On Monday, April 8, 2024, Cleveland looked to the stars and celebrated the total solar eclipse, a celestial event which has led many conspiracy theorists to claim it is a sign of the apocalypse.[1] This primal fear of the eclipse is nothing new, as the word “eclipse” traces its roots to the Latin “eclipsis,” drawn from the Greek “ekleipsis” meaning abandonment or disappearance because in ancient Greek mythology, it was believed that eclipses were a sign that the gods were angry or upset with humans, which led to the sun disappearing from Earth and bringing untold misery.[2] Regardless of the m ..read more

Man-made orbital debris poses the single greatest threat to the sustainable use of Earth’s orbit. Debris places at risk the entire space-based infrastructure on which society has become ever more reliant for everything from communications and navigation to tourism and national security. A series of new developments suggests that the international community is taking bold new steps to eliminate this risk and usher in a new era of responsible behavior in outer space, most notably, the April 2022 U.S. moratorium on kinetic anti-satellite tests which has since garnered the support of many other c ..read more

In June 2023, Varda Space Industries (“Varda”) launched its Winnebago-1 spacecraft for an unmanned, month-long mission to develop the first drug made in space, an antiviral HIV and Hepatitis C medication. But it didn’t take long for Varda to run into a problem: it had not properly applied for a reentry license with the FAA Office of Commercial Space Operations.   Winnebago-1, roughly the size of a trashcan, was meant to land at a designated landing range in Utah in early September 2023, but the FAA denied its reentry. Although the FAA may waive the reentry application requirement, it ..read more

The infinite expanse of the sky above has always ignited the spark of human curiosity since time immemorial. The drive to discover what secrets the universe entails has only been growing stronger and more potent. This is reflected in the almost surreal rate at which humans have managed to develop the technologies required to explore that vast infinite beyond the realm of the earth. Through this meteoric rise in technology, we have been able to witness the domain of space being used in ways that were unimaginable even just a decade ago. In the context of the shifting climate of innovation in th ..read more

On October 13, 2023, NASA launched the Falcon Heavy, “the second-most powerful rocket currently in operation,” which is now en route to the Psyche asteroid located in the asteroid belt that separates Mars and Jupiter. This is a research mission first and foremost: Falcon Heavy will study Psyche, gaining insights into geology and the formation of planets while also surveying potential mineable resources.   The U.S. is understandably invested in making sure this mission is a success – the journey will be long, require a lot of manpower, and cost a staggering $1.2B USD to get off the gr ..read more

Welcome to the StarLaw Blog!   I’m Caylan, and I will be your StarLaw editor-in-chief for this year. I am also a member of the Global Space Law Center Research Council and on the board of the Space Law Society student organization. My personal research interests include FAA launch licensing, the Artemis Accords, and legal solutions to financial issues in the space industry. The StarLaw Blog was my first opportunity to engage with and contribute to space law discussions. Now I am thrilled to facilitate that for you!   With the support of the Global Space Law Center Director, Dr ..read more

The Global Space Law Center’s 2023/24 academic year is underway! See the dynamic new video highlighting how students can reach the stars through our new Certificate in Space Law!  Here are some recent GSLC highlights and new developments:  We have admitted the first cohort of students pursuing the new Certificate in Space Law at CSU, which is open not only to CSU students but to law students across the country and around the world!  We are proud to announce the four GSLC Research Council members: Justin Daniels-Dawes, Caylan Fazio, Abigail Jones, & Abigail McCoy.  ..read more

On January 31, Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken joined the distinguished list of astronauts to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, an award for “exceptionally meritorious efforts and contributions to the welfare of the Nation and of mankind.”  What marks the difference between them and their predecessors? For the first time, a private U.S. company – SpaceX – built and launched the spacecraft, Endeavour.  Vice President Harris named this inaugural launch from the private sector a “new chapter in the history of American space flight” during her remarks. Until the Crew Drag ..read more

CSU College of Law’s Global Space Law Center is now offering a Certificate in Space Law! The space industry has experienced a transformative expansion with the development of reusable spacecraft, space tourism, space resource extraction, and other novel uses of space. At the same time, questions regarding the militarization, international cooperation, and environmental issues in space have become more pressing. Cleveland State University’s College of Law is one of the few law schools in the United States to offer a Certificate of Space Law to provide students an opportunity to gain a broad un ..read more

On March 31, the National Science and Technology Council released its plan for National Low Earth Orbit Research and Development Strategy. This fourteen-page document outlines their policy objectives. 1. Advance groundbreaking science and technology. 2. Strengthen U.S. Government collaboration and partnerships. 3. Promote market opportunities, innovation, and sustainability. 4. Expand international cooperation. 5. Stimulate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development. The National LEO R&D Strategy provides a roadmap for transitioning from th ..read more