What Was The First Crime In Space? The Stories Of Space Criminals 

23rd Jan 2025
What Was The First Crime In Space? The Stories Of Space Criminals 

Experts estimate that about 4.8 million crimes are committed every day worldwide. The figure seems shocking, but on the scale of the Earth’s population, it is only 0.05% – a drop in the ocean. Of course, everything could be much worse if it weren’t for the police and other agencies that prevent rampant crime. But what about offences outside the Earth? Do astronauts break the law? We think that space crime is the sole prerogative of science fiction novels and films, but it’s not entirely true.

Have any crimes been committed in space? What was the first crime in space? Who and how enforces the order at ISS and during space missions? Let’s find out.

What Laws Apply In Space?

signing of the Outer Space Treaty
The signing of the Outer Space Treaty in 1967. Credit: United Nations

Despite 65 years of spaceflight history, there is still no universal “space code”. All we have today are a few international treaties and national laws that attempt to maintain order beyond Earth. Here are the main ones:

  • The Outer Space Treaty (1967)
  • Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space (1968) 
  • Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (1972)
  • Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (1979)
  • The Code of Conduct for International Space Station Crews (1988) regulates the behaviour of astronauts on the station and provides for disciplinary measures in case of violations.

Now, let’s see how these provisions work in practice.

What Happens If Someone Commits A Crime On A Spaceship?

What happens when you commit a crime in space? What are the laws in space? Who will be your jury?  Credit: youtube

A state retains jurisdiction and control over its facility and any of its personnel while it is in outer space or on a celestial body (the Moon, Mars, an asteroid, etc.). In other words, astronauts in space remain citizens of their countries and are subject to their laws.

So if, for example, a NASA astronaut breaks US law in space, the US has the right to prosecute him. And if he harms a British craft or astronaut, the case can be prosecuted by either the US or the UK, if the UK and US agree to do so. The UK can also prosecute if the US takes no action against its violator within 90 days of the space crime.

It’s similar to the legal situation on the high seas. Seagoing vessels are subject to the laws of the country where the vessel is registered, so you are not free to break British laws if you are on a British vessel in international waters.

What Happens If Someone Commits A Crime On The ISS?

The various parts of the ISS are governed by the laws of the country that owns that part of the ISS. So, for example, if a British astronaut is in the Russian ISS module, he is obliged to comply with the laws of both the UK and the Russian Federation. Thus, a space crime on the ISS can be investigated by several parties: the country of the criminal, the country of the victim (if any), or the country that owns the part of the ISS where the crime occurred.

What Happens If Someone Commits A Crime On The Moon?

astronaut helmet with a hole from a bullet
Murder on the Moon. Credit: Gunpowder Moon by David Pedreira

There is no clear mechanism for regulating crimes on the Moon and other celestial bodies. It all comes down to defining jurisdiction. The Moon does not belong to anyone, which means that, for example, British laws cannot be applied to everyone who walks on the Moon. But, based on existing treaties and legal principles, it can be assumed that if a crime is committed on the Moon, a combination of national laws and international agreements will apply, similar to the spaceship regulations.

That is, depending on where exactly the crime occurred on the Moon (for example, on a permanent base, in a spaceship, or on the surface), the crime will be investigated, and justice will be carried out by:

  1. the country of the offending citizen;
  2. the country that launched the mission;
  3. an international tribunal (if one is created).

Currently, there are no clear frameworks for defining a space crime and punishment for it, and they are unlikely to appear in the near future. After all, this requires the joint work of all space powers and precedents to work with. And there haven’t been too many of them.

Has The Law Ever Been Broken In Space?

Over 65 years, slightly more than 600 astronauts have been in space, and they have not had the time for much transgression. There have been incidents that have generally been classified as violations of flight regulations, but not as crimes. Nevertheless, they have caused a lot of trouble and have only emphasised the need for legal regulation.

Gherman Titov — The First “Space Offender” (1961)

During a flight on the Vostok-2 spacecraft in August 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov fell asleep without permission, exceeding the allotted time for rest. It was the first deviation from the approved flight plan in the history of cosmonautics. Although Titov’s “violation” may seem minor, it caused concern among flight managers. At the time, the effects of spaceflight on the human body were still poorly understood, and the cosmonaut’s unexpected sleep could have been a sign of health problems.

