Discusses the Legal aspects of launching and operating different Satellite systems: Direct Broadcasting System, Remote Sensing, and Military; also general responsibility and liability principles.
In the past decade, the field of small satellites has expanded the space industry in a powerful way. Hundreds, indeed thousands, of these innovative and highly cost-efficient satellites are now being launched from Earth to establish low-cost space systems. These smallsats are engaged in experiments and prototype testing, communications services, data relay, internet access, remote sensing, defense and security related services, and more. Some of these systems are quite small and are simple student experiments, while others in commercial constellations are employing state-of-the-art technologies to deliver fast and accurate services. This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of this exciting new field. It covers the technology, applications and services, design and manufacture, launch arrangements, ground systems, and economic and regulatory arrangements surrounding small satellites. The diversity of approach in recent years has allowed for rapid innovation and economic breakthroughs to proceed at a pace that seems only to be speeding up. In this reference work, readers will find information pertaining to all aspects of the small satellite industry, written by a host of international experts in the field.
This book documents the latest research relating to the legal aspects of satellite remote sensing, which is still largely unregulated, and identifies shortcomings in the current legal regime before proposing improvements needed for its full utilisation.
Launch activities performed by private entities deal with a complex legal environment. The Space Treaties provide a general liability framework. Launch participants are subject to regulatory or institutional control, and to domestic liability laws. Specific contractual practice has developed due to insurance limitations, the inter-participants' waivers of liability and claims. This book synthesizes information on the norms of play, to allow the grasp of their relative weight and interactions in the assessment of liability risk for launch activities. It reveals a legal framework presently lacking sufficient predictability for an efficient liability risk management: the waivers of liability suffer weaknesses as do all such clauses, and lack uniformity and reliability; and the Space Treaties contain ambiguous terms preventing predictable determination of the States responsible for authorizing and supervising launch activities and for damage compensation, and do not reflect the liability of launch operators. This book offers suggestions of new approaches for: harmonizing waivers of liability to improve their consistency, validity and flow-down; and improving the Space Treaties for their implementation to non-governmental launch activities. In the launch community, the need for lawmaking is less compelling than in fields such as aviation. Nevertheless, adjustments to the present framework are proposed through model clauses and an international instrument, for further thinking and contribution by those sharing the opinion that creative lawmaking is needed now to prepare for tomorrow's endeavors.
This book is the highly anticipated sequel to the previous volume under the same title, dedicated to presenting a diverse range of timely and valuable contributions on the legal and policy related questions evoked by satellite constellations, including emerging mega-constellations. Given the proliferation of activities in the field of satellite constellations, and the critical roles they play in supporting and enabling communication, navigation, disaster monitoring, Earth observation, security and scientific activities, the insights of legal and policy experts from around the world have been gathered in this second volume to help expand the scientific literature in this precious field. Topics range from legal obstacles and opportunities facilitating small satellite enterprise for emerging space actors, international cooperation in the compatibility and interoperability of navigation systems, the designation of satellite constellations as critical space infrastructure, to an analysis of the paradigm shift which has occurred over the last decade to make the proliferation of small satellite constellations possible, and more.
Small Satellites – Regulatory Challenges and Chances edited by Irmgard Marboe addresses the booming phenomenon of small satellites. The rapid innovation of technology has made it possible to develop, launch and operate small satellites at rather low costs. Universities, start-ups and also governments see the chance to access outer space more easily and inexpensively. Yet, the importance to comply with existing rules and regulations that are in place to ensure that outer space is used and explored in a safe and responsible manner is sometimes overlooked. The book addresses this challenge and shows how it can be met. The contributors are renowned academics and practicioners from many different countries that share their experiences and insights and suggest practical solutions.
A major non-technical challenge of space activities is ensuring productive cooperation, communication, and understanding between the engineers who design the mission and the space lawyers who cover its relevant legal aspects. Though both groups usually attain some level of understanding, it is only achieved after many years of experience in the space industry and through repeated contact with topics relevant to their projects. A basic understanding of the most important legal and technical aspects acquired earlier in their careers can facilitate better cooperation and more efficient development of space projects. Promoting Productive Cooperation Between Space Lawyers and Engineers is a pivotal reference source that provides vital insights into basic legal and technical topics and challenges that occur while planning and conducting typical space activities. The book uses high-profile space missions as examples and highlights the major technical aspects of these missions and the legal issues applied to these missions. While highlighting topics such as planetary settlements, policy perspectives, and suborbital spaceflight, this publication is ideally designed for lawyers, engineers, academicians, students, and professionals.
Protecting Earth's environment and other solar system bodies from harmful contamination has been an important principle throughout the history of space exploration. For decades, the scientific, political, and economic conditions of space exploration converged in ways that contributed to effective development and implementation of planetary protection policies at national and international levels. However, the future of space exploration faces serious challenges to the development and implementation of planetary protection policy. The most disruptive changes are associated with (1) sample return from, and human missions to, Mars; and (2) missions to those bodies in the outer solar system possessing water oceans beneath their icy surfaces. Review and Assessment of Planetary Protection Policy Development Processes addresses the implications of changes in the complexion of solar system exploration as they apply to the process of developing planetary protection policy. Specifically, this report examines the history of planetary protection policy, assesses the current policy development process, and recommends actions to improve the policy development process in the future.
This book is based on an initiative made by the European Space Policy Institute, the European Centre for Space Law and the German Aerospace Center. Students and young professionals worlwide were invited to submit a paper on this topic analyzing and discussing relevant aspects on either environment, economy, security, licencing, or control. The best papers have been included in this volume.