determining the extent of non-appropriation principal in space: during the process of commercialization of space

since the dawn of space age, international community was faced with the challenge of determination of the norms governing human activities in space. among these, sovereignty, appropriation and property rights were the most sophisticated problems. the question was that whether states are permitted to extend their terrestrial sovereignty to outer space and appropriate space and celestial bodies or not. the proposed solution to this question was “prohibition of appropriation and sovereignty in outer space”. but humanity has stepped on the moon for a while and now is advancing his knowledge about outer space and celestial bodies. as a result of this advanced knowledge, space powers have recently adopted an economic and commercial approach to outer space. now international community again asked the old question. therefore it seems vital to analyze the non appropriation principle in space again.