Chair
Salvador
Rodriguez Artacho
Space Law Committee
The Space Law Committee provides a forum for outer space lawyers to address the increasing number of practical legal issues arising in commercial and regulatory activities in this specialised area of domestic and international law.
Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
04 Oct - 09 Oct 2026
Copenhagen , Denmark
Innovations shaping tomorrow: IP, technology and communication in a new era
11 Nov - 13 Nov 2026
Seoul , South Korea
Publications
Solving ground-level problems from 500km up: the rise of Africa’s space economy
Africa’s space economy is rapidly evolving from state-led initiatives into a dynamic ecosystem driven by private companies, startups and continental coordination under the African Space Agency. Leveraging satellite technologies for agriculture, climate resilience, connectivity and disaster management, the sector is reshaping development priorities and positioning Africa as both a consumer and creator in the global space market.
Released on Jul 21, 2026
Latin America’s growing footprint in space governance – from international commitments to the unfinished task of building domestic regulatory frameworks
Latin American countries have rapidly embraced international space commitments, in fact, eight South American nations have now signed the Artemis Accords, and several have recently acceded to key UN space treaties. However, the region still largely lacks the domestic legal frameworks needed to regulate commercial space activities, attract private investment and fulfil treaty obligations. This article surveys the current state of space law across the region, highlights key developments and gaps and argues that bridging this regulatory deficit is the most urgent task ahead.
Released on Jul 17, 2026
Key points investors should know about foreign investment protection in the space sector
Foreign direct investment in the space sector is increasing but is exposed to growing political risk. Consequently, foreign investors in the space sector should be aware of the protection international investment agreements can offer, how to structure their investments to ensure they are covered by the protection that these treaties can provide and how investment contracts can provide alternative or supplementary protection.
Released on Jul 15, 2026
A new phase in Japanese space law and emerging technology regulation: the soft law approach in domestic regulation
This article examines Japan’s evolving regulation of emerging technologies through the recent amendment process of the Space Activities Act. While broader hard-law reform was initially envisioned, Japan finally chose a more pragmatic soft-law approach in the 2026 amendment, reserving legislation for immediately necessary issues such as permission requirements for rocket launches with dummy payloads, while addressing other matters through guidelines and manuals. Comparing this development with Japan’s AI regulatory framework, such trend suggests that the soft-law approach offers a flexible and realistic model for governing technologies whose future development is difficult to foresee.
Released on Jul 15, 2026
Subcommittees and other groups
The Space Law Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.
- Space Law Advisory Board