Outer Space Treaty (1967)
UN treaty that sets the basic rules for space activities: no national appropriation of the Moon or other celestial bodies (Art. II), freedom of exploration and use (Art. I), and state responsibility for, and authorization and continuing supervision of, national activities including those of private entities (Art. VI).
Facts
- Level
- International treaty
- Scope
- International
- Citation
- 610 UNTS 205; 18 UST 2410; TIAS 6347; adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 2222 (XXI)
- Adopted
- 1966-12-19
- In force
- 1967-10-10
- Status
- In forceUNOOSA status compilation (A/AC.105/C.2/2026/CRP.9/Rev.1) lists entry into force 10 October 1967 and 118 ratifications/accessions as at 1 January 2026.
- Parties or signatories
- 118 parties as of 2026-01-01
Dated steps
Treaty actions, signings, notices and drafts recorded as events, newest first.
- 2025-04-11
Luxembourg's OST Article XI notification for ispace EUROPE's lunar activities
Luxembourg informed the UN Secretary-General under OST Art. XI of ispace EUROPE S.A.'s Mission 2 activities (regolith collection for NASA and surface exploration within about 100 m of the landing site), noting the authorisation held under the 2017 space resources law.
Sources (2)
Note verbale dated 11 April 2025 from the Permanent Mission of Luxembourg to the United Nations (Vienna) addressed to the Secretary-General
The mission includes the collection of lunar regolith to fulfil a resources purchase agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States of America
- 2025-03-19
Japan's OST Article XI notification for ispace Mission 2
Japan informed the UN Secretary-General under OST Art. XI of ispace Lander Mission 2 (Mare Frigoris, 60.5 N 4.6 W), listing a commercial transaction with NASA for lunar regolith acquisition as a special consideration.
Sources (2)
Note verbale dated 19 March 2025 from the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations (Vienna) addressed to the Secretary- General
Special consideration: commercial transaction with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States of America for lunar regolith acquisition
Resource provisions
A paraphrase followed by the source wording.
No explicit resource provision. Art. II bars national appropriation of outer space including the Moon and celestial bodies; Art. I makes outer space free for exploration and use by all States; Art. VI requires states to authorize and continually supervise non-governmental activities and makes them internationally responsible for national activities. These three articles are the basis on which national space resource laws and authorizations operate.
Outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means. [1]
Open evidence gaps
- Treaty text does not mention 'resources'; whether resource extraction is 'use' (Art. I) or 'appropriation' (Art. II) is contested and is not settled by the text itself.
- Party count after 1 January 2026: UNOOSA status page lists no depositary notifications after 21 October 2025 as of 2026-10-05; an updated compilation (as at 1 January 2027) will confirm.
Record history
changes to this record's facts, newest first
| Changed | Field | Was | Now | Reason | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | party count | 116 | 118 | Source update | [4] |
Sources
7 sourcesOuter space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means.
The activities of non-governmental entities in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, shall require authorization and continuing supervision by the appropriate State Party to the Treaty.
shall be free for exploration and use by all States without discrimination of any kind
Total R 118 100 100 77 17
Opened for signature: 27 January 1967 in London, Moscow and Washington, D.C. Entry into force: 10 October 1967
Total R 116 100 100 76 17
- [7]Status of International Agreements relating to Activities in Outer Space (depositary notifications)
21 October 2025: Accession of Malaysia to the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space
Cite this record
SpaceMiningData, “Outer Space Treaty (1967)”, dataset version a00fa2c68a45, built 2026-11-11, https://spaceminingdata.com/laws/outer-space-treaty.html. Record checked 2026-10-05.