Open Access Research Article

ACTIVE DEBRIS REMOVAL AND INTERNATIONAL SPACE LAW: CAN STATES REMOVE FOREIGN SPACE OBJECTS WITHOUT CONSENT?

Author(s):
LEESHAA GOYAL AANYA REDDY VANSHAJ ARORA
Journal IJLRA
ISSN 2582-6433
Access Open Access
Volume 3
Issue 7
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Abstract

ABSTRACT Orbital debris now threatens the long-term use of outer space, and the first agency-led and commercial active debris removal (ADR) missions are moving towards flight. The law on who may remove what has received far less attention than the engineering. This paper asks whether a State, or an operator acting under its authority, may lawfully remove a foreign space object without the consent of the State of registry. It argues that the Outer Space Treaty, read with the Liability, Registration and Rescue instruments, preserves jurisdiction, control and ownership over an object whether or not it still functions, so that consent is the rule under existing law. Necessity and countermeasures are too narrow to support routine removal. The paper proposes a graduated consent framework, built through licensing and soft law, with a limited emergency exception.

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Authors: LEESHAA GOYAL, AANYA REDDY & VANSHAJ ARORARegistration ID: 1013268 | Published Paper ID: IJLRA13268, IJLRA13269 & IJLRA13270Year: Oct-2026 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 7Approved ISSN: 2582-6433 | Country: Delhi, IndiaPage No.: 254-268

Article Information

ACTIVE DEBRIS REMOVAL AND INTERNATIONAL SPACE LAW: CAN STATES REMOVE FOREIGN SPACE OBJECTS WITHOUT CONSENT?

Authors: LEESHAA GOYAL, AANYA REDDY, VANSHAJ ARORA

  • Journal IJLRA
  • ISSN 2582-6433
  • Volume 3
  • Issue 7
Citation Download Paper Full Details Search on Google Search on Google Scholar

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International Journal for Legal Research and Analysis

  • AbbreviationIJLRA
  • ISSN2582-6433
  • AccessOpen Access
  • LicenseCC 4.0

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