Sustainability is a very well-known issue in international environmental law, especially with regard to outer space activities and the related debris proliferation. Bearing in mind that outer space is a res communis area (i.e. outside the jurisdiction of any State), the present article discusses the need to re-think the concept of ‘exploration and use’ under the guidance of the sustainable development principle. In this context, special attention is given to the well-known threat posed by small satellites to the sustainability of the Low Earth Orbit environment and some proposals are made regarding the way forward.
Air and Space Law