Report of ISPL and UCL SD Seminar 1: Outer Space Serving Humanity

Friday, February 16th, 2018

The report of the seminar of 13 December 2017 is now available. The series will explore the legacy of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (“OST”). The principles enshrined in the Treaty  have established a climate of cooperation, internationalisation and peaceful use. This has led to the development of space assets and capabilities that are essential to our way of life, and enrich our understanding of the universe.

Topics of relevance were outlined by specialists in the relevant fields and discussed by invited delegates from all sectors of space operation and regulation, under Chatham House Rules.

The contributions at the seminar underlined the enormous potential of space to deal with world problems and to improve life on Earth. The OST has served us well, but we must ensure that space is used well and responsibly, to ensure its long-term sustainability.

Download report.

The report contains links to powerpoint and other presentations.

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Space Law and Policy Course (CPD) Completed May 2014

Tuesday, June 24th, 2014

The 2014 Space Law and Policy Course for practitioners, civil servants, academics and space sector professionals took place in London during May 2014.  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.”

Prospectus

The Course comprised lectures and interactive case studies. Participants had access to the IALS Law Library during the course. Those considering a post-graduate degree at ISPL were able to informally discuss their interest with the Director.

The Course provided an introduction to:

• 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

• Comparison between space law and other legal regimes: Antarctic, maritime and air law

• 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

The Course was intended for policy-makers, legal professionals, space sector executives and engineers, officials of government and international bodies, academics and post-graduate degree candidates.

The course was designed to be accessible to those in legal, technical or business training or employment. Previous knowledge of law or policy was not required. It was particularly appropriate for those working in the space sector who wished 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 was intended for 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


Note: Undergraduates will be able to register for our short course in space law later this year.

CPD

The course qualified for 15 hours CPD for Solicitors (SRA) and for Barristers. Other professionals: please contact your respective professional bodies about whether our courses will qualify for CPD.

Space Law and Policy Course (CPD) Open for Enrolment

Tuesday, April 8th, 2014

ISPL is pleased to announce that enrolment is now open for the 2014 Space Law and Policy Course.

Prospectus

The Course will comprise lectures and interactive case studies. Participants will have access to the IALS Law Library during the course. Those considering a post-graduate degree at ISPL will also be able to informally discuss their interest with the Director.

The Course will provide an introduction to:

• 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

• Comparison between space law and other legal regimes: Antarctic, maritime and air law

• 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



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 for 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


Note: Undergraduates please register for our short course in space law later this year.

CPD

The course qualifies for 15 hours CPD for Solicitors (SRA) and for Barristers (to be confirmed). Other professionals: please contact your respective professional bodies about whether the course will qualify for CPD.

Space Situational Awareness Presentations

Friday, November 29th, 2013

ISPL Advisor Professor Richard Crowther spoke at a recent conference on space situational awareness, along with Professor Sa’id Mosteshar, ISPL’s Director. The conference took place on 13 and 14 November 2013.

The conference, Space Situational Awareness 2013, addressed political and technical issues, with speakers including experts from across Europe and the USA.  The program aimed to facilitate discussion and debate about the business, political and technical challenges of SSA.  It also aimed to inform about SSA in advance of the scheduled meeting of European heads of state in December to review their common security and defence position.

Sa’id addressed Legal Issues Critical to SSA.  His presentation and the written version may be viewed in our Research & Publications archive.

Richard addressed the conference on Outlining The Best Practice Initiatives Being Delivered With Space Situational Awareness. He will also participate in a panel: Given Recent Developments In The World Of Space Situational Awareness – Where Are We Now?  Exploring Current And Global SSA Capabilities And Programmes, as well as a session of round-table discussions.  Richard is Chief Engineer, UK Space Agency. 

For some background on SSA, ESA’s SSA program, and the EU proposals for a new space policy, see our earlier news item. 

Space Situational Awareness Conference

Thursday, November 7th, 2013

ISPL speakers will participate in a conference on SSA next week.  Professor Richard Crowther, and Professor Sa’id Mosteshar will address the conference on 13 and 14 November 2013. 

The conference, Space Situational Awareness 2013, includes presentations on political and technical issues by experts from across Europe and the USA. Topics will include space debris mitigation and removal, current launch capabilities, security policy, financial and political considerations in establishing a global SSA system, space weather, and collaboration between satellite operators through the Space Data Association. The program will provide a forum for discussion and debate about the business, political and technical challenges of SSA.  The event aims to inform about SSA in advance of the scheduled meeting in December of European heads of state, when they will review their common security and defence position.

