Have There Been Any Crimes Committed In Space?
Have There Been Any Crimes Committed In Space?
Although space is commonly thought of as an unregulated and ungoverned territory, it is important to note that when departing Earth, individuals are still subject to the authority of governing bodies. Presently, there have been no reported cases of individuals being prosecuted for committing crimes in space. However, with the growing accessibility of space travel, it is probable that illegal activities that are prevalent on Earth will eventually follow humans into the vast expanse of space.
Although there have been no recorded criminal charges or convictions in space thus far, the possibility of such incidents may increase as more private and commercial entities venture into space. This was demonstrated on June 23, 2022, when Canadian lawmakers passed a law permitting the Canadian government to prosecute Canadian astronauts for any criminal offenses committed on the moon.
- In 1967, 112 nations signed the Outer Space Treaty, which established the basis for international space law.
- To date, there have been no reported instances of individuals being charged with committing a crime while in space.
- However, there have been three notable occasions where individuals or governments tested the boundaries of space law.
Three times space laws have been tested.
Russia's anti-satellite missile tests created a dangerous cloud of debris - November 2021
The law in question:
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which states that parties should conduct all their activities in outer space "with due regard" to other spacefaring parties
How and why the law was tested:
- In November 2021, Russia intentionally destroyed one of its own defunct satellites, Cosmos 1408, through an anti-satellite weapon test. This resulted in the creation of thousands of pieces of debris that now orbit the Earth, endangering other satellites and crewed space stations.
- NASA reported that on October 24, 2022, the International Space Station (ISS) had to change its position to avoid colliding with a piece of space debris from Russia's Cosmos 1408 satellite.
- Since 1959, various countries such as the United States, Russia, China, and India have tested anti-satellite weapons that produce space debris. The Secure World Foundation maintains a database of these tests.
- In 2021, the United States became the first country with space capabilities to declare a ban on anti-satellite weapons testing.
Identity theft on board the International Space Station: 2019
The Law in question:
US Law: Identity theft and improper access to private financial records
How and why the law was tested:
- In 2019, NASA astronaut Anne McClain faced accusations of accessing her estranged wife's bank account from a NASA-affiliated computer while aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
- As per the ISS's intergovernmental agreement, each country involved in the project has jurisdiction over its personnel in space, provided the victim is not a person from another country also in space.
- Following the accusations, NASA initiated an investigation that ultimately cleared McClain of any wrongdoing.
- The ex-wife who filed the accusations against McClain was charged with two counts of making false statements to federal authorities after filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
Missing Tax Deadlines - 1970
The Law in question:
US tax law
How and why the law was tested:
- In 1970, Jack Swigert, an astronaut on the Apollo 13 mission, discovered that he had missed the April 15 tax filing deadline while already in space.
- Swigert was a last-minute addition to the mission and didn't file his taxes before departing.
- Swigert contacted mission control to ask if they had filed their taxes, which resulted in laughter from the team. He then requested an extension, saying that things happened too fast before the launch.
- The Internal Revenue Service granted Swigert an extension since he was considered to be "out of the country" while in space.
