronald Reagan, the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was launched, the task of which was to develop a large-scale missile defense system with space-based elements. The development of this program, which was a direct violation of the 1972 ABM Treaty, was soon curtailed due to the extreme technological complexity and high cost. However, already in December 1987, a Soviet-American meeting took place in Washington, where Soviet leader M. Gorbachev and US President R. Reagan signed the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles. Soon the USSR collapsed, and the confrontation in space calmed down for a while.

Contemporary Issues in Compliance with the Outer Space Treaty

Unfortunately, a number of international treaties and agreements do not have a transparent mechanism for monitoring their compliance and sanctions against their violators. This became particularly evident when the US withdrew from the ABM treaty in 2002 under the sly pretext that the technology contained in that document had become universally available. This step, as well as the active involvement of the countries of Central and of Eastern Europe in the deployment of elements of a new missile defense system in Europe, made a number of analysts wonder if there will be new round militarization of space. China also began to develop its own program for the development of anti-satellite weapons. A noteworthy event was the message of the press service of the White House on May 26, 2016, in which it was reported that the US government had developed and submitted to Congress a report on the deterrence of adversaries in outer space. The administration of US President Barack Obama explained this step with concern about the development of anti-satellite weapons by Russia and China.

A serious challenge to the inviolability of the Treaty is the active involvement of a number of European countries in the economic exploration of outer space. On February 3, 2016, Prime Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider at a press conference announced the start of a program for the industrial development of asteroids and other celestial bodies, from which they are going to extract valuable minerals. According to a number of experts, such a decision will have a great macroeconomic effect. The Luxembourg company SES, one of the largest global network operators, is going to take responsibility for the implementation of the project. Its partners are American companies Deep Space Industries and Planetary Resources, and exploration of mineral-rich asteroids is already underway. However, Mr. Schneider, during his visit to Moscow on February 18, 2016, made a similar offer to his Russian counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin (obviously, based on Moscow's technological assistance).

According to the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, the minerals of outer space are the property of mankind. If the project proposed by Luxembourg is implemented, despite its high cost and technical complexity (according to preliminary data, the price of the issue is several tens of billions of dollars), then the owners of the market that does not yet exist will receive special advantages due to this.

In the face of numerous problems and challenges that accompany the observance of the Outer Space Treaty, the Russian political leadership has consistently advocated the observance of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and the negotiation of a legally binding treaty on the non-deployment of weapons in outer space. A Russian-Chinese draft of such an agreement is currently under consideration by the UN Disarmament Conference.

The document establishes the regime of outer space and enshrines the principle of free exploration of outer space and celestial bodies by all countries "on the basis of equality and in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter."

According to the treaty, activities in outer space must be carried out in the interests of all countries, regardless of the degree of their economic and scientific development, in the interests of maintaining international peace and security, on the principles of cooperation and mutual assistance.

The appropriation by one state or another of outer space and celestial bodies in any way is prohibited, and the general principle of international responsibility of the participating states for national activities in outer space has been established.

The states parties to the treaty pledged not to launch into orbit around the Earth any objects with weapons of mass destruction, not to install such weapons on the Moon and other celestial bodies, and not to place them in outer space in any other way; to use the Moon and other celestial bodies exclusively for peaceful purposes, to prevent the creation of military bases, structures and fortifications on them, the testing of any type of weapons and military maneuvers.

In accordance with the treaty, cosmonauts of different states must provide possible assistance to each other in their activities in space or on celestial bodies; all stations, installations, equipment and spacecraft on the Moon and other celestial bodies are open to representatives of other states on the basis of reciprocity.

Astronauts are considered as messengers of mankind into space. The parties to the treaty pledged to provide cosmonauts with all possible assistance in the event of an accident, disaster or forced landing, as well as to exchange information about phenomena in space that could jeopardize the safety of astronauts.

The Treaty imposes international responsibility on states for the activities of their governmental bodies and non-governmental legal entities in outer space and on celestial bodies, including for damage caused by space objects. It is mandatory to apply measures that exclude harmful pollution of outer space and celestial bodies, preventing adverse changes in the earth's sphere.

agreement on the principles of the activities of states in the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, international treaty, December 19, 1966 approved by the 21st session of the UN General Assembly. Signed on January 27, 1967 in Moscow, Washington and London by the depositary states - the USSR, the USA and Great Britain. On the same day, the signing of the treaty by other states began. For the countries that signed it, the treaty enters into force from the moment the instruments of ratification are deposited with the depositary states (as of May 1, 1971, the treaty was signed by 90 countries, including the USSR, the Ukrainian SSR, and the Byelorussian SSR). The treaty is open-ended and open for signing by all states. Provides the right of each state at any time to refuse to participate in it.

The treaty consists of a preamble and 17 articles; establishes that the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, regardless of the degree of their economic and scientific development, and space and celestial bodies are open to all states without any discrimination on the basis of equality (art. 1). According to the treaty, activities in outer space must be carried out in accordance with international law, in the interests of maintaining international peace and security and developing international cooperation and mutual assistance (Article III). Guarantees are provided for the protection of the legitimate interests of each state individually and of the entire international community as a whole against abuse of the rights granted. The states that signed the treaty undertake not to launch into outer space objects with nuclear weapons or other types of weapons of mass destruction, to use the Moon and other celestial bodies exclusively for peaceful purposes, not to allow the creation of military bases, structures and fortifications on them, the testing of any type of weapons and conducting military maneuvers.

The treaty defines the general principle of international responsibility of states - its participants for national activities in outer space, regardless of whether it is carried out by governmental bodies or non-governmental legal entities, as well as liability for damage caused by space objects or their components to a state - a party to the treaty, its natural persons. or legal entities, regardless of the place of damage: on the ground, in the air or outer space. States are obliged to exercise special care when conducting experiments in outer space that could interfere with the activities of other states or have adverse effects on the earth's environment. The use of outer space for propaganda of war is recognized as unacceptable.

In the field of cooperation in outer space, the treaty fixed that cosmonauts of one state should provide possible assistance to cosmonauts of another state when carrying out activities in space or on celestial bodies; all stations, installations, equipment, and spacecraft on the Moon and other celestial bodies are open to representatives of other states parties to the treaty on the basis of reciprocity. Astronauts are considered as messengers of humanity into space, they should be provided with all possible assistance in the event of an accident, disaster or forced landing.

Publication: "Vedomosti of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR", 1967, No. 44, art. 588.

A. I. IOYRYSH