From Ukraine To The Middle East: Rethinking Legal Governance Of The Outer Space Amid Contemporary Conflicts

Outer Space has emerged as the new battlefield in the modern-day conflict-ridden world. The Earth’s orbit is congested with clusters of satellites, which are playing a pivotal role in ongoing military confrontations. The advent of private players dealing with space-based assets has led to the rise of a new set of jurisdictional challenges. This paper critiques the existing legal framework surrounding outer space, pointing out the regulatory gaps in the law. It also examines the ramifications of contemporary geopolitical conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-US-Iran War, with respect to outer space. Lastly, this paper probes into the extent of space militarisation and weaponisation.