Abstract

Although a large-scale extraction of resources from outer space does not seem feasible yet, associated legal debates are already underway. Indeed, anticipating a race for space resources, some States are taking the lead in enacting legislation regulating future exploitation by their subjects. Sales of “extraterrestrial real estate” by private entities have been taking place for decades. This article addresses the topic of exploitation of space resources from an international law perspective—regardless of whether it will be firmly on the agenda tomorrow or in thirty years’ time. The crucial issue is to establish if, and eventually how, it is possible to conciliate the two principles at stake here: freedom to use outer space and celestial bodies, which arguably includes exploitation, and the impermissibility of their appropriation. It will be pointed out that, rather than proposing a comprehensive and rigid mechanism, the Outer Space Treaty and the Moon Agreement could represent a starting point, a proactive framework for achieving consensus among States and for seeking multilateral solutions for the exploitation of space resources.

中文翻译：

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使用自由与禁止侵占外层空间和天体之间的两难选择

摘要

尽管从外层空间大规模提取资源似乎还不可行，但相关的法律辩论已经在进行中。确实，一些国家在预见到空间资源的争夺之际，正在率先制定法规，规范其臣民的未来开采活动。私人实体销售“外星人房地产”已有数十年的历史了。本文从国际法的角度探讨了开发空间资源的主题，无论它是在明天还是在三十年后牢牢列在议程上。至关重要的问题是确定在这里是否有可能，以及最终如何调和这两个紧要关头的原则：使用外层空间和天体的自由，可以说包括剥削，以及不容许其使用。