The UK Space Sector and Brexit

Monday, March 27th, 2017

ISPL and UCL held a joint workshop on the impact on the UK space sector of UK withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit). On Thursday 23 March 2017 participants from government, manufacturing, industry, service providers and system operators, legal, market and consulting professionals, government advisers and academics met to discuss many critical issues.

The workshop was informative and challenging to some perceptions about the impact of withdrawal in general, and especially in respect of this tremendously important and specialised sector.

ISPL is most grateful for UCL’s support and partnership for this event. It would not have been possible but for the excellent contributions from the speakers, and the contributions made by everyone present.

A report was prepared by ISPL and Rapporteurs from University College London.

Programme

Space Policy Day for University Students

Wednesday, March 1st, 2017

Students with an interest in the space sector are invited to register for an interactive and informative event at Cranfield University on Friday 31 March.  Speaking will be Professor Sa’id Mosteshar, Director of ISPL, Jean-Jacques Tortora, Director of ESPI, and representatives from the UK space sector.  The event is supported by Astronautics and Space Engineering (ASE) and UKSEDS.  There is a very modest fee to attend.  Register here.

“The CranSEDS Space Policy Day invites you to join a discussion to assess the progression of space-related law since the dawn of the Space Age and its impacts on countries and companies. Speakers from the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) and London Institute of Space Policy and Law (ISPL) will provide an insight into the background and current state of space policy, and industry speakers will describe the impacts on their respective companies. 

Following these sessions, attendees are encouraged to participate in workshops, in which current space policy issues raised in the talks will be discussed, and potential measures and solutions brainstormed. These will then be presented to the whole group. 

Regular refreshments and a buffet lunch will be provided.

We hope that the CranSEDS Space Policy Day will promote a deeper understanding of the various technical, legal and ethical issues involved in space missions.”

REGISTRATION

CranSEDS is part of the UKSEDS network of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space.  They are an active group and any student interested in the space sector will find their events valuable.  Their annual conference is this weekend, 4 & 5 March 2017 at the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus.  ISPL has been pleased to participate at previous conferences and to promote their work.

ESPI is a valuable source for scholars, students, professionals and scientists, providing information about space policy, organising events, publishing, and advancing space as a vital policy area.  Peter Hulsroj, ESPI’s former Director, is a member of ISPL’s faculty. 

Space Law and Policy Course October 2016 – CPD

Monday, July 11th, 2016

Booking is almost full as of today, 15 September 2016.  Please telephone before submitting payment, to confirm if there are additional openings.

Space Law and Policy Course (CPD) at Charles Clore House, Russell Square, London

DATE:  10 – 12 October 2016.

The booking form below will secure your place – please telephone to confirm availability before payment.

SUBJECT MATTER

Through lectures, discussions and interactive case-studies we will explore:

• The space environment and space technology
• Orbits, their characteristics and management, and types of spacecraft
• Spectrum management
• The law governing space activities: principles & sources of space law, including conventions and treaties, national law and policies
• Peaceful use of space, military activities & arms control, security
• Sovereignty
• Property rights, commercial activity
• Risk, liability and insurance, debris
• The law as relates to specific applications: telecommunications and broadcasting, remote sensing, scientific experiment and exploration, manned activities including the International Space Station, unmanned activities
• Space policy and the institutions that implement them

LECTURERS

This 3-day course is taught by ISPL’s Faculty and other experts. This year we are pleased to include:

• Professor Richard Crowther Chief Engineer, Space Science and Technology Department, UK Space Agency
• Professor Jean-Jacques Dordain CNES, former Director-General of ESA, ISPL Advisor
• Wing Commander Gerry Doyle RAF, MoD, PhD Researcher Reading University 
• Mr Yvon Henri Chief, Space Services Department, ITU
• Mr Nick Hughes Partner, Aerospace Team, Holman Fenwick Willan, ISPL Faculty member 
• Professor Sa’id Mosteshar Director of ISPL, Barrister specialising in space law and policy
• Mr Neil Stevens Insurance Specialist, SpaceFin Ltd, ISPL Faculty member

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Previous knowledge of law or policy is not required.

The Course will be particularly appropriate for those working in the space sector who wish to increase their knowledge of the current legal and policy framework, in order to take full advantage of the available opportunities and to create new ones.

• Policy-makers in government and international bodies
• IGO and space agency team members concerned with national and international issues arising from activities in space, such as earth observation, and their regulation
• Lawyers and jurists whose practice brings them into contact with space law through legal evidence from satellites, contractual matters or international commerce
• Satellite manufacturing or operation team members seeking an understanding of legal issues relating to design, manufacture or provision of space products and services
• Managers and team leaders of space operations who wish to better understand the legal and policy issues they encounter, and to be able to plan more proactively
• Insurers and executives who need to evaluate legal aspects of risk and liability
• Academics and law, business or technology post-graduate students interested in the field
• Others involved in decision-making relating to space activity

Undergraduates: please register for our introductory course in space law.

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (CPD)

The course qualifies for CPD for Solicitors and for Barristers in England and Wales.

