by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

Air University has released the newest edition of its Space Primer. It has a complete chapter on Space Law and Policy. From the Table of Contents:

3 CURRENT SPACE LAW AND POLICY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
International Space Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Domestic Space Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
National Space Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Department of Defense Space Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From ESA:

Estonia becomes fifth ESA European Cooperating State

12 November 2009
ESA’s Director of Legal Affairs and External Relations, Peter Hulsroj, and Estonian Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications, Juhan Parts, signed the Cooperation Agreement on 10 November in Tallinn.

Estonia becomes the fifth European country to sign the European Cooperating State Agreement with ESA. The signed agreement strengthens Estonia’s relations with ESA and defines the legal basis for developing a Plan for European Cooperating State (PECS) Charter, describing activities, projects and budget for Estonia’s cooperation with ESA.

Hungary was the first country to gain this status in April 2003, followed by the Czech Republic in November of the same year. Romania and Poland joined in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Estonia’s cooperation with ESA started with the signature of a Cooperation Agreement in the field of the peaceful use of outer space on 20 June 2007.

During the coming months, ESA and Estonia will have to complete the list of projects that will be presented for approval to the relevant ESA Committees and Programme Boards. The PECS Charter should be signed before the end of November 2010. Some projects with the Observatory of Tartu, dealing with forest monitoring, will be discussed and envisaged for implementation. Investing in educational projects is also among the priorities expressed by the Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications.

Estonia, through ESA Member States, already participates in ESA’s Planck and Gaia missions and also contributed to a ground receiver antenna for Mars Express based in Perth in Australia.

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From Aero-News Network:

TSA Changes Rules On Airport Searches … Very Quietly

Thu, 12 Nov ‘09
Searches Must Be Related To Airline Safety

TSA has changed two rules about airport searches after an aide to Congressman Ron Paul recorded an incident on his iPhone. The rules changes have prompted the ACLU to drop legal action against TSA on behalf of Steve Bierfeldt. . . .

. . . TSA spokeswoman Lauren Gaches said the new “internal directives” stipulate that TSA may not question why someone is carrying large amounts of cash through the airport. The new rules say “screening may not be conducted to detect evidence of crimes unrelated to transportation security” and that large amounts of cash do not comprise a threat to an airliner. The second directive says “traveling with large amounts of cash is not illegal.” However, TSA said it would not release copies of the directives without a Freedom of Information request. . . .[Full Story]

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From GeoConnexion:

GPS technology for traffic regulation orders

11 November 2009, 3:41pm

Diligent adoption of decimetre accurate GPS technology has proved the perfect starting point for Wiltshire Council to provide traffic regulation orders in a ‘clear, consistent and transparent’ manner as directed under the Traffic Management Act 2004. . . . [Full Story]

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

Not really space law, but notable. From Red Orbit:

Nowak Pleads Guilty, Receives Probation

Posted on: Wednesday, 11 November 2009, 06:06 CST

On Tuesday, former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak pleaded guilty to reduced charges and avoided jail time for her 2007 attack on a romantic rival.

Nowak apologized in court to her victim, which was former Air Force Captain Colleen Shipman, before being sentenced to a year on probation.

“I am sincerely sorry to cause fear and misunderstanding and all of the intense public exposure … I hope very much that we can move forward from this in privacy,” Nowak said after the judge directed her to turn and face Shipman.

Nowak drove over 1,000 miles from Houston to Orlando International Airport on February 5, 2007 to assault Shipman with pepper spray. . . . [Full Story]

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The Disasters Charter has been activated for a flood and ocean storm in El Salvador:

Type of Event: Floods
Location of Event: El Salvador
Date of Charter Activation: 10/09/2009
Charter Requestor: UNITAR/UNOSAT on behalf of UN OCHA; USGS on behalf of Centro de Gobierno, El Salvador
Project Management: Cathalac

Description of the Event
Floods and landslides left at least 130 people dead in El Salvador after the Hurricane Ida ravaged parts of Central America. President Mauricio Funes described the disaster as a “tragedy” and said that the damage was “incalculable”.

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From JAXA:

NASA-JAXA Cooperation: Into the Future
Lecture & Panel Discussion
Featuring New NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden

November 10, 2009 (JST)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will hold a lecture and panel discussion, “NASA-JAXA Cooperation: Into the Future,” from 10:00 a.m. on November 17 (Tuesday) at Takeda Hall, University of Tokyo.

Newly-appointed NASA Administrator and former astronaut Charles F. Bolden will discuss U.S. space policy, NASA’s newest projects, and future plans. JAXA President Keiji Tachikawa, JAXA Astronaut Chiaki Mukai, and Professor Shinichi Nakasuka of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the School of Engineering, Graduate School of the University of Tokyo, will also join discussion on future directions for this important partnership.

