Space Law

The notion of colonising the Moon or Mars, the emergence of space tourism, and the move towards commercial lunar mining might seem like futurism, but when we look at the relationship between corporations and powerful states underneath these competitions, there’s nothing new. International law and international relations have seen these trends repeated for hundreds of years. Dr Cait Storr shares her expertise in the history and politics of international law, the lessons learned for space law, and we discuss why “space colonisation” is such a problematic approach.

How should we regulate commercial actors who want to mine the Moon for resources? It’s not science fiction, it’s a question nations and the international community is facing right now, as the US released the controversial Artemis Accords last year, and discussions at the UN ramp up on this issue. Join me as I talk with Professor Emeritus Steven Freeland about international space law-making mechanisms and the challenge of regulating resource extraction, a key issue for 21st century commercial and international competition.

What happens when a space lawyer and an astronomer get together to talk about all things space? Professor Anna Moore is the Director of the ANU Institute for Space (InSpace), a multidisciplinary institute that sets out to supercharge Australia’s space sector. She shares her career trajectory and her passion for diversity and interdisciplinarity. And we talk about what scientists and lawyers can learn from each other.

What’s the most original career you could have in space? How about space archaeologist? Studying human artefacts in space, or those that have returned to Earth from space, and how to deal with the problem of space junk while also protecting some of our human heritage in space. This is the work of Associate Professor Alice Gorman, aka Dr Space Junk. Join me, Dr Cassandra Steer, as I talk with Alice about whether the Artemis Accords do a good job of asserting protection of human heritage on the Moon, and how we can protect the Moon itself from negative human impact.

Former space lawyer and Wing Commander with the Royal Australian Air Force.

The race to mine the moon is on, between companies and countries, and the big debate is whether it’s lawful under international space law. And even if it is lawful, how can we ensure that the moonscape and its natural resources are mined responsibly with future generations in mind? How about “Moon Inc” – granting legal personality to the Moon? Join Dr Cassandra Steer as she speaks with Drs Chris Whitehead and Eytan Tepper about responsible commons governance and what we can learn from New Zealand legal precedence granting legal personality to a national park.

As part of #WorldSpaceWeek2020, join Dr Cassandra Steer as she speaks with Professor Donald Rothwell FAAL, leading international law expert, as they compare the legal regimes governing areas beyond national jurisdiction: the Antarctic, the high seas and space. With contentions right now about the legality of space mining, what can we learn from these regimes and the notions of 'common heritage' and 'global commons'?

Can we really compare space law with the law of the sea? Join ANU space lawyer Dr Cassandra Steer as she talks with Law of the Sea and Space Law expert Professor Dale Stephens from the University of Adelaide Law School, to uncover where there are similarities and where they are worlds apart

Join space law expert and InSpace Mission Specialist Dr Cassandra Steer as she explores the legal and policy aspects of what's happening in space and how it affects us nationally and globally.