Richard is Chief Engineer, UK Space Agency and an ISPL Advisor.  He will address the conference on Outlining The Best Practice Initiatives Being Delivered with Space Situational Awareness. He will also participate in a panel: Given Recent Developments in the World of Space Situational Awareness – Where Are We Now?  Exploring Current and Global SSA Capabilities and Programmes.  He will also participate in a session of round-table discussions.

Sa’id is ISPL’s Director.  He will speak about Legal Issues Critical to SSA.

“The overall objective of space situational awareness (SSA) is to identify the location of every object orbiting the Earth, why it is there, what it is doing, and to predict what it will be doing in the future. Its aim is to track and understand what exactly is in orbit from either space or from the ground. This knowledge enables the management of space assets and the exercise of a level of control over the space environment.”

Also attending the conference will be Valentino Quaggiato, MPhil candidate at ISPL and Astrium engineer, along with Dr Andrew Brearley, ISPL researcher and frequent rapporteur.

For more information, see the conference website.

 For the complete video, visit the NASA JSC Gallery

Some background on SSA and the EU Proposals:

ESA’s SSA program 

The European Union’s announcement for a proposed new space policy, which addresses investment in R&D, financing, skills, access to space, and SSA:

“Space is at the service of the European citizens. Many of the systems and services that are today essential for our well-being and security depend directly or indirectly on space. Without being aware, European citizens rely on space technologies when they use their mobile phones, make financial transactions, take an airplane, watch the weather forecast or look for the nearest restaurant using their cars’ navigation system. Space has become part of our daily lives. The Commission therefore proposes a new space policy to meet the challenges of today’s world.”

“The Commission proposes to provide an organisational framework to support the setting up and operation of a space surveillance and tracking (SST) service at European level… The SST would be built on existing national assets and expertise. It would define a data policy which takes into account national security interests and which allows the monitoring and hence the protection of space infrastructures, in order to ensure the sustainability of space activities in Europe.”

Further information about the proposed SST service. 

“Avoiding collisions in space

The growing number of satellites and amounts of space debris makes the risk of collision a serious threat to the sustainable operation of space infrastructure. Around 16,000 objects which orbit the Earth are larger than 10 cm, and between 300,000 and 600,000 are larger than 1 cm. An object larger than 1 cm hitting a satellite will at least damage or destroy sub-systems or instruments on board, and a collision with an object larger than 10 cm will destroy the satellite. There is also a risk to ground-based infrastructures and citizens security from the re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere of in-active satellites and discarded sections of rockets.

The most conservative estimates put the potential economic loss for European satellite operators due to collisions – or costly and risky manoeuvres to move their satellites out of the way – at € 210 million per year. The economic loss on the ground due to the disruption of applications and services that rely on the data of lost or damaged satellites cannot be quantified, but implies a significantly higher figure.

In order to mitigate the risks of collision and uncontrolled re-entries it is necessary to monitor satellites and space debris so that satellite operators and public authorities can be alerted in good time. The Commission proposes a programme to support EU Member States that own radars and telescopes capable of monitoring satellites and space debris or relevant data centres, to bring together their capacities and offer for the first time a European space surveillance and tracking (SST) service.”

See also the EU Press Release.

More information on SSA:

US Strategic Command Space Control and Space Surveillance Fact Sheet

Space Sustainability: A Practical Guide, Secure World Foundation 2013.                   

Space Weather and SSA

US – Australia Agreement promoting Space Situational Awareness     

NASA Engineering and Safety Center Academy Webcast on SSA

NASA space debris and human spacecraft page

NASA orbital debris reference documents

.

Space Security: Civilian and Military Policy and Practice

Wednesday, July 31st, 2013

On Tuesday 10 September ISPL will offer a seminar on space security, covering aspects of military and civilian policy and practice.  The presentations and discussions will inform those involved in space activities, policy makers and lawyers who advise them, as well as scholars.

Space security is concerned with maintaining and protecting space assets, including their terrestrial elements and infrastructure.  They provide services and capabilities such as navigational systems, drone guidance and rescue services, as well as time signals for banking transactions and managing telecommunication data.  Particularly in the more technologically advanced societies and even in the developing world, maintenance of many communication systems rely heavily on satellites and on space-based time signals.

Debris and weapons use are two areas that raise security issues for government, business, and virtually every other part of our lives.  This Seminar will consider both civilian and military aspects of space security. The presentations will cover arms control in space; recent developments in technical and regulatory measure to combat debris and other security vulnerabilities; the importance of cyber security in relation to space; and the considerations relevant to formulating a space security policy, including the interaction between civilian and military priorities.

