No abstract

The paper discusses the problem of the growing threat of orbital collisions – the Kessler syndrome in the Earth’s lower orbit caused by orbital satellite constellations developed to provide broadband internet. It provides a theoretical context for the main argument by presenting the current data related to space debris in orbit, the concept of the Kessler syndrome and its application to orbital objects, the legal framework pertaining to the issue, mitigation programs and plans, and new orbital satellites constellations under development and how they contribute to the Kessler syndrome threat. The main contribution of the paper is the carried out argument that the lack of a global legal system regulating the use of the Earth’s orbit is a factor that strengthens the threat.

The paper is dedicated to two main issues, namely (1) the representation of general Islamic ethics, the analysis of its specific methodology of moral validation by referring to the Qur'an and Sunna, and its interconnectivity with the Islamic law – Shari’a, as well as to (2) presenting Islamic managerial ethics as a derivative from the general Islamic ethics when it comes to both building moral arguments and propagating the proper moral behavior by promoting moral virtues and normatively analyzing what is right and wrong in the particular business situation. Among the used methods, there was content analysis, comparable analysis, inference, and the evolution of the normative theories. Then, the very Islam-specific confluence of ethics and law is discussed. These data are presented and analyzed as a required context for proper understanding of applied ethics in Islam, and in the case of this paper – Islamic managerial ethics.

The objective of the study is to carry out a meaningful comparison that demonstrates the similarities and differences of various conflict theatres where proxy forces were employed. The analyses of the discussed cases focused on different aspects of the conflict and nature of the proxy use. The analyses presented on the following pages were conducted on the basis of the literature on the subject, governmental research and reports, and supporting sources reporting recent developments that complemented academic sources. Various non-state actors such as ethnic militias, paramilitary units, and private military companies have become more and more visible on contemporary battlegrounds. Modern states employ those actors to further their objectives, as this limits their own political and financial costs. This increasingly visible phenomenon points to an emerging new model of warfare where state actors are relying ever more on proxies of various character and nature. It is highly likely that any future conflict will be characterised by a proxy-based model of warfare, which will consist of a limited footprint made by regular forces (or none at all) and, consequently, the extended use of proxies supported by special forces. Because such an approach is less costly, proxies will be more often employed by low-budget states, previously reluctant to carry out such costly military endeavours. Denying the actions and affiliations of these proxies will inevitably follow and, in turn, a lack of political accountability and responsibility for the conflict's outcome.

At the end of the second decade of the 21st century, we witness a progressive increase of strategic importance of artificial satellites and other orbital systems, which is a consequence of the ever-accelerating development of space technologies that include weapons systems. The outer space becomes a theatre for a potential conflict. The states possessing sufficient technological potential will further develop and expand those systems, both defensive (for eliminating threats) and offensive (securing the military advantage and serving as a deterrent) to secure their current and future interests.The main argument of the paper demonstrates the necessity, from the perspective of the strong outer space sector players like the USA, Russia, China, to further develop space weapon systems and military units of space corps.