what is a space lawyer?

Space lawyer Space lawyers provide advice and prepare legal contracts and documentation to ensure compliance with Australian and international laws and treaties. Space belongs to everyone, but there are rules about what we can do in space.

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How to become a space lawyer?

To qualify for entry to the J.S.D. Space Law program, you must already have a law degree or a Ph.D. in a related field. This academic degree would put you in the rarified air that overachieving space lawyers would surely enjoy.

What is space law?

Space law is the body of laws, agreements and treaties that govern outer space. Worldwide leaders must grapple with how to regulate activity in space. Space law covers issues like rules for exploration, weapons use, damage for liability,...

Should space lawyers be on retainer?

Even NASA and the United Nations have put space lawyers on retainer, asking them more recently to update old legal guidelines or create new ones for the occasion that humanity reaches other planets. The NASA policy for quarantining humans who met extraterrestrials while visiting these other planets was created by Apollo-era space lawyers.

Is a career in space law right for You?

Whether you’re a space advocate dedicated to protecting our solar system or a space shark with your eye on working for The [Space] Man, a career in space law might be for you. While “Space Law School” isn’t a thing quite yet, there are ways to tailor your education to your extraterrestrial career goals.

What are space lawyers?

A space lawyer is a lawyer first. This means supporting governmental or commercial space activities by attending meetings and negotiations, drafting and reviewing documents and basically thinking a lot on the law and the space activity in question.

What is space law and why is it used?

Space law governs space exploration, liability for damage, weapons use, rescue efforts, environmental preservation, information sharing, new technologies, and ethics.

What is the meaning of space law?

Space law can be described as the body of law governing space-related activities. Space law, much like general international law, comprises a variety of international agreements, treaties, conventions, and United Nations General Assembly resolutions as well as rules and regulations of international organizations.

What do air and space lawyers do?

The Air and Space Lawyer is a newsletter that informs its members of the significant developments in air and space law and keeps them apprised of the activities of the Forum.

How do you become a space law?

A: Aspirants can pursue postgraduate (PG) programmes in the field of Air & Space Law. Some popular PG level courses in Air and Space Law are – Two Years Master's Degree in Aviation Law and Air Transport Management, Two Years Master's Degree in Space and Telecommunications Laws etc.

How do I become a NASA lawyer?

To apply, you must be a practicing attorney highly skilled in federal government ethics, patent law, federal personnel law, federal procurement and equal employment opportunity law. You must also be in good standing in a state bar.

Is space law a thing?

Yes, space law is a thing. (And it doesn't involve real estate or aliens.) Space law is a collection of domestic and international agreements and guidelines that govern issues like space exploration, military and weapons use, and liability for damage.

Who governs space law?

Activities in space are governed by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which is currently ratified by 111 nations. The treaty was negotiated in the shadow of the Cold War when only two nations – the Soviet Union and the U.S. – had spacefaring capabilities.

Is it illegal to go to space?

The Outer Space Treaty is one of the most relevant when it comes to dealing with alleged crimes in space. Broadly, the treaty requires the exploration and use of outer space to be free, in the interests of all countries, and not subject to any claim of national sovereignty.

How do you specialize in space law?

Routes into Space Law Instead, you'll need to study for a standard law degree and then specialist after graduation by completing a master's or a PhD. Typically postgraduate courses cover all of aerospace rather than just space. There are also opportunities for studying policy, and space technology with space law.

What do NASA lawyers do?

These services and issues include establishing and disseminating legal policy and interpreting new statutes and cases. The Office of the General Counsel is also responsible for developing the ethics and patent program requirements, establishing metrics, and developing quality standards.

Is aviation law a good career?

Legal career in Aviation industry is undoubtedly a promising career. With the strict nature of Aviation rules and regulations, rise of commercialism in the industry and also the competitive nature of the industry only ensure the needs of trained professionals to handle the legal aspect of the field.

What is the field about?

A legal system is generally created in order to regulate certain activities. In the case of ‘space law’ the aim is to agree on certain rules that apply to human activities in outer space. The field can be divided into: international space law and domestic and commercial space law.

What would I do every day?

A space lawyer is a lawyer first. This means supporting governmental or commercial space activities by attending meetings and negotiations, drafting and reviewing documents and basically thinking a lot on the law and the space activity in question.

How much and what do I need to study?

Firstly, you will need a bachelor’s degree in law (LLB) in order to know the basics of the legal system. At this stage, you will learn many interesting things but you will not be trained as a ‘space lawyer’. Depending on your home country, you may need to be licensed as a lawyer in order to practice any kind of law before becoming a space lawyer.

Where can I work?

You can work at a ministry or a space agency if you wish to work for the government. You can also work with the space industry in a commercial space company or at a law firm which specializes in space law. If you prefer academia, working at a university or a research institute is also a good option.

Learn more about a space lawyer's work by

This article is written by Dr. Neta Palkovitz, Space Lawyer at Innovative Solutions In Space B.V. (ISIS).

What international treaties address liability and risk concerns over satellites?

Several binding international treaties such as the 1972 Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused By Space Objects, and the 1967 Outer Space Treaty address liability and risk concerns over satellites–red meat for these interstellar legal eagles.

Is space law a part of aerospace?

Space law is quickly becoming an integral part of the evolving aerospace industry. These lawyers exist in a tightly knit industry that deals with all kinds of practical issues and some that seem cribbed from science fiction.

Do space lawyers exist?

Space Lawyers: They Exist. A James Cameron and Google-backed asteroid mining company has a bevy of them on retainer to help divvy up all that unobtanium. Plus they help craft liability laws for space tourists and consult with governments on extraterrestrial visits. Ambulance chasing only gets you so far.

What is space law?

Space law regulates everything from keeping Earth safe from extraterrestrial contaminants to keeping celestial bodies safe from Earthly contagions. What a bummer it would be to kill potential life on Mars with a contaminant from Earth. In fact, the Committee on Space Research’s Planetary Protection Policy is the precise reason ...

Who was the first person to practice space law?

Andrew G. Haley (1904-1966) is thought to be the first ever practitioner of space law. After helping organize rocket company Aerojet in 1942—with none other than Theodore von Kármán of Kármán line fame—Haley became a founder the International Academy of Astronautics as well as the International Institute of Space Law in 1960.

What is the core tenant of the Interstellar Golden Rule?

Basically, according to Mr. Haley, if we should encounter an extraterrestrial species, we should treat them how we’d like to be treated. If niche law appeals, consider metalaw. You could one day be counsel to an otherworldly client.

What was space law before the Elon Musk?

Prior to the Elon-Musk-championed Space Captains of Industry Era, space law was mostly concerned with keeping space neutral (and safe). For example, according to the seminal Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and the subsequent Moon Agreement of 1979, no country can own the moon, much less militarize it.

What is the closest law school to space?

The closest thing to an actual space law school in the U.S. is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Doctor of Juridical Science degree in Space Law. To qualify for entry to the J.S.D. Space Law program, you must already have a law degree or a Ph.D. in a related field.

When did space law start?

Space law’s origins are linked to the Space Race. While Sputnik 1 was launched in 1957, space law didn’t become official until 1959 when the United Nations formed the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) which is under the umbrella of the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs aka UNOOSA.

Who wrote the first book on space law?

Haley even wrote the first book on the subject; Space Law and Government was published in 1963. Haley is also the founder of space law’s sub-branch metalaw, which concerns itself with the mediation of alien races. Its core tenant is the Interstellar Golden Rule.

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