| The importance of law in military operations has grown exponentially over the course of history. From humble beginnings of regulating particular weapons to governing when war is permissible, law has developed into a tool, or means, of war. Lawfare, as it is called, has significant meaning in the realm of military operations in outer space, especially since both are relatively new phenomena. Although there is a significant body of work applicable to war and military operations that can be adapted to apply to outer space, none of these works consider the impact of law on spatial military operations. While an exhaustive exploration of law's impact on such operations is not possible within the constraints of a thesis, it is hoped that this work can provide a foundation from which a more in-depth approach can be launched. Thus, this thesis will examine the concept of command of space by providing a legal basis for its legitimacy before turning to an examination of lawfare with respect to two main legal issues involved in attaining and maintaining such command: the concept of vertical sovereignty and space debris. |
