What international law says about weapons in space, and its gaps

A 1967 treaty is supposed to keep outer space peaceful, but a growing space race between global powers is raising questions about what countries can actually send up there. Alex Baird explains what the law allows.

The Outer Space Treaty, signed in 1967 and now joined by 118 countries including Russia, the US and China, was designed to promote the peaceful exploration of space. It bans nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction from Earth's orbit and outer space, and prohibits military bases, weapons testing and military exercises on the moon and other celestial bodies. It also bars any country from claiming ownership over space or celestial bodies.

But the treaty has gaps: it does not prohibit conventional weapons from being placed in Earth's orbit, leaving room for capabilities such as space-based communication jammers or anti-satellite weapons.

Al Jazeera's Alex Baird reports from Washington, DC.

Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/
Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/
Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile

#SpaceWeapons #OuterSpaceTreaty #GoldenDome #Trump #Space #AlJazeeraEnglish