On Liability For Damage In Outer Space Activities

There are lots of resources in outer space, which are not existed on earth. They are inexhaustible wealth for human beings and shared by all countries in the world. Peacefully exploration and using outer space has become the common aspiration of the people all over the world.Since the former Soviet Union successfully launched the first man-made earth satellite in 1957, people started the history to use and explore outer space. For half a century, mankind's space activities have been more and more frequent as well as wide. Application space technology has brought tremendous benefits for the whole world. People have not only invented satellites with scientific instruments, but also invented manned spacecrafts which can conduct scientific researches in the outer space station. Besides all these, liability for damage came up from time to time because of international space activities.Since the first satellite was launched into space, the United Nations has set up the "Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Committee "to study and coordinate the legal issues that may rose by outer space activities. It also made a number of international conventions on outer space activities, these Conventions established the basic legal principles of mankind's outer space activities , set up a registration system for space objects, started the damage compensation system, space rescue system and international cooperation system. These principles and systems constitute a close international legal system. This paper makes a specific analysis on the main body and principles of outer space liability for damage as well as the settlement mechanism of outer space liability for damage.