Other professionals: please contact your respective professional bodies about whether the course will qualify for CPD.

Participants may access the IALS Law Library during the week of the course.

Those considering a post-graduate degree will be able to informally discuss their interest with the Director.

FEES

Full-time employees of government agencies, academics, upper level graduate students: £ 900

All others:  £ 1,200

(No VAT is charged on this course. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis, and will be confirmed upon receipt of payment.)  

HOW TO BOOK

For more information, contact:  Events@space-institute.org

Case Study on Governance in Space Exploration

Friday, July 1st, 2016

ISPL is pleased to post this study, written as a dissertation for an MSc in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management at the University of Leicester’s Civil Safety and Security Unit.  Although it is not specifically concerned with space law or policy, we believe it will be of interest to many in the space sector and in government.  

Some of the topics explored in the context of a private, one-way colonisation of Mars, include private vs public risk and the concept of envoys of mankind.

See the Study here.

Dorte Jessen is currently engaged with World Food Programme Monitoring and Evaluation, Kabul, Afghanistan. Previously, she held posts in a number of areas of crisis, including as WFP’s Deputy Emergency Coordinator in Jordan.

Space Law and Policy One-day Course for Students

Sunday, April 3rd, 2016

ISPL’s space policy and law one-day course for students will be on Saturday, 30 April 2016 in London. 

Thanks to the generous support of Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, the only charge will be a £10 registration fee.

No previous knowledge of law is required.  Students on the course may be studying law, governance, engineering, space-related medicine, or other subjects. Only full-time university students may attend.

One-day course for students at university level

The course will be taught by ISPL’s Director, Sa’id Mosteshar, and by Neil Stevens, space contracts and insurance specialist and ISPL Faculty Member.

Topics that will be introduced:

Space environment and technology

Space activities such as communication, earth observation and space tourism

Regulation

Commercial activity

International and national law

Policy

Current and future trends

A suggested reading list is available for those wishing to look at the primary treaties and documents of space law or the space environment prior to the course.  Need further information?  Contact events@space-institute.org.

Please note that this one-day course for students does not carry academic credit.  There will be no examination, but there will be ample time for questions, discussion, and a case study.

Registration

Please download and email the required registration information. 

Further information

For students unable to attend ISPL’s course, or anyone interested in an introduction to the topics, two books were recently published. A Space Law Essentials Textbook and Casebook were published by authors at the University of Graz and the European Space Agency.  Further information about the books is here.

ISPL also offers a 3-day course in space policy and law for practitioners, government personnel and other professionals active in the space sector.  The next course will be in October 2016.

For more about our courses and events, or to request a notification email, please contact our Events team: events@space-institute.org.

Jean-Jacques Dordain joins ISPL Advisory Board

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015

The Institute is delighted to welcome Jean-Jacques Dordain to our Advisory Board. He will join five other distinguished individuals whose role includes advising on ISPL’s focus, areas of concentration and direction.  They are essential to the functioning of the Institute, along with our Faculty and many others who contribute to our activities.

Jean-Jacques served with great distinction as the Director-General of ESA, the European Space Agency, from 2003 to 2015.  During his tenure at ESA, Mr Dordain has nurtured ESA’s relationship with the European Union and its institutions. He presided over a long string of successful Ariane launches carrying important space science missions, as well as a number of key Earth Observation satellites put into orbit to provide unique data to the scientific communities for understanding and monitoring Earth’s environment and climate change.

Throughout his career Jean-Jacques has taught in several prestigious positions. His professional memberships and honours are numerous, as are his achievements in the aerospace field. His biography may be seen on the ESA website.

He brings knowledge, perspective and vast experience to the task.  He is also Advisor to the CNES President Jean-Yves Le Gall. ISPL’s Director Sa’id Mosteshar said, “It is an honour and a privilege to have Jean-Jacques’ tremendous insight and the benefit of his many talents to complement our outstanding Board of Advisers. His international stature and understanding of our field will be a great asset to the Institute.”

More information about people at ISPL.

Space Law and Policy Course 2015 (CPD)

Monday, March 23rd, 2015

The 2015 Space Law and Policy Course will be offered 11-13 May 2015 in London.

The Course will include lectures from ISPL’s Director and Faculty and other experts, and will include interactive case studies on topical aspects of law and policy.

The 2014 Course received very positive reviews.  A wide range of delegates participated in the lectures, discussions and case studies, resulting in a stimulating series of meetings over three days.  Comments following the course uniformly praised the content, presentation and range of material covered.   “Very rewarding and enriching!”   “I was most interested to listen to people around me with extensive expertise as well as the speakers.”   “I very much enjoyed the course and the friendly atmosphere.  Every speaker was helpful and an expert in their domain.”   “The quality of the course and information was outstanding.”

Participants may request access to the IALS Law Library during the week of the course. Those considering a post-graduate degree will also be able to informally discuss their interest with the Director.

Subject Matter 

The Course will provide an introduction to the following subjects.

