Outer Space Treaty: When the Sky Briefly Belonged to Everyone

This opinion column, published on July 19, 2026, by taz.de, reflects on the Outer Space Treaty signed on January 27, 1967, which declared space a global commons free from weapons of mass destruction. The author, Enno Schöningh, argues that while the treaty delayed militarization and imperialist appropriation of space, it did not prevent them. The article contrasts the treaty's universalist vision with current trends: U.S.-led 'safety zones' on the moon, a 2015 U.S. law allowing private resource ownership in space, and the 2021 Economic Report of the President framing space as a domain for capital. The piece also critiques the rhetoric of commons, noting historical parallels with Hugo Grotius' 'free sea' concept serving colonial trade interests. Despite its limitations, the treaty is hailed as a milestone for peaceful, common-good-oriented space governance.