Obligation and Legal Basis of Inactive Satellite Removal: ESA Envisat Satellite's Removal

Uncontrolled growth of inactive satellites has imposed great threats on both the safety of navigation in outer space and the environment on the earth. The author introduces the threats posed by ESA's inactive satellite Envisat, examines legal status of the inactive satellites, and then point out that Article IX of the Outer Space Treaty has posed an exception on the "jurisdiction" under Article VIII, which serves as the legal basis of non-cooperative removal.