Missing an Important Opportunity to Improve Flight Safety for Astronauts and Protect the Space Environment

The paper intended to enphasize the current gap between space sciences and space law in the field of safety. While science deals with safety of space missions in a complex way, taking into consideration risks to human life, the environment and the space vehicle, space law continues to maintain an anthropocentric approach, mainly aimed to protecting human life and the environment of the Earth's biosphere. In this perspective, the Draft Framework for Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space, at the time under negotiation, does not reflect the well established obligation under international law, incumbent upon States, to take preventive measures to avoid harmful contamination in areas beyond national jurisdiction, such as outer space. As regard human beings in space, a strong commitment is emerging towards some form of international regulation recognizing their rights and duties in outer space and on Earth.