By Michelle Hanlon –      Space is truly a great unknown – especially from a legal standpoint. The Outer Space Treaty regime has served us well for the past sixty years, but we are now contemplating all sorts of new activities in a domain once solely the realm of superpower nations. The treaties reveal more gaps than solutions. We know the formation of law is a time-consuming and at times frustratingly persnickety process. So how can we promote the responsible and sustainable use of space? One way is to articulate ethical norms that will guide activity and underpin the gra ..read more

By Heath Hoeffner – April 2024 In late February, Erika Nesvold provided a fantastic presentation on environmental justice in space which serves as a catalyst for critical analysis of key topics shaping the discourse around space exploration. With a PhD in physics, and a background in computational astrophysics research, Dr. Nesvold prompts us to consider the intersection of space exploration with environmental, ethical, and social considerations through a variety of different topics Dr. Nesvold’s discussion raises important questions about the environmental impact of terrestrial launch sites f ..read more

By Michelle Hanlon –      Space is truly a great unknown – especially from a legal standpoint. The Outer Space Treaty regime has served us well for the past sixty years, but we are now contemplating all sorts of new activities in a domain once solely the realm of superpower nations. The treaties reveal more gaps than solutions. We know the formation of law is a time-consuming and at times frustratingly persnickety process. So how can we promote the responsible and sustainable use of space? One way is to articulate ethical norms that will guide activity and underpin the gra ..read more

By Anne-Sophie Martin – April 2024 Harnessing solar energy from space and transferring it to Earth or using it in lunar exploration is an area of growing interest. A number of missions and studies have been carried out in the last few years by States, space agencies, research centers and private entities to determine whether solar energy transformed into microwaves could be delivered to receiving stations on the Earth’s surface for wide-scale use, and whether it could be used to support future space explorations projects on celestial bodies. According to the 2005 United Nations Millennium Ecos ..read more

By Michelle Hanlon –      Space is truly a great unknown – especially from a legal standpoint. The Outer Space Treaty regime has served us well for the past sixty years, but we are now contemplating all sorts of new activities in a domain once solely the realm of superpower nations. The treaties reveal more gaps than solutions. We know the formation of law is a time-consuming and at times frustratingly persnickety process. So how can we promote the responsible and sustainable use of space? One way is to articulate ethical norms that will guide activity and underpin the gra ..read more

By Alexandra Dolce – March 2024 The Feminist Theory of International relations examines global politics through the “experiences, ideas and activities of women.”  This theory emphasizes the gender duality that exists in international relations and affirms that “both actors are essential in global phenomena.”  The major tenets of this theory are; gender, patriarchy, voice and representation, peacebuilding, and security. The Feminist theory of International Relations is relevant to space law and ethics because of the strategic maneuvers that are currently taking place in outer space ..read more

By Heath Hoeffner – February 2024 As humanity looks to the stars, a fundamental question arises: where does Earth’s jurisdiction end, and outer space truly begin? The conceptual line that demarcates this boundary has profound significance for legal, economic, scientific, and strategic considerations. When discussing the delimitation or demarcation of outer space it won’t be long before the Karman Line is brought up. The Karman Line, positioned 100 kilometers above Earth’s surface, is a conceptual demarcation between our atmosphere and outer space. Coined after physicist Theodore von Kármán, it ..read more

By Alexandra Dolce – February 2024 On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks said “no”! She refused to give her seat to a white passenger and move to the back of the bus in segregated Montgomery, Alabama. As a result of her resistance, the Civil Rights movement of the United States was born, and based on that movement, legislation was drafted that opened up a new but well-deserved world for primarily African Americans and other marginalized groups in the United States. Currently as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are repetitively being dismantled by a status quo that refuses to see th ..read more

By Michelle Hanlon –      Space is truly a great unknown – especially from a legal standpoint. The Outer Space Treaty regime has served us well for the past sixty years, but we are now contemplating all sorts of new activities in a domain once solely the realm of superpower nations. The treaties reveal more gaps than solutions. We know the formation of law is a time-consuming and at times frustratingly persnickety process. So how can we promote the responsible and sustainable use of space? One way is to articulate ethical norms that will guide activity and underpin the gra ..read more

By Anne-Sophie Martin – January 15, 2024 The next chapter of space exploration involves the return of humans to the Moon and beyond. This implies understanding humanity’s place in outer space and the need for exploration to be inclusive and beneficial to all. It also raises the question of the place of indigenous peoples in space exploration, given the impacts that new space activities have on sky observations and on the Moon. Indeed, the Moon plays an important role in indigenous culture, identity and daily life. Each aspect of the Moon, whether in terms of its phase, position and appearance ..read more