War and Peace in Outer Space: Law, Policy, and Ethics

by Cassandra Steer (Editor), Matthew Hersch (Editor)

Overview

This book delves into legal and ethical concerns over the increased weaponization of outer space and the potential for space-based conflict in the very near future. Unique to this collection is the emphasis on questions of ethical conduct and legal standards applicable to military uses of outer space. No other existing publication takes this perspective, nor includes such a range of interdisciplinary expertise.

The essays included in this volume explore the moral and legal issues of space security in four sections. Part I provides a general legal framework for the law of war and peace in space. Part II tackles ethical issues. Part III looks at specific threats to space security. Part IV proposes possible legal and diplomatic solutions. With an expert author team from North American and Europe, the volume brings together academics, military lawyers, military space operators, aerospace industry representatives, diplomats, and national security and policy experts. The experience of this team provides a collection unmatched in any academic publication broaching even some of these issues and will be required reading for anyone interested in war and peace in outer space.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780197548684
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	01/13/2021
Series:	Ethics, National Security, and the Rule of Law
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 6.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Cassandra Steer is a Lecturer at the Australian National University (ANU) College of Law, specializing in space law and space security. She is a Mission Specialist with the ANU Institute for Space, providing legal and policy advice on a wide range of space science research initiatives. She is an Associate Expert on the Woomera Manual on International Law of Military Space Operations, and has published as well as consulted to the Canadian and U.S. departments of defense on issues of space security and space law.

Matthew Hersch is an Associate Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University specializing in the history of aerospace technology. He received his J.D. from New York University and his Ph.D. in the History and Sociology of Science from the University of Pennsylvania, where he later taught in the School of Arts and Science and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction: Why Space Law Matters in War and Peace
Matthew Hersch and Cassandra Steer

PART I: The Law of War and Peace in Space

1. Applying International Humanitarian Law in Outer Space
Cassandra Steer and Dale Stephens
2. Norm Setting and Transparency and Confidence-Building in Space Governance
Theresa Hitchens
3. The Rule of Law in Outer Space: A Call for an International Outer Space Authority
Icho Kealotswe-Matlou

PART II: The Ethics of Space Security

4. The Ethical Foundation of Space Security
P.J. Blount
5. U.S. Space Dominance-an Ethical Lens
Joan Johnson-Freese and Kenneth Smith
6. Space Power Doctrines and National Security
Peter Hays

PART III: Current and Future Threats to Space Security

7. The Legality of Anti-Satellite Weapons
Jinyuan Su
8. The Legality of Keep-Out, Operational and Safety Zones in Outer Space
Matthew Stubbs
9. Prominent Security Threats Stemming from Space Hybrid Operations
Jana Robinson

PART IV: Toward Stability

10. A Proposed Transparency Measure as a Step Towards Space Arms Control
Gilles Doucet
11. Outer Space and Crisis Risks
Laura Grego
12. Diplomacy: The Missing Ingredient in Space Security
Paul Meyer
Conclusion
Cassandra Steer and Matthew Hersch

Index

Editorial Reviews

"This volume is valuable for a variety of reasons: the urgency of the topic and the paucity of great scholarship surrounding it, and the variety of views andperspectives that offer both critical insights as well as actionable recommendations." — Christopher D. Johnson, Space Law Advisor

"This impressive and highly readable book pulls together essays from a cavalcade of creative thinkers to take on not only space security and military prowess, but also the ethical, legal and illegal issues regarding the weaponization of outer space." — Leonard Davis, Inside Outer Space

From the Publisher