外空物體造成損害之國際責任

International Liability of Damage Caused by Outer Space Objects

失去控制的外空物體重返地球以及對於地球軌道上的其他物體所造成的風險是存在的。此種風險也隨著科學家無法準確預測外空物體的解體時間而更形增加。聯合國於一九七二年完成了規範外空物體引起損害賠償的公約。隨著人類在外太空從事活動的次數增加，進行該等活動所引起的爭端以及損害賠償的相關問題必須有所因應。一九七二年的《法律責任公約》可以說是一九六七年外太空條約第七條關於損害賠償問題的具體化。迄今國際上曾經適用法律責任公約的唯一案例，即是一九七八年的「宇宙954號」事件，將在本文中加以分析探討。

The danger posed by uncontrolled re-entry of outer space objects to earth and to other objects in earth orbits is real. The danger is further increased by the inability of scientists to predict the time of disintegration. In 1972, the United Nations completed a convention to govern liability for damage caused by space activities. As humans become more active in space, related disputes arise, and claims concerning damage caused in outer space require resolution. The 1972 Liability Convention incorporates articles Ⅶ of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty to designate the parties responsible for damage. The first and only occasion for the application of the Liability Convention was the 1978 Cosmos 954 incident, which will be analyzed in the last section.