Attorney Retains Role as Adviser on Science and Space
January 26, 2009 at 10:49 am | Posted in Space Law | Leave a commentby P.J. Blount with the blog faculty
From the Huntsville Times:
McDaniel retains role as adviser on science and space
Saturday, January 24, 2009
By SHELBY G. SPIRES
Times Aerospace Writer shelby.spires@htimes.comAttorney formerly served on NASA Advisory Council
A local lawyer and space expert has been reappointed to a key role advising Congress on science issues.
Mark McDaniel was reappointed as an adviser on space by Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., to the House Committee on Science and Technology, which Gordon chairs. McDaniel has advised Gordon for the past four years. He also served on the NASA Advisory Council from 2000-2005. . . [Full Story]
North Korea Criticizes Japan’s Space Policy
January 26, 2009 at 10:39 am | Posted in Space Law | Leave a commentby P.J. Blount with the blog faculty
From the Korean Central News Agency of DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea):
KCNA Calls for Checking Japan’s Moves for Space Militarization
Pyongyang, January 21 (KCNA) — The Japan Defense Ministry reportedly made public a basic policy on the development and use of space on Jan. 16.The policy deals with the development of radio wave information gathering satellite, launch of smaller satellite by use of airplane and other issues with main emphasis on the development of an early warning satellite.
Japan’s hasty development of an early warning satellite system, which has been pursued only by a few military powers, means that its scheme for space militarization has entered a new phase.
Such moves of Japan are prompted by its aggressive ambition to hold a military edge in space and thus realize its overseas expansion.
By zealously stepping up the moves for space militarization Japan threw away the principle of “peaceful use of space” which it has advocated in name only. . . . [Full Story]
Challenges loom as Obama seeks space weapons ban
January 26, 2009 at 9:10 am | Posted in Space Law Current Events | Leave a commentby Joanne Irene Gabrynowicz with the blog faculty
Source: Reuters
By Andrea Shalal-Esa – Analysis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama‘s pledge to seek a worldwide ban on weapons in space marks a dramatic shift in U.S. policy while posing the tricky issue of defining whether a satellite can be a weapon.
Moments after Obama’s inauguration last week, the White House website was updated to include policy statements on a range of issues, including a pledge to restore U.S. leadership on space issues and seek a worldwide ban on weapons that interfere with military and commercial satellites.
It also promised to look at threats to U.S. satellites, contingency plans to keep information flowing from them, and what steps are needed to protect spacecraft against attack.
The issue is being closely watched by Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co, Northrop Grumman Corp, the biggest U.S. defense contractors, and other companies involved in military and civilian space contracts.
Watchdog groups and even some defense officials welcomed the statement, which echoed Obama’s campaign promises, but said it would take time to hammer out a comprehensive new strategy.
Enacting a global ban on space weapons could prove even harder.
For instance, it was difficult to define exactly what constituted a “weapon” because even seemingly harmless weather tracking satellites could be used to slam into and disable other satellites, said two U.S. officials involved in the area who were not authorized to speak publicly.
Michael Krepon, co-founder of the private Henry L. Stimson think tank on space, cited recent reports that the Pentagon was using two smaller satellites launched in 2006 to fly near a dead missile-warning satellite and investigate what happened. The Defense Support Program satellite, DSP-23, built by Northrop, failed on orbit in mid-September.
“This incident clarified how important it is to have rules of the road for technologies that could have many different applications,” Krepon said. “There are lots of benign reasons to have a closer look at an object in space. But we all know that when satellites make close passes they could also do things that are not benign.”
Two years ago, China used a missile to destroy one of its own satellites in a test that raised worries about a new arms race in space. The incident may have created thousands of pieces of debris. Last year, the United States also destroyed one of its own satellites, saying its toxic fuel tank could pose a danger if it fell to Earth.
MORE COOPERATION?
A defense official, who also asked not to be named, said the Obama administration had not yet held briefings for top officials working on military space issues, but it was clear that the focus would shift toward more diplomatic initiatives.
Work on classified projects involving an “active” military response to attacks against U.S. satellites might be halted in favor of more monitoring and passive protection measures, he said. He declined to give any more details.
The Obama administration also faces tough decisions on many multibillion-dollar satellite programs facing cost overruns and schedule delays, particularly at a time when rapid increases in military spending are grinding to a halt.
