Outer space is not a legal vacuum. The United Nations’ Outer Space Treaty, the UN Charter itself, and international humanitarian law all apply to warfare in orbit. But the Iran war shows how real‑world practice is advancing faster than these legal frameworks. 🇮🇷 In The Conversation, Anna Marie Brennan argues that commercial space technology is playing an outsized role in the conflict in Iran, and that the law has not caught up with the trend: By Anna Marie Brennan of Analysis: When the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran nearly two weeks ago, the first confirmation did not come from governments. It came from commercial satellites. The United Nations’ Outer Space Treaty, the UN Charter itself, and international humanitarian law all apply to warfare in orbit. But the Iran war shows how real‑world practice is advancing faster than these legal frameworks. When the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran nearly two weeks ago, the first confirmation didn’t come from governments. It came from commercial satellites. A combination of advanced battlefield tactics and the rapid commercialisation of space technology means international law is now falling well behind. The United Nations’ Outer Space Treaty, the UN Charter itself, and international humanitarian law all apply to warfare in orbit. But the Iran war shows how real‑world practice is advancing faster than these legal frameworks. The United Nations’ Outer Space Treaty , the UN Charter itself, and international humanitarian law all apply to warfare in orbit. But the Iran war shows how real‑world practice is advancing faster than these legal frameworks. Commercial satellites and space tech are reshaping the Iran war by providing real-time intelligence and communications, but outdated international laws struggle to regulate private companies’ growing role in conflict. The twin spacecraft Blue and Gold could open a new era in space exploration and planetary science, powered by commercial partnerships and innovations.