Catalog

Technical programme

IAC-17 — 68th International Astronautical Congress

E7. 60th IISL COLLOQUIUM ON THE LAW OF OUTER SPACE

This year’s Colloquium places a special focus on the fiftieth anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty, and discusses its main principles in the context of each individual dedicated IISL panel session.

Coordinator

Catherine Doldirina
International Institute of Space Law (IISL) — Italy

Diane Howard
International Institute of Space Law (IISL) — United States

Lesley Jane Smith
Leuphana University of Lüneburg/Weber-Steinhaus & Smith — Germany

Publication officer

Rafael Moro-Aguilar
Orbspace — Austria

PJ Blount
Cardiff University — United Kingdom

E7.1. 9th Nandasiri Jasentuliyana Keynote Lecture on Space Law and Young Scholars Session

The session examines the terms of the Outer Space Treaty in a prospective light, lending thought to how such a treaty, were it drafted today, would seek to regulate outer space activities as they are to develop further.

Co-Chair

Kai-Uwe Schrogl
International Institute of Space Law (IISL) — France

Michael Davis
The Andy Thomas Space Foundation — Australia

Rapporteur: Michael Dodge
Institute of Air and Space Law, McGill University — Canada

E7.2. ‘NewSpace’, New Laws/ How governments can foster new space activities

Outer Space Treaty principles of freedom of use, non-appropriation and state responsibility A range of new entrant financial investors is attracted to space activities, developing spacecraft constellations, introducing new practices, changing the conditions of access and use of Outer space, promoting what is now commonly called "NewSpace" initiatives. This session explores how new business already influences the development of space law and how governments are reacting or regulating new space activities. Papers are invited to analyze emerging trends in "NewSpace" and address the open question: Will ‘NewSpace’ necessarily mean New Laws?

Co-Chair

Marco Ferrazzani
European Space Agency (ESA) — France

PJ Blount
Cardiff University — United Kingdom

Rapporteur: Kamlesh Brocard
Swiss Space Office (SSO) — Switzerland

E7.3. Refugees and the role of space communications/Status and Practice of Charter for Man-made Disasters

Outer Space Treaty principles of peaceful use of outer space in accordance with international law, international cooperation, and the environment of outer space. One of the central tasks of the international communications framework dating from the early days of radio communications has been to serve humanitarian purposes. This is clearly reflected in the ‘space benefits’ approach of the treaty. Currently, one of its major tasks is to support international refugees who rely on space communication, are also supported by diverse institutions using space communication and, in cases of distress, can be more easily saved by the means of space communication. The legal character and form of international networks supporting the refugees are varied: The UN, its specialised organizations like the ITU and the IMO, ESA, singular States, alongside numerous non-state actors are Parties to arrangements supporting the refugees. One of the - non-binding - bases of these activities is the 2016 Charter on Major Disasters and Migration initiated by ESA, following the 1999 Charter on Space and Major Disasters. This session analyses the legal framework of these initiatives focusing on their use by and on behalf of the refugees. It raises the question whether, and which of these regulations could serve as a model for future initiatives.

Co-Chair

Ranjana Kaul
Dua Associates — India

Catherine Doldirina
International Institute of Space Law (IISL) — Italy

Rapporteur: Andrea Harrington
Institute of Air and Space Law, McGill University — Canada

E7.4. Space law Developments in Asia-Pacific: Diverging national space legislation with regard to the applicability of space law to suborbital flights

Outer Space Treaty principles of state responsibility and liability, as well as duty to register spacecraft, while respecting the status of astronauts as envoys of mankind. The last 10-15 years have seen the emergence of a growing body of national space law, as States increasingly recognise the need to have in place appropriate domestic regulatory frameworks for their national space activities. This trend has been matched by the exponential growth in space-related technology, which opens the possibilities for a vast array of new space and high altitude activities, including proposed sub-orbital and low orbit activities. Many of these may be based on 'non-traditional' technology. This is a worldwide phenomenon, and includes the Asia-Pacific region. This session seeks to encourage discussion and analysis of how these factors are shaping the content and scope of national space law, both in terms of a re-evaluation of those existing national laws that largely pre-dated 'NewSpace' technology, as well as the development of new laws that seek to most appropriately address the respective needs of each country.

