Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon in the United States

Article IV

States Parties to the Treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the
earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons
of mass destruction, instal such weapons on celestial bodies, or station
such weapons in outer space in any other manner.

The moon and other celestial bodies shall be used by all States Parties
to the Treaty exclusively for peaceful purposes. The establishment of
military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing of any type
of weapons and the conduct of military manoeuvres on celestial bodies
shall be forbidden. The use of military personnel for scientific research
or for any other peaceful purposes shall not be prohibited. The use of
any equipment or facility necessary for peaceful exploration of the moon
and other celestial bodies shall also not be prohibited.

Article V

States Parties to the Treaty shall regard astronauts as envoys of mankind
in outer space and shall render to them all possible assistance in the
event of accident, distress, or emergency landing on the territory of
another State Party or on the high seas. When astronauts make such a
landing, they shall be safely and promptly returned to the State of
registry of their space vehicle.

In carrying on activities in outer space and on celestial bodies, the
astronauts of one State Party shall render all possible assistance to the
astronauts of other States Parties.

States Parties to the Treaty shall immediately inform the other States
Parties to the Treaty or the Secretary-General of the United Nations of
any phenomena they discover in outer space, including the moon and other
celestial bodies, which could constitute a danger to the life or health
of astronauts.

Article VI

States Parties to the Treaty shall bear international responsibility for
national activities in outer space, including the moon and other
celestial bodies, whether such activities are carried on by governmental
agencies or by non-governmental entities, and for assuring that national
activities are carried out in conformity with the provisions set forth in
the present Treaty. The activities of non-governmental entities in outer
space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, shall require
authorization and continuing supervision by the appropriate State Party
to the Treaty. When activities are carried on in outer space, including
the moon and other celestial bodies, by an international organization,
responsibility for compliance with this Treaty shall be borne both by the
international organization and by the States Parties to the Treaty
participating in such organization.

Article VII

Each State Party to the Treaty that launches or procures the launching of
an object into outer space, including the moon and other celestial
bodies, and each State Party from whose territory or facility an object
is launched, is internationally liable for damage to another State Party
to the Treaty or to its natural or juridical persons by such object or
its component parts on the Earth, in air space or in outer space,
including the moon and other celestial bodies.

Article VIII

A State Party to the Treaty on whose registry an object launched into
outer space is carried shall retain jurisdiction and control over such
object, and over any personnel thereof, while in outer space or on a
celestial body. Ownership of objects launched into outer space, including
objects landed or constructed on a celestial body, and of their component
parts, is not affected by their presence in outer space or on a celestial
body or by their return to the Earth. Such objects or component parts
found beyond the limits of the State Party to the Treaty on whose
registry they are carried shall be returned to that State Party, which
shall, upon request, furnish identifying data prior to their return.

Article IX

In the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other
celestial bodies, States Parties to the Treaty shall be guided by the
principle of co-operation and mutual assistance and shall conduct all
their activities in outer space, including the moon and other celestial
bodies, with due regard to the corresponding interests of all other
States Parties to the Treaty. States Parties to the Treaty shall pursue
studies of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies,
and conduct exploration of them so as to avoid their harmful
contamination and also adverse changes in the environment of the Earth
resulting from the introduction of extraterrestrial matter and, where
necessary, shall adopt appropriate measures for this purpose. If a State
Party to the Treaty has reason to believe that an activity or experiment
planned by it or its nationals in outer space, including the moon and
other celestial bodies, would cause potentially harmful interference with
activities of other States Parties in the peaceful exploration and use of
outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, it shall
undertake appropriate international consultations before proceeding with
any such activity or experiment. A State Party to the Treaty which has
reason to believe that an activity or experiment planned by another State
Party in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies,
would cause potentially harmful interference with activities in the
peaceful exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other
celestial bodies, may request consultation concerning the activity or
experiment.

Article X

In order to promote international co-operation in the exploration and use
of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, in
conformity with the purposes of this Treaty, the States Parties to the
Treaty shall consider on a basis of equality any requests by other States
Parties to the Treaty to be afforded an opportunity to observe the flight
of space objects launched by those States.

The nature of such an opportunity for observation and the conditions
under which it could be afforded shall be determined by agreement between
the States concerned.