Washington International Law Journal Volume 29 Number 1 12-23-2019 Outer Space: How Shall the World's Governments Establish Order Among Competing Interests? Paul B. Larsen Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wilj Part of the Air and Space Law Commons Recommended Citation Paul B. Larsen, Outer Space: How Shall the World's Governments Establish Order Among Competing Interests?, 29 Wash. L. Rev. 1 (2019). Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wilj/vol29/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Reviews and Journals at UW Law Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington International Law Journal by an authorized editor of UW Law Digital Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Copyright © 2019 Washington International Law Journal Association OUTER SPACE: HOW SHALL THE WORLD’S GOVERNMENTS ESTABLISH ORDER AMONG COMPETING INTERESTS? Paul B. Larsen† Abstract: We are in a period of transition in outer space; it is becoming increasingly congested. As one example, small satellites are beginning to interfere with astronomical observations. The objective of this article is to examine and evaluate how the various outer space interests interact, coordinate or conflict with each other. This article examines legal order options and the consequences of choosing among those options. Cite as: Paul B. Larsen, Outer Space: How Shall the World’s Governments Establish Order Among Competing Interests?, 29 WASH. INT’L L.J. 1 (2019). I. INTRODUCTION: WHY ORDER IN OUTER SPACE? Outer space seems unlimited; at least it so appeared in 1957 when Sputnik was launched.