photographist

“The introduction of the law on space objects was a very lucky coincidence at the time my thesis. I specialise in private law – law between individuals, between commercial companies. I am also interested in international law in relation to private companies.
What are the special characteristics of satellite manufacture, launch or operation contracts? The concept of risk is predominant. This risk is technical but it may also be political or financial. I go to factories to meet engineers and I work with lawyers at the European Space Agency, EADS, Arianespace or other companies that use satellites, and lawyers working in insurance, banking and international organisations. Lawyers are often considered guilty of holding up projects yet they are also able to work with engineers and with States to overcome legal problems and to make suggestions.

We can go to celestial bodies; we can send a satellite into space; we can set up a base... As a result of space treaties developed by the UN during the 1960s, it isn’t possible to claim ownership of celestial bodies. Unfortunately, the Treaty of 1979 in relation to the moon and other celestial bodies was not ratified by any nation that had the technical and financial capabilities of going there. We are far from achieving an international management of everything that we could discover on the moon and other celestial bodies... From a legal perspective, determining the limit of airspace and outer space is essential. Airspace is subject to national sovereignty – so has a special legal status – and outer space is subject to a non-sovereign legal regime. The limit is at around 100 km, which is much higher than airspace, but much lower than outer space, thus this may prove problematic for the development of space tourism.”

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