The law of outer space is rapidly evolving to adapt to changes in the economic drivers as well as advancements in technological capabilities. The contents of this book are a reflection of this changing environment as evidenced in the writings of the second and third generations of space lawyers. Theoretical aspects of space law are explored by chapters relating to fundamental concepts central to the corpus juris spatialis. Practical aspects of space law are probed by examinations into international and domestic regulation of commercial activities, with particular emphasis on African, Asian, and European perspectives. International policy considerations are scrutinized in relation to military uses of outer space. The scientific Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is the subject of a concise history of the discipline vis-a-vis the role of the SETI Permanent Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), and also of a study of the policy and other ramifications of social media in the event of the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial beings. The book concludes with the republication of the seminal and highly influential Relations With Alien Intelligences The Scientific Basis of Metalaw by Dr. Ernst Fasan, first published in 1970. Scholar, author, and attorney Ernst Fasan was among the original space lawyers, a small, pioneering group of visionaries who recognized that the movement of man into space must be accomplished without the shackles of history and in an environment free from the threat of the use of space as an instrument of armed aggression. The influence of Dr. Fasan has extended beyond the international legal community to the broader scientific community, especially to the field of astrobiology, as he pursued groundbreaking investigations into what could be the ultimate in legal relationships - metalaw - the interaction of sentient beings from different planets. The contributors to this Liber Amicorum are among those who can trace their own work to the foundations of space law placed in part by Ernst Fasan.

Francis Lyall and Paul B. Larsen have been involved in teaching and researching space law for over 50 years. This new edition of their well-received text gathers together their knowledge and experience in readable form, and covers developments in all space applications, including space tourism, telecommunications, the ITU and finance. With an extensive citation of the literature, the discussion provides an excellent source for both students and practitioners.

This astute and comprehensive book provides in-depth analysis of the space sector with an ‘insurance as governance’ approach. Chapters highlight and examine the key aspects of this important subject including space tourism, risk mitigation and insurance requirements. The author also gives a fresh and contemporary insight into topics such as the influences of international space law, international air law and US domestic space law.

It is statistically unlikely that humans are the only intelligent species in the universe. Nothing about the others will be known until contact is made beyond a radio signal from space that merely tells us they existed when it was sent. That contact may occur tomorrow, in a hundred years, or never. If it does it will be a high-risk scenario for humanity. It may be peaceful or hostile. Relying on alien altruism and benign intentions is wishful thinking. We need to begin identifying as a planetary species, and develop a global consensus on how to respond in either scenario.

The book analyzes the various legal and political concepts to resolve the problem of the existing space debris in outer space and which measures have been taken to avoid space debris or to reduce potential space debris in the course of future space missions. From a scientific and technical point of view various studies are ongoing to analyze the feasibility of active debris removal. Nevertheless it has to be highlighted that outer space is an international area where various actors with different legal and political concepts are operating, a situation that leads to different approaches concerning such activities.

It has come to pass that national security, economic growth, and transportation safety – not to mention such infrastructure as banking and electricity – are severely dependent on the positioning information, navigation capabilities, and time dissemination provided by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). However, GNSS is not risk-free. The more humanity depends on GNSS, the more risks it has to face. It is irresponsible to wait for an accident to happen merely to justify the need for an appropriate GNSS civil liability regime. This hugely important book examines the structure of such a regime in unprecedented depth and proposes a uniform governance structure composed of an institutional framework and a legal system for GNSS, with safety-of-life signals at its core. Exploring whether the current international law (including air law and space law conventions) is adequate to deal with the issue of civil liability in the context of GNSS, the author confronts and responds to such crucial issues as the following: ensuring that parties suffering damage caused by GNSS get fair, prompt, and adequate compensation; balancing the interests of the GNSS industry in order for it to maintain its sustainable development; identifying legal gaps arising in the GNSS context and how we should move forward; determining which parts of the value chain of GNSS may qualify as origins of damage; and construing GNSS civil liability mainly from contractual, product, and general tort liability perspectives. The author assesses various solutions for GNSS civil liability based on their feasibility, including an institutional defence against the doctrine of sovereign immunity and recommendations on how several international organisations can work together in this endeavour. He examines scholarships, travaux préparatoires, conference documents, and treaties, as well as national legislation. A hypothetical case where damage is caused by GNSS is elaborated, illustrating each legal relationship and causal link. In its committed urging of GNSS signal providers to improve the stability of the satellite navigation systems and its insightful recommendations on how to promote public safety, this book offers a roadmap indicating a truly viable international regime of GNSS civil liability. Relevant international organisations and States, as well as practitioners, are sure to respond positively to its unique and important analysis.

Space Law in a Networked World charts how space law has been affected by the opportunities and challenges presented by digital networks and technologies.

Space is no longer the domain of national space agencies. Today, a significant majority of space activities are carried out by non-governmental entities, resulting in the accelerated evolution of space technologies and their applications. This operational shift from public to private does not mean, however, that governments are no longer relevant in this era of New Space. On the contrary: as the operational role of the state has diminished, its regulatory role has grown correspondingly. Acknowledging that the commercial landscape in space is an ever-changing one, this book explores how the Canadian government has adapted to the new commercial space landscape and whether it is prepared to fulfil its authorisation and supervision responsibilities as the regulator of Canada’s space industry. The fundamental research question posed, therefore, is whether Canada’s regulatory framework is appropriate given the increasing commercialisation of space. To best answer this question, the book provides a doctrinal analysis of Canada’s historical space policy and current space laws, an empirical survey of the perspectives of those currently interacting with Canada’s regulatory framework, and a comparative exploration of how other jurisdictions oversee commercial space activities. Motivated by legal, moral and economic considerations, the book recommends that Canada enact a comprehensive national space law and provides an annotated draft law for this purpose. By doing so, the book intends to spark a meaningful conversation on how Canada ought to fulfil its regulatory responsibilities, a topic previously unaddressed in public and academic discourse.

The search for life in the universe, once the stuff of science fiction, is now a robust worldwide research program with a well-defined roadmap probing both scientific and societal issues. This volume examines the humanistic aspects of astrobiology, systematically discussing the approaches, critical issues, and implications of discovering life beyond Earth. What do the concepts of life and intelligence, culture and civilization, technology and communication mean in a cosmic context? What are the theological and philosophical implications if we find life - and if we do not? Steven J. Dick argues that given recent scientific findings, the discovery of life in some form beyond Earth is likely and so we need to study the possible impacts of such a discovery and formulate policies to deal with them. The remarkable and often surprising results are presented here in a form accessible to disciplines across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.