• The space environment and space technology
• Orbits, their characteristics and management, and types of spacecraft
• Spectrum management
• The law governing space activities: principles & sources of space law, including conventions and treaties, national law and policies
• Peaceful use of space, military activities & arms control
• Sovereignty
• Property rights
• Risk, liability and insurance
• The law as relates to specific applications: telecommunications and broadcasting, remote sensing, scientific experiment and exploration, manned activities including the International Space Station, unmanned activities
• Space policy and the institutions that implement them



 Who should attend

The Course will be of interest to policy-makers, legal professionals, space sector executives and engineers, officials of government and international bodies, academics and post-graduate degree candidates.

The course is designed to be accessible to those in legal, technical or business training or employment. Previous knowledge of law or policy is not required. It will be particularly appropriate for those working in the space sector who wish to increase their knowledge of the current legal and policy framework, in order to take full advantage of the available opportunities and to create new ones.

The Course will be valuable to a variety of individuals.


• Satellite manufacturing or operation team members seeking an understanding of legal issues relating to design, manufacture or provision of space products and services
• Law, business and technology post-graduate students interested in the field
• Insurers and executives who want the tools to evaluate legal aspects of risk and liability
• Managers and team leaders of space operations who wish to better understand the legal and policy issues they encounter, and to be able to plan more proactively
• IGO and space agency team members concerned with national and international issues arising from activities in space, such as earth observation, and their regulation
• Lawyers and jurists whose practice brings them into contact with space law through legal evidence from satellites, contractual matters or international commerce

Undergraduates: please register for our introductory course in space law.

CPD

The course qualifies for 15 hours CPD for Solicitors and for Barristers.

Other professionals: please contact your respective professional bodies about whether the course will qualify for CPD.

For more information about the course and fees, please see the Prospectus.

Please reserve your place on the course here.

Space Law and Policy Course for University Students: Re-scheduling

Monday, March 23rd, 2015

The 2015 space law and policy course for university students will be rescheduled, and will now be offered in the Autumn term 2015.

Our courses are normally intended for high-level practitioners and civil servants. This is an excellent opportunity for those beginning their careers to learn about the law as it applies to the increasing range of activities in space, and the policies that are the foundation for the legal regime.  It is not an academically accredited course, but is a popular introduction to the field.

This is a half-day intensive lecture class for students with an interest in these areas. The course will be held on Saturday to enable them to avoid missing their regular lectures and seminars. No previous knowledge of space law or policy is required. Students in any discipline are welcome, including law, engineering and technology, government, business and commercial studies. They will receive a briefing in the sources of space law, an introduction to aspects of policy, and a wide range of other related material.

There is no examination. There will be ample time for discussion and questions.

We will post a prospectus and email notifications to those on our contact list when we have the new date.

UKSEDS Annual Conference

Thursday, February 19th, 2015

On the weekend of 28 February – 1 March 2015 the UK chapter of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space are holding their annual conference.

The event will be hosted by the University of Surrey, an institution deeply involved in the space sector.  Speakers include ISPL Faculty Member Richard Graham, who will talk about intellectual property and other space law issues.  Richard is Head of Digital IP at Richemont.

The conference is well attended each year by students from a variety of disciplines.  It’s a great opportunity to network, learn about careers in the space sector, and learn from experts in a broad range of space-related fields.  

UKSEDS enjoys strong support from the space sector, as illustrated by the list of sponsors for this year’s event.  Surrey Satellite Technology is one of these – its Executive Director, Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, is one of ISPL’s Directors.

More information about the conference, including the program and speakers’ biographies, can be found on the conference website.

Commercialisation of Space

Tuesday, January 20th, 2015

Commercialisation of Space: Opportunities and Challenges is a wide-ranging and valuable record of a conference of the same name, co-edited by two distinguished friends of ISPL. Professor Ram Jakhu, of McGill University’s Institute of Air and Space Law (IASL), is a Member of our Faculty, and we were pleased to collaborate on the conference with Professor Bhupendra Jasani of King’s College London’s Department of War Studies.

The conference was organized by KCL and held there on 24-25 January 2014, in collaboration with IASL and the London Institute of Space Policy and Law (ISPL).

The collaborative effort was generously funded by the Erin J C Arsenault Fund of McGill University.  The book is published this month by Pentagon Press as a joint publication of KCL, IASL and NIAS, the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bangalore.

Participants in the conference who have also contributed articles include experts from a number of space sector companies, and representatives of regional and specialist groups, government and academia.  Our Director Professor Sa’id Mosteshar contributed to the book, as did Sir Martin Sweeting, an ISPL Trustee, and Professor Paul Stephen Dempsey of IASL, who is also an ISPL Faculty Member.

The publication means that those unable to attend the conference will be able to explore 19 articles based on the material presented, along with powerpoint slides from two further presentations.  In addition to valuable overviews, the articles cover a wide range of matters including competition, risk and commerce, tourism and debris as well as legal and ethical issues.  An appended selection of outer space treaties, resolutions and codes will be useful for those wishing to refer to them.

Copies of the book may be ordered through Pentagon Press.