EL DILEMA DE LA BASURA ESPACIAL EN LA ANTÁRTICA: LA CONVERGENCIA ESPACIO-ANTÁRTICA, SEGURIDAD HUMANA Y RESPONSABILIDAD INTERNACIONAL

Abstract

Space activities have served as a driving force for innovation and the projection of na- tional power, while simultaneously generating new dynamics in strategic spaces for international security, such as the Antarctic continent. This study examines the reentries of space debris in Antarctica between 2004 and 2025, revealing a sustained increase linked to strategic competition in outer space. It analyzes the impact of this phenome- non on international security and the applicability of international responsibility principles under both the Outer Space Treaty and the Antarctic Treaty, emphasizing the interdependence between these two regimes and providing empirical data on a scarcely explored issue. Finally, the study assesses Chile’s role, as an Antarctic state, in leading efforts toward structural solutions in this domain.