Space Code of Conduct

A senior State Department official said Monday the United States will announce soon whether it will enter into negotiations with the European Union on a non-binding international “code of conduct for outer space activities.” Frank Rose, deputy assistant secretary of state for arms control, verification, and compliance, said the code is “highly consistent with the US pursuit of [transparency and confidence-building measures] that encourage responsible actions in, and the peaceful use of, space.” The code of conduct would be signed by established and emerging space powers to help eliminate collisions or interferences with other nations’ space activities, said Rose during a space security conference in Prague. “I would emphasize that the United States is already following many of the practices laid out in the current draft of the code, such as notifications of orbital collision and high-risk reentry hazards as well as the publication of our national security space policies and strategies,” he said. (Rose transcript)