The Outer Space Treaty, formally the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, is a multilateral treaty that forms the basis of international space law. entering into force on 10 October 1967. As of August 2023, 114 countries are parties to the treaty, including all major spacefaring nations.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs website provides a wide range of resources and information on Space Law including Treaties & Principles, UN General Assembly Resolutions, the Space Object Register, Capacity Building in space law, the National Space Law Collection and information on the Legal Subcommittee.

The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1959, governs the exploration and use of space for the benefit of all humanity: for peace, security and development. The Committee is tasked with reviewing international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space, studying space-related activities that could be undertaken by the United Nations, encouraging space research programs, and studying legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space. COPUOS also publishes reports, UN general assembly resolutions, and other documents which you may access by clicking the data icon above.

For more primary sources including treaties and agreements that might affect space law, please see the treaty research section of the Law Library’s public international law research guide.