Peaceful use of space. Lessons learned from the Encyclical “Pacem in Terris”

This paper examines the issue of the peaceful use of space and emphasizes that currently, it is anachronistic to consider scenarios for reducing the presence of the military in this dimension. Activities in space have assumed a dual-use connotation that does not allow a simple discerning of their type and purpose or make catego- rizations. Although the scientific community is making intense efforts to define the legal framework to apply in the context of a military space operation, it is not easy to demarcate what peaceful use of space means and its peculiarities/connotations. In this regard, a critical reading of the 1963 papal letter “Pacem in Terris” offers excellent insights and introduces interesting concepts, such as “common good,” “equality and balance,” and “mutual trust and solidarity” among peoples, that could represent essential drivers for the international community to reduce the actual competition and enable a peaceful co-existence, built on the common sharing of resources. Ad- ditionally, understanding and applying its contents/lessons could help Governments intensify efforts to enable a new international order that allows safe operation in the outer space environment and shared benefits in terms of political, economic, and social development.