Hybrid Warfare in Outer Space: Where Does International Law Stand Today?

Abstract

The present paper aims to explore the connections between the concept of hybrid warfare and outer space from an international law perspective. To this end, it will delve into the concept of hybrid warfare, exposing difficulties associated with identifying a working definition thereof due to its essentially political – and thus contested – nature (section 2). The paper will then apply this concept to state and non-state activities that have been regularly carried out (or that will reasonably be in the near future) in outer space (section 3). The following section (4) will be dedicated to testing the adequacy of existing norms of international law as applicable to outer space activities to cope with the reality of hybrid warfare. Lastly and by way of conclusion, some trends emerging from recent practice will be pointed out (section 5).