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About Space Law

Space Law governs space related activities, such as exploration and use of outer space, conduct of astronauts in space, remote sensing, telecommunications, and many more. It was first mentioned by a Belgian lawyer, Emilie Laude, in his paper titled "Comment s'appelera le droit qui regira la vie de'air", published in French in 1910 in Revue Juridique de la Locomotion Aerienne. 

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In the early years of space exploration, space law was mainly seen as a part of Public International Law. It was influenced by the creation of five international treaties that have been drafted and negotiated between 1967 and 1979 by the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS).  

Space Shuttle Launch

Courtesy of Giphy

However, over the years space law developed and nowadays it covers a variety of space related aspects on different levels. Therefore, contemporary Space Law includes not only Public International Law aspects, but also private international law aspects, national law aspects, and mixed (or hybrid) aspects. 

The very first Treaty banning nuclear weapons from outer space signed by Britain, Russia and USA in London in 1963

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