The morning will include presentations by 4 speakers.  The abstract of each presentation and biographical details of the speakers are set out below, along with registration details.

Seminar Program

Please note that this event is not being held at our usual venue in Russell Square.  We will meet at Senate House for this Seminar.

Space Law Short Course (CPD)

Tuesday, February 12th, 2013

ISPL offered an introduction to space law and policy in a short course in April and May 2013. Non-lawyers and lawyers in other fields found it of interest, as did professionals and students in many disciplines.    Details of the Spring 2013 course are available here.

The Space Law and Policy course is intended for professionals desiring a good understanding of national, European, and international space law, and for students interested in broadening their education. It is a requirement for non-lawyers wishing to pursue a higher degree with ISPL.  ISPL is a CPD provider for Barristers and  Solicitors.

Future Space Law Courses will be advertised to those on our Events Notification list, and to those who have expressed interest in attending.  Please fill in our Events Notification Form if you would like to be notified of future courses.

Policy & Regulatory Risk: Seminar IV-II

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012

The final seminar of the Practitioner and Industry Seminar Series on Risks Associated with Space Activity was held on Thursday 27 October 2011 in London.

Seminar IV-II: Policy and Regulatory Risk

By its very nature, space activity can be more susceptible to risk than comparable terrestrial activity.  Along with security and physical hazards associated with launch and debris, for example, there are significant additional business ramifications.  There are risks specific to space commerce as a result of the long-term nature of the projects, and by virtue of their ultimate physical placement.  The choice of technology and other design decisions are critical, because once an object is launched, alteration is difficult or impossible.  In addition, the sector is notable for regulatory and policy variables which necessitate great care in planning to avoid unpredictability. There are also financial and insurance concerns specific to space ventures.

In this complex environment, it is essential to understand and quantify risk in  undertaking a commercial space venture, its funding and insurance.  In order to foster better understanding of these risks, and to encourage appropriate policy directions in all areas of the space sector, the Institute has brought together leading specialists to present a series of seminars on space risks and their insurance.

The aim of the series is to inform and engage those involved in space activities, policy makers and lawyers who advise them, as well as students and scholars in the field.  Previous seminars attracted interested and stimulating participants, and were marked by insightful comments and policy suggestions.

The final seminar of the series dealt with policy and regulatory issues affecting areas other than those related to spectrum. Topics covered are set out in the program below.  Like the previous seminars, it was of short duration in order to fit into the working day of our speakers and delegates.  There was ample time for comment and discussion.

Proceedings of the Seminar

ISPL Director participates in Space Debris Congress

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Professor Mosteshar is currently examining some legal issues concerning Active Debris Removal (ADR), also referred to as space debris remediation.  He presented a paper on the subject at the International Interdisciplinary Congress on Space Debris Remediation on 11 November 2011.

The Congress was held at McGill Institute of Air and Space Law in Montreal on 11 and 12 November 2011, and examined various technical concepts and means, legal and economic aspects, operational and organizational requirements for space debris remediation and on-orbit servicing of satellites with the objective of putting forward specific and viable policy and regulatory steps (mechanisms) that may be considered by States and other stakeholders in order to minimize risks posed by space debris.

For more information about the Congress, download: 3rd-Space-Debris-Congress-Program

or visit the IASL site: http://www.mcgill.ca/iasl.

ISPL Faculty discuss space debris and insurance risk

Monday, November 7th, 2011

Space Debris was the focus of an article by Owen Bowcott, the Guardian’s legal affairs correspondent on 28 October 2011.  Owen attended the ISPL Practitioner and Industry Seminar on Policy and Regulatory Risk, the last of the Series on Risks Associated with Space Activity, held on 27 October 2011 in London.

After the event, he spoke to Neil Stevens, a deputy space underwriter at the Atrium Space Insurance Consortium and member of the ISPL Faculty.  They discussed insurance issues arising in relation to space debris, and the concerns of those insuring space ventures.

He also spoke to Sa’id Mosteshar, the ISPL Director, about potential costs associated with increasing risk of satellite collision with debris.  Physical risks such as debris were not the focus of the seminar, but were very topical, following the crash of a NASA satellite into the Pacific Ocean, and a German satellite into the Bay of Bengal.

The Guardian article: Space debris collisions a growing risk, experts warn

For more about the Seminar, see our news item “Policy & Regulatory Risk Seminar 27 October 2011”.