Beyond Earth: The perils of outer space for civilian safety and infrastructure

Abstract The increasing integration of outer space technologies into both civilian life and military operations poses significant challenges to the application of the principles of international humanitarian law. Although these technologies may strengthen military operations, the repurposing of civilian space assets for military ends increases their vulnerability to hostile actions, thereby creating risks that could ultimately impair the civilian infrastructure that is reliant upon them. The present article sets out to explore the growing reliance on space-based assets, such as satellites, for communication, navigation and surveillance purposes in modern conflicts, and explores the evolving role of outer space in armed conflict, emphasizing the humanitarian risks posed by its militarization and the absence of robust legal protections. The article puts forward that the international community’s primary focus should be the protection of civilians, achieved through the safeguarding of space-based assets and the prevention of outer space’s weaponization. Protecting these technologies from the effects of armed conflict is imperative for civilian safety as well as for maintaining global stability and ensuring that outer space remains a domain of peaceful cooperation.