Perspectives on the Legal Framework of Space Tourists
- Paper number
IAC-07-E6.2.07
- Author
Ms. Berenice Guedel, Astrium SAS, France
- Year
2007
- Abstract
The recent increase of private and commercial entities involved in human spaceflight activities has posed the need to adapt and update the existing legal framework. Current enthusiasm for commercial space tourism (either orbital or suborbital) enabling private individuals to pay for a ride into outer space, raises the question of whether these “space tourists” should have the “astronauts” legal status as provided in the space treaties. Considering the current haziness of space tourism legal aspects, the specific objective of this paper is to identify the legal regime applicable to space tourists. The analysis first discusses the definition of “astronaut” and “space tourist” taking into consideration the provisions of the space treaties as well as socio-etymological aspects. It then considers legal regimes applicable to “space tourists” discussing differences and similarities with “astronauts”, particularly in light of the new US Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) regulation on human space flight requirements, the agreement on the civil International Space Station and other existing legal frameworks. The paper concludes that extensive innovation of applicable law and regulations is necessary both at the national and international levels in order to adapt the space legal framework to new commercial endeavours that enable the access to outer space by private individuals.
- Abstract document