The Outer Space Treaty is the primary international agreement governing the exploration and use of outer space. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1967 and has been signed by over 100 countries.

Article II of the Outer Space Treaty states that "outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means".

The Outer Space Treaty grants nations the right to explore and use outer space for peaceful purposes, but it also imposes on them the responsibility to avoid harmful interference with the activities of other nations in space, to claim sovereignty over celestial bodies that they discover, and to protect the environment of celestial bodies.

The ISS is a joint project of the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan, and the European Space Agency. It is used to conduct scientific research in space, serve as a platform for space exploration, and promote international cooperation in space.

Space exploration and exploitation are challenging endeavors that involve high costs, risks to astronauts and spacecraft, environmental impacts, and legal and political challenges.

The future of space policy and law is likely to be shaped by the development of new international agreements to govern space activities, the increasing role of private companies in space exploration and exploitation, and the growing importance of space security.