Nuclear Power in Space: The UN Principles, US Launch Rules and the Race for a Lunar Reactor
Nuclear power in space explained: the 1992 UN Principles, NSPM-20 launch approval tiers, Cosmos 954 and the US plan for a lunar…
Section
Explainers
Plain English guides to the treaties, the licensing regimes, the institutions and the career routes. Start here if space law is new to you.
Amateur Rocket Laws: Is It Legal to Launch Your Own Rocket?
Amateur rocket laws explained: FAA Part 101 rocket classes, waivers and ATC notice, the 150 km ceiling, explosives rules and the UK's…
Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines Explained: IADC, UN and National Rules
Space debris mitigation guidelines explained: the IADC and UN rules, the 25-year limit, the 2025 constellation update and how regulators make them…
Explainers10 min read
10 min
Planetary Protection Explained: The Rules That Keep Earth Life Off Other Worlds
Planetary protection explained: Article IX, COSPAR's five categories, the 2026 Icy Worlds update, and why private missions remain a regulatory gap.
Explainers11 min read
11 min
Can You Buy Land on the Moon? What the Law Says About Lunar Deeds
Can you buy land on the Moon? No. Why lunar deeds have no legal effect, what the Outer Space Treaty says, and what the law now…
Explainers11 min read
11 min
The Liability Convention Explained: Who Pays When Space Objects Cause Damage
The Liability Convention explained: who is a launching State, absolute versus fault liability, how claims work, and the Cosmos 954 case that tested it.
Explainers10 min read
10 min
Who Governs Mars? Mars Colony Law, the Outer Space Treaty and the ‘Free Planet’ Clause
Mars colony law explained: why no one can own Mars, whose law applies in a settlement, the Starlink 'free planet' clause and the planetary protection rules.
Explainers10 min read
10 min
Crime in Space: Who Has Jurisdiction on the ISS, Private Stations and the Moon
Crime in space explained: how the Outer Space Treaty and ISS Article 22 decide who can prosecute, what US and Canadian law say, and the gaps…
Explainers11 min read
11 min
Where Does Space Begin? The Kármán Line, the 80 km Debate and Why the Law Has No Boundary
Where does space begin? The Kármán line, the 80 km debate, the national laws that pick 100 km, and why international law still sets no boundary…
Explainers13 min read
13 min
The Rescue Agreement Explained: What States Owe Astronauts in Distress and Rocket Parts That Fall to Earth
The Rescue Agreement explained: what States owe astronauts in distress, what happens when rocket debris lands abroad, and where the 1968 treaty falls short.
Explainers12 min read
12 min
The Registration Convention Explained: Who Registers a Satellite and Why It Decides Who Controls It
The Registration Convention explained: what States must register with the UN, who counts as the launching State, and why registration decides jurisdiction.
Explainers12 min read
12 min
Remote Sensing Licences: How NOAA Regulates Commercial Earth Observation Satellites
How a NOAA remote sensing licence works: who needs one, the three tiers in 15 CFR Part 960, the 60-day review clock and the licensing office's…