Rand Simberg wrote:
On not making messes in space? My dim understanding is that this
remains unsettled in the Liability Convention, due to an inability to
agree on a definition of the word "debris." Any space lawyers out
there more up to date?

I'd think that, at a minimum, if any of the bits strike someone's
satellite, or ISS, that the Chinese could be held liable under the
OST. If it could be proven that it resulted from this event, that is
(probably a difficult thing to do).

They wouldn't be any more liable than the U.S. for the two Delta
stages that fragmented and created clouds of debris in LEO last
year. Or Japan for its H-2A upper stage that blew up last year.
Or Russia, which blew up a Kosmos satellite in LEO late last
year.

I don't see a treaty issue, unless it was China trying to get the
U.S. to agree to negotiate a no-arms-in-space treaty with it and
Russia as it has called for in the past.

- Ed Kyle