Publications & Press

The Outer Space Institute is pleased to publish the International Open Letter on Kinetic Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Testing, the second Open Letter coordinated by the OSI.

This letter urges the UN General Assembly to take up consideration of a treaty that would prohibit conducting debris-generating anti-satellite weapon tests. The need for such a treaty is driven by very rapid growth in the number of satellites in orbit. The letter with an appended list of early signatories is available HERE.

The International Open Letter on Kinetic Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Testing is now open for additional signatures. Should you wish to add your name, please use the following form (link). The current full list of signatories is available here (link). Note: updates may take a few minutes to show.

In October 2021, the Centre for Global Law and Governance at the University of St Andrews hosted a roundtable discussion centred on the OSI’s international open letter on kinetic ASAT testing. Adam Bower (moderator) and panellists Michael Byers, Victoria Samson and Sarah Thiele breakdown the technological, scientific, legal and diplomatic context of the letter and consider additional prospects for regulating ASAT systems as well as the political limits to developing restratins. Watch it here: CGLG Roundtable — Banning Space Weapons?