Some Actual Issues of the Legal Enforcement of the Exploration and Use of Outer Space

Introduction. The problem of the backlog of the normative and legal bases in the field of international space law is widely discussed by Russian and foreign international lawyers. The most vital problem is the non-militarization of space, taking into consideration the lack of bilateral and multilateral banning treaties in this field. The realization of the American program for a missile defense in space forces Russia to react. However, the further participation in the nuclear arms race contradicts our national interests. No less dangerous than space weaponization is the stubborn desire of some states to create benefits for the national private users of outer space. The lack of the effective bans in this field leads to undermining of the regime of the agreements in force on the exploration and use of outer space. The current task is to save the positive provisions of the space agreements as well as to ensure the equal rights for all states in their space activities.

Materials and methods. Materials used for the analysis include legal works of Russian and foreign researches in the field of international space law and international relations as well as multinational treaties in the sphere of space law, bilateral treaties in the sphere of disarmament, national acts in the sphere of the commercial use of outer space. Methodological procedures of the research include general and specific scientific methods of enquiry (dialectical method, methods of analysis and synthesis, deduction, induction, comparative-legal and historical-legal methods).

Research results. Today the main purpose is to bring the rules, concerning the use of outer space in accordance with the today’s requirements. The lag in the legal provisions of our national interests

is unacceptable for Russia and will entail unpredictable consequences. Today the strategic potential of Russia is sufficient to overcome the US antiballistic missile system. However, the competition of defensive and offensive weapons always leads to further arms race. One of the most effective means to avoid it is the use of “soft power” in international relations in general and in international relations in the field of using outer space. The use of “soft power” means for example the participation in long- term mutually beneficial projects in space.

Discussion and conclusions. According to the author the means to avoid the new round of the arms race in space are the use of “soft power” in international projects of the use of outer space and implementation of existing disarmament agreements. Confrontation is a blind alley: that was the main concept during the disarmament era. The common sense must prevail over momentary interests. This statement can also be applied to the attempts concerning the review of the existing agreements in the field of using of outer space. These agreements should be adapted but not cancelled.

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