The Global Legal Guidelines Governing Satellite Deployment

All small satellites, irrespective of their size, weight, and scope of missions, are space objects that are governed by currently applicable international legal guidelines. Secondly, the launching and operation of such satellites constitute space activities in the form of exploration and use of outer space. Thus, they are also subject to such guidelines. These guidelines have been established primarily through the United Nations. It consists of five major international treaties negotiated through the U. N. Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. In addition to these treaties, there are several U. N. Regulations and Guidelines, principles, and rules of general international law, and some other international agreements that are directly applicable to small satellites. It can be said that, in general, all international rights and obligations of the states with respect to big satellites are equally relevant for the conduct of space activities involving the use of small satellites. Here is a brief list of such rights and obligations: