Res Communis

New NCRSASL Publication: A Chronological Survey of the Development of Art. IX of the Outer Space Treaty

by Joanne Irene Gabrynowicz with the blog faculty  

Article IX is the longest article in the Outer Space Treaty. It encompasses several principles of international law and space law. This publication, A Chronological Survey of the Development of Art. IX of the Outer Space Treaty,  is based on an Article IX analysis provided by Professor Sergio Marchisio of the University La Sapienza of Rome in the Cologne Commentary on Space Law.   A chart was created by distinguishing the four main legal elements in Article IX that were identified by him: international cooperation, due regard, harmful contamination, and international consultations.

The information provided in the survey lists in chronological order the summarized statements and declarations that each Nation – State or nongovernmental organization made to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Legal Subcommittee   during the drafting years. The legal questions raised in these records of negotiation concerning Article IX began with “principle 6” of the Soviet Proposal for a Declaration of the Basic Principles Governing the Activities of States pertaining to the Exploration and Use of Outer Space  in early 1962.  This proposed principle evolved into “Principle 6” of the Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space unanimously adopted by the General Assembly in 1963.  Further negotiations in the Legal Subcommittee led to early elements of the principle being contained in “Article VIII” of the revised Soviet Draft Treaty Governing the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, The Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,  and “Article 10” of the U.S. Draft Treaty Governing the Exploration of the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, submitted in 1966.  Eventually these draft articles were consolidated by the Legal Working Group L.9 and adopted,  thus establishing Article IX of the Outer Space Treaty.

Now Available Without Charge – Space Law: Selected Documents 2010, vols. 1 & 2 A Supplement to Journal of Space Law

by Joanne Irene Gabrynowicz with the blog faculty   

The National Center for Remote Sensing, Air, and Space Law is pleased to make available, without charge, Space Law; Selected Documents 2010, Vols. 1 and 2 . Volume 1 includes national space law documents and Volume 2 includes international space law documents. They are a compilation of space law documents from the year 2010 that were gathered primarily from postings placed on Res Communis from 1 January through 31 December 2010. The postings are supplemented with materials from other sources that were also published in 2010 . 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 throughHeinOnLine.

Journal of Space Law Desk Reference for USC Title 51: National and Commercial Space Programs Available Without Cost

by Joanne Irene Gabrynowicz with the blog faculty

Source: National Center for Remote Sensing, Air and Space Law

Volume 37 No. 1 of the JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW is dedicated to the historic enactment of Title 51 of the United States Code: National and Commercial Space Programs. Title 51 is the positive law codification of all U.S. national space law promulgated since 1958. It is the intention of the JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW to serve the space law community by making this dedicated issue a complete reference work for Title 51. For this reason, the JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW is, for the first time, making an entire volume available at the time of its publication at no cost.  To learn more about the volume’s contents, please read the Foreword. The entire volume may be downloaded at the Journal website.