# Star Wars Defense: Weapons in Space

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-defense-weapons-in-space/196378>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 20, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-defense-weapons-in-space/196378 "2003-08-20T05:08:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-defense-weapons-in-space/196378/1 "2003-08-20T05:08:19Z")

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According to Jim Lovell (in the book “Apollo 13”), there was a treaty signed in the late 1960’s to keep outer space peaceful for scientific study, only. Yet, if this is so…how could Reagan have even proposed a Star Wars-type defense program…of which is still whispered about still today? I WAG there was some stipulation about a definition as to where Earth’s domain ends and outer space begins?

Is this treaty still on the books, or was it (perhaps) more of a gentleman’s agreement? …is there something similar regarding Antarctica, for example, too?

- Jinx

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-defense-weapons-in-space/196378/2 "2003-08-20T05:18:46Z")

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[TREATY ON PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF STATES IN THE EXPLORATION AND USE OF OUTER SPACE, INCLUDING THE MOON AND OTHER CELESTIAL BODIES](http://www.fas.org/nuke/control/ost/text/space1.htm)

> [@](#):
>
> Ratified by U.S. President May 24, 1967  
> U.S. ratification deposited at Washington, London, and Moscow October 10, 1967  
> Entered into force October 10, 1967  
> …  
> Article XVI  
> Any State Party to the Treaty may give notice of its withdrawal from the Treaty one year after its entry into force by written notification to the Depositary Governments. Such withdrawal shall take effect one year from the date of receipt of this notification.

If the US decides to weaponize space, they’ll have to pull out of the treaty.

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**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-defense-weapons-in-space/196378/3 "2003-08-20T22:29:33Z")

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But, of course, the treaty doesn’t say anything about not _planning_ to weaponize space.

And it’s not like the Soviets were good peacenik space hippies during the Cold War. One of the “Salyut” stations had an anti-aircraft cannon installed onboard, which was tested in space. In '87, they actually tried to _launch_ their own “Star Wars” satellite, “Polyus,” for testing (it failed to reach orbit).

They even had a few plans for orbiting nuclear weapons platforms.

Heck, there’s at least one gun in space at any given moment…carried in the survival kit onboard the Space Station’s “lifeboat” Soyuz.