Space Law
Trump’s Vision of a ‘Space Force’ May Conflict With the Outer Space Treaty
Trump sees space as a “warfighting domain.” The Outer Space Treaty disagrees.
Astronomers Are Annoyed at a New Zealand Company That Launched a Disco Ball Into Orbit
The Humanity Star is a poetic and entirely useless satellite. For astronomers, however, it’s a pain in the ass.
SpaceX Is Already Working on Legal Approval for Its 2018 Mars Flight
The FAA is already working with SpaceX to ensure its Mars mission complies with the international Outer Space Treaty.
The US Says Asteroid Mining Is Legal for Americans. What About Everyone Else?
A new US law says American companies can keep resources they obtain in space, but some argue it contravenes international space law.
We Need to Clear Up Space Debris to Make Way for the Small Satellite Boom
With the influx of CubeSats, lower Earth orbit is going to get very busy.
These Guys Are Trying to Crash a Rocket into the Moon and It Just Might Work
"Life without having your own space programme is not really as exciting as it could be."
The US Mulls Breaking an International Treaty So Americans Can Mine Asteroids
"We're taking the right to regulate interstate commerce and have taken it to mean the right to regulate interplanetary commerce."
Designing Rockets Might Be Easier Than Parsing the SpaceX Copyright Situation
Elon Musk may not be technically allowed to put his photos into the "public domain."
How Satellite Companies Patent Their Orbits
Intellectual property is complicated enough—then put it in space!
Congress Doesn't Have the Power to Make Asteroid Mining Legal
Passing a law isn't going to make the legal mess surrounding asteroid mining go away.
The First Space Colonies Might Be Illegal
Individual agreements will have to be signed to keep commercial space operations legal.