Hubble Space Telescope’s view of Saturn

© NAS

That's a wrap on World Space Week. Space is for everyone

The end of World Space week today comes with a message of hope. Fifty-one years ago, the US, UK, and USSR entered into force the pact known as the Outer Space Treaty. At least 107 other nations have since become parties to the treaty, with additional countries working on ratification. The treaty establishes ‘space law’—in essence, an agreement that space exploration should only be for the benefit of all of humanity. No weapons of mass destruction can be placed on the moon, nor any other orbiting body.