弃星移除的义务性及合法性问题——从欧盟弃星Envisat谈起

Obligation and Legal Basis of Inactive Satellite Removal:ESA Envisat Satellite's Removal

弃星导致的外空污染问题近年来已经引起国际社会的关注,越来越多的国家认可了对之采取空间碎片减缓措施的必要性和紧迫性。2012年,欧盟Envisat卫星滞留外空引起了激烈的争论。通过对比分析指出,在特定条件下,《外空条约》第9条可以为第8条的发射国管辖权创造例外,此时受到威胁的国家可以援引第9条以及习惯国际法中的免责事由为非合作性卫星移除抗辩,为受到太空碎片威胁的国家非合作性卫星移除寻找到合法性依据。

Uncontrolled growth of inactive satellites has imposed great threats on both the safety of navigation in outer space and the environment on the earth. The author introduces the threats posed by ESA＇s inactive satellite Envisat, examines legal status of the inactive satellites, and then point out that Article IX of the Outer Space Treaty has posed an exception on the ＂jurisdiction＂ under Article VIII, which serves as the legal basis of non-cooperative removal.