Course overview
This course surveys the legal and policy issues associated with the commercial space industry. It gives an overview of applicable international treaties and the requirements imposed on States in relation to private commercial actors. It examines domestic Australian space law and draws comparisons with the law in other jurisdictions. Specific areas covered include launches and returns, responsibility and liability, artificial satellites, debris mitigation, space traffic management, spectrum allocation, off-Earth resource utilisation and space assets as critical infrastructure. The course also looks at commercial law issues such as contracting, trade law and dispute resolution. There will be a focus on understanding the law in the context of current and emerging industry trends, with expert presenters drawn from the commercial space sector, regulatory agencies, legal practice and academia.
Course learning outcomes
- Undertake legal research at a high level of complexity.
- Effectively structure and articulate written legal arguments.
- Deploy advanced skills in statutory and treaty interpretation to resolve complex legal problems arising in relation to domestic and international laws affecting the commercial space industry.
- Analyse complex factual scenarios and identify the relevant legal issues arising in relation to Commercial Space Law.
- Identify and evaluate relevant domestic and international legal regimes affecting the space environment, including the legal and ethical relationship between civilian and military space operations and dual use technologies.