Exploring Responsibility for Space Launches by Stateless Vessels from the High Seas: Bridging the Law of the Sea and Space Law

Abstract

This study aims to critically examine the responsibility gaps in international space law and law of the sea arising from space launches conducted by stateless vessels on the high seas, and to propose actionable reforms to ensure accountability, sustainability, and international cooperation. Employing a qualitative doctrinal methodology, the research analyzes primary legal sources—including the Outer Space Treaty, Liability Convention, Registration Convention, and UNCLOS—alongside secondary scholarly literature and comparative evaluation of state responsibility principles across space and maritime regimes. The analysis reveals that state-centric responsibility frameworks fail when stateless vessels operate beyond national jurisdiction, creating an unaddressed responsibility vacuum with economic, environmental, and strategic implications; practical solutions include amending existing treaties or adopting a new instrument to prohibit such launches, establishing an international regulatory entity for monitoring and coordination, and deploying AI-driven predictive technologies and strict export controls on launch-related equipment to prevent unauthorized activities.