Fortunately, Titov’s sleep did not affect the mission’s success, and he safely returned to Earth. However, the incident highlighted the importance of strict adherence to regulations during spaceflights and has become the subject of close study by doctors and safety experts.

The Gordon Cooper Incident (1963)

During the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission in 1963, NASA astronaut Gordon Cooper had problems with the automatic landing system. An experienced pilot and a risk-taker, he took control and manually landed the capsule using stars for navigation. This was a protocol violation, as the flight plan called for an automatic landing, and Cooper was acting on his own without permission from Mission Control.

Despite the protocol violation, Cooper’s actions were considered heroic, and the astronaut was not punished. He did, however, later receive a fine for another risky stunt. In 1964, he flew a plane very low over Texas A&M University (TAMU), from which he graduated. The incident caused concern among university administrators and local authorities, and Cooper was fined $50.

Mutiny On Apollo 7 (1968)

In 1968, the Apollo 7 crew of Walter Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham clashed with Mission Control. During the mission, the astronauts suffered from cold, tight schedule fatigue, and were unhappy with some Mission Control instructions. In protest, they refused to broadcast on television, argued with camera operators, and even refused to put on their helmets before their descent to Earth.

Although this incident was not classified as a space crime, it was the first for which astronauts were punished. Eiseley and Cunningham were permanently suspended from flying, and NASA was forced to radically revise its approach to the psychological preparation of astronauts and communication with them.

Tensions On ISS-42/43 (2014-2015)

During the 2014 ISS expedition, the political situation on Earth (the conflict in Ukraine) caused tensions between the Russian and American crew members. Although the cosmonauts and astronauts continued to work together and perform their duties, informal communication between them reportedly decreased. The colleagues looked estranged and spent more time in their segments of the station. Although there was no open conflict between them, the incident showed that geopolitical tensions can also affect relationships in space.

Sabotage On Soyuz MS-09 (2018)

patched hole inside the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft
Roscosmos Cosmonaut Sergei Prokopiev shows a patched hole inside the Habitation Module of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft. Credit: Roscosmos

On August 30, 2018, the ISS crew noticed an air leak and a pressure drop on the station. The source of the leak was found in the habitation compartment of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft docked at the station.

The cause was a small hole, about 2 mm in diameter, in the ship’s hull. Subsequent analysis of the hole and samples showed that it was damaged by a drill, probably on Earth. However, it was not ruled out that the hole could have been made in space.

Although the Roscosmos investigation results have never been made public, the incident has raised questions about possible sabotage.

Who Was The First Woman To Commit A Crime In Space?

Summer Worden and Ann McClain
Summer Worden (left). Ann McClain (right) Credit: EyewitnessNews

The only incident to date that could be considered the first crime committed in space occurred in 2019. Anne McClain, a NASA astronaut, was accused by her ex-wife, Summer Worden, of illegally accessing her bank account from aboard the ISS.

Worden alleged that McClain used NASA computers at ISS to access her personal bank account without permission. Worden filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, alleging that McClain’s actions violated the Privacy Act. Worden believed that McClain monitored her finances and transactions to gain an advantage in her divorce suit and obtain custody of their son. McClain admitted to accessing the account but said she did so in good faith. McClain was acquitted, but Worden was charged with defamation and false testimony to federal investigators.

Fortunately, Anne McClain never became the woman who committed the first crime in space, and the trial did not affect her career. In 2020, she was selected as an astronaut for the Artemis program, and in 2025, she is scheduled to return to the ISS aboard the SpaceX Crew-10 mission.

Hundreds Of Miles Above The Law

A Hundred miles above the Law
In the future, spacefaring countries will have to come together to work out new international agreements on how to handle crimes in space. Credit: HowStuffWorks

So, the real first crime in space has not happened yet. However, the incident with Anne McClain showed us a tendency towards the inevitable – the more actively we explore space, the more terrestrial affairs we will transfer there. Private companies promise us an era of space tourism, NASA is seriously going to colonise the Moon, and Elon Musk is going to land the first expedition on Mars. This means that in the near future, there will be more people outside the Earth, and the first crime in space is only a matter of time. One can only hope that, in space, we will cope with crimes better than on Earth.

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