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Is There Life in Outer Space?

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Space Security Law
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Abstract

In a thought provoking commentary in the Journal of Space Law, Marcia S. Smith envisions that if life were to be found in outer space the ensuing conduct of human kind would be more an ethical issue. Any inquiry into life in outer space has to take into account both vegetation as well as intelligent life. In both instances the main consideration would be how we could protect such life forms and use them for the benefit of human kind. The central theme of space exploration would incontrovertibly be international cooperation and abstinence from the use of force, which collectively form the cornerstone of space exploration from a legal standpoint.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Smith (2006), pp. 217–222.

Reference

  • Smith MS (2006) The vision for space exploration: expanding the envelope for space law debates. J Space Law 32(1):217–222

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Correspondence to Ruwantissa Abeyratne .

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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Abeyratne, R. (2011). Is There Life in Outer Space?. In: Space Security Law. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16702-7_3

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