Who owns space?Via The Agonist a link to U.S. 'negation' policy in space raises concerns abroad in EE Times which is interesting as it raises issues of space ownership, national and collective sovereignty and security. The Outer Space Treaty (UN) 1967 mandates that the exploration and use of Space be for the benefit of all countries and that space is a 'global commons', no subject to national appropriation by claim or by use. U.S. President Eisenhower, in 1958, proposed that "we agree that outer space should be used only for peaceful purposes. We face a decisive moment in history in relation to this matter.… Should not outer space be dedicated to the peaceful uses of mankind and denied to the purposes of war?" In June last year U.S. President Bush dissolved the ABM Treaty arguing that it would hinder development of the Missile Defence System. Seemingly oppositive arguments, but both suited not to a collective regard to Space but more to the perceived U.S. National Interest of the time. 1957 had seen the launch of Sputnik by the U.S.S.R. ahead of U.S. efforts, now however with dominance of Space the humanitarian ambitions can afford to be less lofty. Some Interesting Links:
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