Kegiatan manusia di ruang angkasa timbul seiring dengan adanya perkembangan teknologi dan juga Prinsip-Prinsip maupun aturan yang diperbolehkan untuk melakukan kegiatan tersebut di ruang angkasa. Adapun Prinsip-Prinsip umum terkait kegiatan manusia di ruang angkasa yang terdapat di dalam Outer Space Treaty 1967 antara lain:[FN1]
a.the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interest of all countries;[FN2]
b.outer space shall be free for exploration and use by all states on basis of equality;[FN3]
c.outer space shall not be subject to appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means (unlike the airspace);[FN4]
d.activities in the exploration and use of outer space must be carried out in accordance with international law, including the charter of the United Nations, in the interest of maintaining peace and security;[FN5]
e.no nuclear weapons or any other kind of weapons of mass destruction shall be allowed;[FN6]
f.the moon and other celestial bodies shall be used by all States Parties to the Treaty exclusively for peaceful purposes;[FN7]
g.international cooperation and understanding are to be promoted;[FN8]
h.astronouts shall be given every possible assistance;[FN9]
i.States Parties bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space;[FN10]
j.States Parties keep jurisdiction and control over launched objects and the personnel recorded in their register;[FN11]
k.Consultations must take place in the event of dangerous activities in space. The UN Secretary-General must be informed about space activities, information which he is duty-bound to disseminate;[FN12]
l.All stations, installations etc. Shall be opened to representatives of other States Parties on basis of reciprocity.[FN13]
Prinsip-Prinsip umum dalam konvensi induk tersebut kemudian dielaborasi lebih khusus lagi ke dalam beberapa konvensi seperti Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space; Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects; Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space; dan juga Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
Dengan dianutnya Prinsip-Prinsip yang kemudian menjadi Hukum Internasional dan harus dipatuhi oleh negara-negara yang telah meratifikasinya tersebut, maka kemudian kegiatan manusia di ruang angkasa pun mempunyai landasan hukumnya. Adapun kegiatan-kegiatan yang dilakukan di ruang angkasa yang timbul kemudian seperti peluncuran satelit ke luar angkasa untuk tujuan Komunikasi, Navigasi, Militer, Cuaca, Penginderaan Jauh, Penyiaran Televisi Secara Langsung, maupun misi mengirimkan manusia menjadi hal yang dianggap legal.
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[FN1] Lihat H.Ph. Diederiks-Verschoor, An Introduction to Space Law, (Deventer: Kluwer Law and Taxation Publishers, 1993), hal. 22
[FN2] Lihat Treaty On Principles Governing The Activities Of States In The Exploration And Use Of Outer Space, Including The Moon And Other Celestial Bodies, Article I Paragraph 1.
[FN3] Ibid, Article I Paragraph 2.
[FN4] Ibid, Article II
[FN5] Ibid, Article III
[FN6] Ibid, Article IV Paragraph 1
[FN7] Ibid, Article IV Paragraph 2
[FN8] Ibid, Article III
[FN9] Ibid, Article V Paragraph 1
[FN10] Ibid, Article VI
[FN11] Ibid, Article VIII
[FN12] Ibid, Article XI
[FN13] Ibid, Article XII
Sumber: "My Two Semester Unfinished Mini-Thesis"
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