Space Debris and its Effect on Environment: A Critical Analysis

Due to man's expanding presence in space over the past 50 years and the fact that modern society heavily depends on the technology orbiting the globe, there is a possibility that human exploitation of space may be jeopardized. Although the activities carried out in outer space has not created any major International disputes till date, the growth in the outer space activities has given rise to pertinent legal lacunas in the field of space law. This paper aims to consider space debris from the perspectives of mitigation and remediation and whether the issue of space debris are adequately addressed by the current regulatory framework. Are the recommendations for debris mitigation considered to be a Rule of Customary International Law and is it possible to apply customary principles of international law to the environment of outer space.