THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SPACE TOURISM: A LEGAL GUIDELINE

摘要

"For wherever there's something strange or beautiful or novel, people will want to sec it." With this statement Arthur C. Clarke foreshadowed a phenomenon that began to emerge a decade later, at the beginning of the 21st century, namely space tourism. Thus far, these trips for tourists have mostly been conducted in governmental transports and space stations. Nevertheless, there is only a minuscule step to commercialization and the exploitation of tourism in space by private enterprises. The environmental impact that space tourism could have on Earth is examined in this paper and the possible legal guidelines to be followed in order to prevent the pollution of Earth and outer space will be discussed. Activities such as those of the UN Committee for the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space along with the European Union's Code of Conduct for Space activities will additionally be taken into consideration. Furthermore, existing environmental laws pertaining to this matter will be determined. In this regard, the matter of delimitation and the resulting differentiating liability will also be considered. The topic of this paper is a complex matter that deserves to be investigated, as space-tourism traffic could have an effect on the environment of both Earth and outer space. Although often associated with having a negative environmental impact, space tourism could also benefit the environment. In light of the current pollution on Earth, it is vital to think ahead and prevent unnecessary contamination on Earth and in outer space to ensure that future generations will be able to benefit from a safe, secure and sustainable space environment.