Prerequisites: None

Exam Type: One-Day Take-Home

The global space industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy, underpinning trillions of dollars in global trade. National governments and private sector actors are on the cusp of a new space era, with a broader range of actors engaged in novel activities, expanding human activity beyond Earth’s orbit for the first time in human history. Outer space also underpins international security; nations are engaged in a race to control this domain. These facts demand attention by lawyers and policymakers.

This course will introduce students to the many sub-fields of space law, including: international space law, domestic legislation and regulatory systems, and liability regimes. Examination of applicable legal rules and norms will lead to discussion of current issues in space policy. These issues will include the use of space resources, orbital debris, and deconfliction of activities between competing governments and private sector actors.

Because the topics covered in this course are inherently interdisciplinary, the course should be of interest to a broad range of students, not only those hoping to focus on space issues in their future careers. In addition to providing a foundational understanding of space law and current issues in space policy, the course will provide tangible examples of how international, legislative, and regulatory systems interact.