1. Date and Time: From 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on November 17 (Tue), 2009 (Reception opens at 9:30 a.m.)
2. Location: Takeda Hall, University of Tokyo (At Asano Campus, 5th Floor of the Takeda Frontier Science Bldg.)
2-11-16 Yayoi Bunkyo-ward, Tokyo 113-8656
Map: http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/campusmap/cam01_04_16_j.html
3. Program Outline:
10:00-10:50: Speech by NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden
Speech by JAXA President Keiji Tachikawa
Speech by JAXA Astronaut Chiaki Mukai
Moderator :Professor Shinichi Nakasuka of the University of Tokyo
10:50-11:30: Panel Discussion / Question and Answer Session
4. Entrance Fee: No Cost
5. Participation: Limited to the first 200 people, due to the capacity of the hall
6. Participants must be over 18 years old.
7. This event is hosted by: JAXA and the University of Tokyo incorporation with Ministry of education, culture, sports, science and technonogy-Japan (MEXT)
8. Language: Japanese (Administrator Bolden will speak in English, with consecutive interpretation)

Articles
Fiona Cunningham, The Stellar Status Symbol: True Motives for China’s Manned Space Program, China Security (Issue 15)

Reports
FGDC 2009 Annual Report

CRS – Tactical Aircraft Modernization: Issues for Congress

CRS – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization: An Overview of Legislative Action in the 111th Congress

CRS – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization: An Overview of Legislative Action in the 111th Congress

CRS – F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Periodicals
House Committee on Science and Technology E-News (October 2009)

SatMagazine (November 2009)

Blogs
The Origins of Security Screening at Airports – Volokh Conspiracy

Court dismisses passenger price-fixing case on subject matter jurisdiction grounds – NV Flyer

China People’s Liberation Army Commander Says Space Weapons “historical inevitability” – Spaceports

Bolden Revamps NASA Advisory Council – Space Fellowship

Markets vs. Hijackers – Prawfs Blawg

USSTRATCOM Commander, General Kevin Chilton, calls for better SSA – Secure World Foundation

China’s Other ASAT – IMINT & Analysis

Mianyang, From Space – Arms Control Wonk

Is This China’s Anti-Satellite Laser Weapon Site? – Danger Room

FAA Issues New DUI/DWI Policy – Aviation Law Discussions

Response to “TSA Takes Big Gulp over Britney” – The TSA Blog

New Rule Favors Airline Labor – Aviation Law Prof Blog

China air force talks space supremacy – Lunar Pioneers

Can commercial spaceflight solve the exploration dilemma? – Hperbola

China Declares Space War Inevitable – DoD Buzz

Inside the space debate – Cosmic Log

China’s foreign ministry disavows PLA comments about space militarization – Lunar Pioneer

China Insists Intention in Space Peaceful – Spaceports

India Enhancing Efforts to be Dominant Player in Space – Got GEOINT?

That Crowded List of Unsupervised Space Agencies – Commercial Space

UN Advances: ‘confidence-building measures in outer space’ pushed by Russia-China – Spaceports

China’s Air Force commander calls for ‘harmonious use of space, air,’ China Daily – Lunar Pioneers

UK needs space law for Virgin spaceport – Secret Scotland

Senate Votes NASA $18.7 Billion; Conference to Resolve With House – Spaceports

Does Future Moon Mining Need New Treaty? – Spaceports

Chinese President Hu Cools ‘Star Wars’ Talk – Spaceports

Government-sponsored SETI — In The 1920’s – NASA Watch

H.R. 3480 Introducted in the House and referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs: “Strengthening America’s Satellite Industry Act” – U.S. Satellite and Space Technology Export Control Law and Policy Reform Blog

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The FAA/AST has posted a Record of Decision for Streamlining the Processing of Experimental Permit Applications.

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From the BBC:

Nasa and Esa sign Mars agreement
By Jonathan Amos
Science reporter, BBC News

The US and European space agencies have signed the “letter of intent” that ties together their Mars programmes.

The agreement, which was penned in Washington DC, gives the green light to scientists and engineers to begin the joint planning of Red Planet missions.

The union will start with a European-led orbiter in 2016, and continue with surface rovers in 2018, and then perhaps a network of landers in 2018.

The ultimate aim is a mission to return Mars rock and soils to Earth labs.

The Washington document was signed by the heads of the agencies, Nasa administrator Charles Bolden and Esa director-general Jean-Jacques Dordain. . . .[Full Story]