The United States, represented by Caitlin Poling, presented its stance on the definition and delimitation of outer space at the 64th Session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Legal Subcommittee (COPUOS LSC) in Vienna, Austria. The U.S. maintains that there is no necessity for a legal definition or delimitation of outer space.
"The current framework has presented no practical difficulties and activities in outer space are flourishing as we have heard already this session," stated Poling. She emphasized that any attempt to define or delimit outer space could become an "unnecessary theoretical exercise" potentially complicating existing activities and becoming irrelevant to future technological advancements.
Poling also mentioned that various U.S. states and government departments have created their own definitions of "outer space" for purposes such as regulatory compliance and tax laws. However, she clarified that these actions do not indicate an international legal definition.
The U.S. plans to continue operating under the current framework until a demonstrated need arises for developing a specific definition or delimitation.