Co-Chair

Steven Freeland
Western Sydney University — Australia

Zhenjun Zhang
China Institute of Space Law — China

Rapporteur: Anja Nakarada Pecujlic
EnduroSat AD — Germany

E7.5. Current Developments in Space Law

Outer Space Treaty principles of supervision and control over non-governmental space activities in a peaceful and non-military, yet sustainable context. In this session, papers are invited to address the most recent legal developments of space activities since the last congress with particular relevance to the practice of states and the space community in managing its operations. One such field is that of export control and control of dual-use goods. This has undergone some reform in the recent past, and remains a concern in the context of ensuring the sustainability of space when it comes to matters space traffic management and debris removal. This session looks at developments in the field of peaceful use of outer space in the context of export and international trade in dual use goods, and invites papers to consider the responses to common technology brought about by the call for sustainability.

Co-Chair

Setsuko Aoki
Keio University — Japan

Yun Zhao
The University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong SAR, China

Rapporteur: Olga Volynskaya
Prince Sultan University — Saudi Arabia

E7.6-E3.5. 32nd Joint IAA/IISL Round Table: Technological and legal challenges for on-orbit servicing

Invited speakers only; not open for paper submission Outer Space Treaty Principles of international collaboration and sustainability of outer space affairs. It is beyond question that satellite servicing holds huge benefits for future scientific missions, application satellites, new commercial programmes and further steps in space exploration. Several technical solutions have been developed in the past decades and proven that they are fit for service (i.e. Hubble and ISS). This development accelerates and goes along with the need for a strong international collaboration, particularly for running the systems cost-effectively and reliably. These new partnerships raise plenty of legal questions (i.e. in case that one repairs the satellite of another operator or the operator of a system is supposed to lift a system to another orbit – who is responsible for the consequences?). So we are not only faced with the need to better use already launched systems but also to ensure firm legislation for future missions. In this Scientific-Legal Roundtable we will first listen to different experts who will present technical and legal challenges of on-orbit servicing. Afterwards the experts discuss in a panel and finally the audience is welcome to discuss with the panelists.

Co-Chair

Richard Crowther
UK Space Agency — United Kingdom

Tommaso Sgobba
International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety — The Netherlands

Rapporteur

Marc Haese
DLR, German Aerospace Center — Germany

Nicola Rohner-Willsch
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) — Germany

E7.7-B3.8. Joint IAF/IISL Session on Legal Framework for Collaborative Space Activities

Outer Space Treaty principles of international cooperation. This session hosts papers on topics related to the legal framework governing collaborative space programmes, in particular governmental Exploration programmes and their preparations. It includes a focus on future collaborative efforts in relation to human space flight.

Co-Chair

Mark Sundahl
Cleveland State University — United States

Elina Morozova
Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications — Russian Federation

Rapporteur: Maria A Pozza
GRAVITY LAWYERS — New Zealand

E7.IP. Interactive Presentations

This session offers a unique opportunity to deliver your key messages in an interactive presentation on any of the subjects of Space Law addressed in the classic Sessions. The presentation will be displayed on a digital screen in a dedicated location and available for view by all Congress attendees for the entire Congress week. In addition, one afternoon is dedicated exclusively for the attendees to view the Interactive Presentations, and the author will be assigned a specific eight minute slot to personally present the topic and interact with the attendees present. The Interactive Presentation may take advantage of all electronic display capabilities, such as: PowerPoint charts, embedded hot links, pictures, audio and video clips etc. An award will also be presented to the author of the best Interactive Presentation in the E Category at a special ceremony. An Abstract that follows the standard format must be submitted by the deadline for standard IAC abstracts.

Co-Chair

Lesley Jane Smith
Leuphana University of Lüneburg/Weber-Steinhaus & Smith — Germany

Catherine Doldirina
International Institute of Space Law (IISL) — Italy