Space Law
The launch of the first Ethiopian satellite
The data from the Ethiopian Remote Sensing Satellite, the first Ethiopian satellite, will help the country to monitor its resources, such as forest and mining resources, improve weather forecast, as well as observe agricultural transformations which will therefore improve the quality of the country’s responses to various issues. →
Can astronauts vote in space?
Currently, only American astronauts can vote from outer space. Indeed, in 1997, the State of Texas passed a law which allows American astronauts to cast their ballots from outer space, from the International Space Station (ISS), and even if they were further out, like on Mars. →
The Universe, a zone of lawlessness
This spacecraft, the Tesla Roadster, was not going to measure anything, observe anything. It was a grand publicity stunt, at the cost of “intentional pollution” of outer space. The radio installed on board the imitation vehicle, and supposed to play the song Life on Mars? by David Bowie was too much detail: there is not even a sound in space! →
The case of force majeure in space law
Similarly, space debris among those present in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), not listed because less than ten centimetres in size, could cause damage to a satellite or even compromise a launch. If it is established that these debris did indeed cause the damage, force majeure may be claimed, insofar as it is impossible to predict the presence of these small debris. →
What is the nationality of someone born in space?
What would be the nationality of a baby born in weightlessness, four hundred kilometers away from the Earth? Should we consider different scenarios, based on the place of birth? Is there a difference to the citizenship of the baby, whether the birth occurs in a spaceship, in an international space station, on a futuristic lunar base, or on a colony of Mars? →
Proposal for a Martian Constitution
ARTICLE 43: The Republic of Mars is a Federation. Each State on Earth is to be assigned a Federated State of the Republic of Mars. In the event of independence, the territory of the Federated States of the Republic of Mars would no longer belong to the Terrestrial States. →
What laws apply in international contracts?
Private relations increasingly include an element of foreignness due to the internationalization of economic exchanges and the multiplication of population displacements. In doing so, international contracts are common in all economic activities. →
Astronationalism or nationalism in outer space
Nationalism in space or astronationalism is something that should not happen. Humankind should learn from the past and continue the cooperation, as it is seen in the case of the ISS, to lead space exploration. For space conquest, the Earth should be one, a single entity. →
Legal issues concerning a Chinese booster which crashed in a rural area
According to the China National Space Administration, on November 23, 2019, China launched a Long March-3B rocket to put two navigation satellites BeiDou into orbit from the launching site of Xichang, located in the Sichuan province. Unfortunately, one of the boosters crashed and hit a rural village near the launching site of Xichang. →
Is 2019 the Year When The First Crime In Space Was Committed?
Crimes related to the space industry or space domain in general can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Indeed, space-related offenses are quite rare, as it is still a domain restricted from the general public. However, in 2019, a news made the headlines due to its surprising novelty. →
What is Asgardia?
Asgardia, also known as the “Space Kingdom of Asgardia” and “Asgardia the Space Nation”, is a micronation formed by a group of people who have launched a satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). They refer to themselves as Asgardians and have given their satellite the name Asgardia-1. They have declared sovereignty over the space occupied by and contained within Asgardia -1. →
The Nigerian space program
The Nigerian space program is managed by the National Space Research and Development Agency. The mandate of the agency is to vigorously pursue the attainment of space capabilities as an essential tool for the enhancement of the quality of life for Nigerians. →
Why does the FAA uses 50 miles for defining outer space?
“Why does the FAA uses 50 miles for defining outer space?” is a question some of us might have asked ourselves, especially when looking at the question of the delimitation of outer space, the different approaches – spatialist or functionalist – to space activities. →
Will outer space soon become inaccessible?
The growth of debris in outer space is exponential and collisions between discarded satellites could well trigger a chain reaction known as “Kessler Syndrome”. It would then be impossible to put satellites in orbit. →
Swarm Technologies and space law
Swarm Technologies, the Silicon Valley creator of “SpaceBee” picosatellites, is an American start-up based in California. On January 12, 2018, four satellites of the American start-up were illegally put into orbit by Antrix Corporation Limited; what are the space legal issues? →
The Philippine Space Act
Rodrigo Duterte, the President of the Philippines, has just signed a new law called “The Philippine Space Act” (Republic Act No. 11363) on August 8, 2019. The latter will allow this country of Southeast Asia to create its own national space agency: the PhilSA. This agency will be situated in the Clark Special Economic Zone, north of Manila. →
Space legal issues concerning second-hand satellite market
The opportunity with on-orbit services would be the development related to the creation of a second-hand satellite market. Let’s study the space legal issues concerning second-hand satellite market. →
Light pollution: towards a right to darkness?
For ten years, the subject of light pollution has been more and more discussed. Researchers argue for a right to darkness, both to rediscover the starry sky and to protect ecosystems and human beings, who see lighting as a security symbol. →
Analysis of the 2008 French space law
The adoption of the 2008 French space law or “LOI du 3 juin 2008 relative aux opérations spatiales” on June 3, 2008, which addressed several issues intimately linked to the privatisation of space activities, marked the outcome of several years of discussions, and finally provided France with a legal framework for activities in outer space. →
Is naming stars legal?
For this new Space Law article on Space Legal Issues, we have asked ourselves the following question: is naming stars legal? There are services which will let you name a star in the sky after a loved one. You can commemorate a special day, or the life of an amazing person. But can you really name a star? Is it legal? →