ABSTRACT
From the time when the World War II ended and the Cold War began, space became the new high ground so often alluded to by Sun Tzu. For this reason, the advent of the dominant space powers vis-à-vis the United States and the Soviet Union ushered in the potential for space not to become a place of warfare in of itself but a potential battlefield to pursue national interests. The introduction of the Outer Space Treaty curbed to an extent the use of outer space for the so-called aggressive outer space activities, but it did not prevent the principal space players from forming their own customary usage of outer space for military activities outside of the realm of passive undertakings.
As the Cold War subsided, the use of outer space became more economically focused and the threat to space-based assets has become a more pressing concern. As the geopolitical environment continues to evolve, the role of national security in outer space activities strains at the confines imposed upon it by the Outer Space Treaty. More so, as the role of the Outer Space Treaty becomes less putative in the evolution of outer space development, that particular accord may find itself regulated to custom and not only concede the increase and scope of outer space activities, but also the role of national security activities, including the military, as well.
