Legal Status of Lunar Stations

Abstract

<p>Currently, lunar activities are entering a new phase — the planning and construction of lunar stations. However, the relevant international law on lunar station activities needs to be improved, among which the legal status of lunar stations is the primary issue to be considered. Reflections on the legal status of lunar stations arise from the peculiarity of lunar station activities: they are carried out on celestial bodies with the long-term objective of the sustainable development of human society, and they involve the use of a fixed area on the surface of a celestial body and create a de facto scope of activities. The construction of lunar stations in conformity with the Outer Space Treaty is categorized as free exploration and use of the Moon for the benefit of all mankind without exclusive and permanent use of the lunar surface, and lunar stations are open to other States on the basis of reciprocity. To this end, it is suggested that activities of International Lunar Research Station should be conducted in either a “non-exclusive” or “time-limited” manner to fulfill the corresponding obligations under international law, and that the premise of “reciprocity” and the scope of “visit” for the opening of the International Lunar Research Station to other States should be clarified. In addition, the following four aspects of lunar stations need to be taken as specific factors in determining their legal status, namely, their purpose of use and scope of activities; their mobility; their service life, updating and sharing of information about them.</p>

目前，月球活动正进入新的阶段——月球站所的筹备与建设。然而，现有相关国际法规范尚需完善，其中月球站所的法律地位是需首要考虑的问题。对月球站所法律地位问题的思考始于月球站所活动的特殊性：以人类社会的可持续发展为长远目标，开展于天体之上，将对天体表面固定区域进行使用且产生事实上的活动范围。合乎《外空条约》的月球站所建设是为全人类谋福利的自由探索和利用月球的活动，不存在既排他又永久地使用月球表面区域的情形，且在互惠基础上对他国开放。为此，建议在国际月球科研站活动中考虑“非排他”和“有时限”二者择一的规范路径以履行相应的国际法义务，并且明确国际月球科研站对他国开放的“互惠”前提与“参观”范畴。同时，需将月球站所的四个方面作为判断其法律地位的具体考量因素，即月球站所的使用目的与活动范围大小，月球站所的可移动性，月球站所的使用期限以及月球站所信息的通知、更新与公开。