Looking ahead for the legal status of astronauts
- Paper number
IAC-08.E8.2.5
- Author
Dr. Viviana Iavicoli, CNR, Italy
- Year
2008
- Abstract
A Draft Safety framework for nuclear power sources application in outer space is under elaboration by a Joint Experts Group (JEG) of the COPUOS Technical and Scientific Subcommittee and IAEA. This text shows a remarkable lack of consideration for the safety of the astronauts and of the space environment, restating in such a way an anthropocentric and old vision of the space issues. Indeed, the framework is focussed to the protection of people and environment in Earth’s biosphere, on the pretended assertion that the protection of astronauts and space explorers is beyond of its scope. Since the legal status of astronauts is one of the issue at the stake 40 years after the conclusion of the Rescue Agreement, the paper intends to analyse this issue, stressing in particular the needed for the legal protection of the astronauts’ lives and health, taking into consideration also the problems arising from the manned space flights, space crews and space tourism. Especially in consideration of the planned missions by the prominent national and international agencies for the exploration of the deep space, which will need nuclear applications, the lack of reference to the safety of astronauts and space explorers in such a Framework on NPS represents an heavy lack for the manned space flights of the next years.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)