So I've read that one of the things the Americans worried about if they launched their first satellite before the Soviets was the Soviets mounting a legal challenge to the satellite's orbit crossing through the air-space of the countries below (particularly Soviet airspace, where a spy satellite could do the best work).
So WI the worst fears of the Americans come to pass, and the idea of sovereign airspace extends out into space. How enforceable would such international norms actually be? And how much would it retard space travel?
fasquardon