Last modified: 20 Jun 2025 15:13
The course will explore the international legal framework that surrounds the uses of outer space. Within this context, the course will cover the history, development, and current status of the Unites Nations Space Treaties as well as other binding and soft law international legal instruments that govern the uses of outer space. The course will also explore selected national space frameworks, such as that of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia. The course content will be contextualized on the basis of current developments in the field of space activities.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
|
||
The course will focus on the history of international space law, the reasons that led to its development and the first UN resolutions that introduced outer space as an area requiring legal treatment. The structure of international space law will be explained together with a presentation of the main institutional entities that address international space law today, such as the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the United Nations Committee for the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and the International Telecommunication Union. The history of the Outer Space Treaty will be discussed, together with the international legal principles that emerged from it. Their relevance and application to modern space activities will be discussed.
The history and content of the Liability Convention will be discussed. The international responsibility regime of international space law will also be examined, and it will be contrasted to the general international responsibility framework of public international law. Case studies on international liability and responsibility will be discussed. In this context, the course will also address the issue of space debris from the perspective of international responsibility and liability for space activities.
Furthermore, the course will address the Rescue and Return Agreement, its history, content, and purpose. The procedural aspects and practical importance of space object registration will be emphasized. The relevant provisions of international space law will be compared to similar provisions of other fields of international law, such as the Law of the Sea.
This course will also examine the provisions of the Outer Space Treaty and the Moon Agreement that relate to the exploration and exploitation of space natural resources. A relevant historical overview will be presented. The relevant legislation of several space-faring nations will be explored. The case of the Artemis Accords will also be discussed. The students will acquire an in-depth understanding of the current national and international laws and policies that address space exploration activities, such as space mining, and will critically think about the future of such activities.
Additionally, the course will cover basic aspects of the functions of the International Telecommunication Union and the relevant international legal framework. In this context, the course will address one specialized issue, i.e., the modern uses of satellite systems, the case of interferences to satellites (e.g. jamming, spoofing) and whether/when such interferences could be characterized as “cyberattacks.”
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 40 | Feedback Weeks | 43 | |
| Feedback |
3,000-word essay (excluding footnotes and bibliography). Individualized feedback within two weeks from submission date. |
Word Count | 3000 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Analyse the relevance of international space law in addressing modern space activities and the developments in the private space industry. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Evaluate the global developments in the space industry and the influx of new space actors and consider necessary updates to the field of international space law. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Develop a thorough understanding of the legal mechanisms and structures of international space law, including its underpinning theories and learn their practical applicability. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 29 | Feedback Weeks | 31 | |
| Feedback |
3,000-word essay (excluding footnotes and bibliography). Individualized feedback within two weeks from submission date. |
Word Count | 3000 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Analyse the relevance of international space law in addressing modern space activities and the developments in the private space industry. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Evaluate the global developments in the space industry and the influx of new space actors and consider necessary updates to the field of international space law. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Develop a thorough understanding of the legal mechanisms and structures of international space law, including its underpinning theories and learn their practical applicability. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
If one of the two essays is successful, it can then be carried forward. If none of the two essays is successful, then both essays will have to be resubmitted. Individualized feedback will be provided within two weeks from submission date. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Develop a thorough understanding of the legal mechanisms and structures of international space law, including its underpinning theories and learn their practical applicability. |
| Conceptual | Analyse | Analyse the relevance of international space law in addressing modern space activities and the developments in the private space industry. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Evaluate the global developments in the space industry and the influx of new space actors and consider necessary updates to the field of international space law. |
We have detected that you are have compatibility mode enabled or are using an old version of Internet Explorer. You either need to switch off compatibility mode for this site or upgrade your browser.