“There’s still a lot of wiggle room” in the administration’s statement on military space, said analyst Victoria Samson with the private Center for Defense Information. “But just the sheer fact that they are discussing it represents a real shift from the Bush administration.” Continued…
Now Available Without Charge: Selected Space Law Documents – 2008
January 23, 2009 at 12:38 pm | Posted in Space Law | Leave a comment
by Joanne Irene Gabrynowicz with the bog faculty
The National Center for Remote Sensing, Air, and Space Law is pleased to make available, without charge, Selected Space Law Documents: 2008. It is a compilation of space law documents from the year 2008 that were gathered primarily from postings placed on Res Communis from 1 January through 31 December 2008. The postings are supplemented with materials from other sources that were published in 2008 but which were published too late to be posted as a blog entry in a timely manner. The compilation is a special supplement to the Journal of Space Law, the world’s oldest law review dedicated to space law. The Journal of Space Law, beginning with the first volume, is available on line through HeinOnLine.
Selected Space Law Documents: 2008 demonstrates that the overall body of space law is continuing to grow. A major characteristic of this growth is the number of new laws promulgated at the national level. India, Iran, Japan, France, the Russian Federation (C.I.S), South Africa, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States all had new space laws in 2008. Internationally, space law growth can be seen in the materials produced by various U.N. bodies and a number of multilateral and bilateral agreements and statements, also contained in the compilation.
FCC Public Notice: Satellite Space Applications Accepted for Filing
January 23, 2009 at 11:56 am | Posted in Space Law | Leave a commentby P.J. Blount with the blog faculty
The FCC has released a new public notice on Satellite Space Applications Accepted for Filing. This report includes applications from ViaSat and Intelsat.
New UN Reports on Space
January 23, 2009 at 10:03 am | Posted in Space Law | Leave a commentby P.J. Blount with the blog faculty
UNOOSA has posted four new reports:
United Nations Programme on Space Applications
Report on the United Nations/International Astronautical Federation Workshop on Space Technology Support for an Integrated Approach to Address Potential Environmental Hazards (Glasgow, United Kingdom 26 and 27 September 2008)
A/AC.105/930 (available in all official languages of the United Nations in PDF format)Report on the United Nations/Colombia/United States of America Workshop on Applications of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (Medellin, Colombia 23-27 June 2008)
A/AC.105/920 (available in all official languages of the United Nations in PDF format)Report of the United Nations/Burkina Faso/World Health Organization/European Space Agency/Centre national d’études spatiales Workshop on the Use of Space Technology in Tele-health to Benefit Africa (Ouagadougou, 5-9 May 2008)
A/AC.105/915 (available in all official languages of the United Nations in PDF format)International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG)
Third Meeting of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), Pasadena, USA, 8 – 12 December 2008
Report on the Meeting (A/AC.105/928) (available in all official languages of the United Nations in PDF format)
Obama Administration Supports Ban on Space Weapons
January 23, 2009 at 9:56 am | Posted in Space Law | Leave a commentby P.J. Blount with the blog faculty
The White House Defense Agenda includes this evaluation of defense space issues:
Ensure Freedom of Space: The Obama-Biden Administration will restore American leadership on space issues, seeking a worldwide ban on weapons that interfere with military and commercial satellites. They will thoroughly assess possible threats to U.S. space assets and the best options, military and diplomatic, for countering them, establishing contingency plans to ensure that U.S. forces can maintain or duplicate access to information from space assets and accelerating programs to harden U.S. satellites against attack.
The Agenda also addresses missile defense:
National Missile Defense: The Obama-Biden Administration will support missile defense, but ensure that it is developed in a way that is pragmatic and cost-effective; and, most importantly, does not divert resources from other national security priorities until we are positive the technology will protect the American public.
The Operation of Air Services in the Community Regulations 2009
January 23, 2009 at 9:49 am | Posted in Aviation Law | Leave a commentby P.J. Blount with the blog faculty
The United Kingdom’s The Operation of Air Services in the Community Regulations 2009 was made on 15th January 2009, laid before Parliament on 19th January 2009, and comes into force on 26th January 2009 (PDF version). The Explanatory Memorandum states:
This instrument enables the effective implementation and enforcement of regulation EC 1008/2008 on Common Rules for the operation of air services in the Community (recast) (“the EC regulation”). The instrument establishes the respective roles of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Secretary of State in relation to the issue of airline operating licences, the approval of aircraft leases and ensuring access to intra-Community routes. It also sets out offences and penalties for non-compliance.
Conference on Disarmament – January 22, 2009
January 23, 2009 at 9:36 am | Posted in Space Law | Leave a commentby P.J. Blount with the blog faculty
The Conference on Disarmament had a plenary meeting on January 22, 2009. Only one statement mentioned PAROS:
Japan – Ambassador Tarui
H. Res. 75: Honoring Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III and the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 for their heroism, calm under pressure, and dedication to the safety of passengers on board.
January 22, 2009 at 1:50 pm | Posted in Aviation Law | Leave a commentby P.J. Blount with the blog faculty
H. Res. 75: Honoring Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III and the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 for their heroism, calm under pressure, and dedication to the safety of passengers on board was introduced on January 21, 2009 by Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA). The text of the legislation is not yet available on Thomas.
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