From the Legal Vacuum to Autonomous ASAT (Anti-Satellite Weapons): Challenges for International Cooperation and Peace in Outer Space

Article
Open Access
by Nicolò Ricci Bitti1
1 Department of Law, University of Brescia (Brescia, Italy)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29202/asl/16/3
Received: 20 September 2025 / Accepted: 30 November 2025 / Published: 30 December 2025

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Abstract

The rise of autonomous weapons and space technologies is reshaping global security, raising challenges for strategic stability, disarmament, and orbital sustainability. The integration of artificial intelligence into satellite weapon systems exemplifies the militarization of space, where conflicts may extend beyond Earth with systemic security implications. This study introduces the category of Autonomous Anti-Satellite Weapons (Autonomous ASAT) as evidence of international legal gaps: the absence of binding norms enables space to emerge as a frontier of autonomous warfare. Satellites, central to surveillance, targeting, and communication, illustrate the “dual-use” nature of space technologies, while existing instruments, such as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, prove inadequate to regulate defense experimentation. The analysis reviews limits of current international law and explores soft- and hardlaw proposals to prevent armed conflict in orbit, reduce debris, and manage environmental risks. It outlines pathways for a multilayered regulatory framework promoting transparency, shared security, and international cooperation. Balancing innovation with governance is essential to preserving the peaceful use of autonomous systems for humanity.
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Keynotes: Autonomous Weapons, Outer Space Security, International Law, Dual Use Technologies

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Ricci Bitti, Nicolò (2025) From the Legal Vacuum to Autonomous ASAT (Anti-Satellite Weapons): Challenges for International Cooperation and Peace in Outer Space. Advanced Space Law, Volume 16, 30-41. https://doi.org/10.29202/asl/16/3
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