"Meet ECSL Members" Series: Alexander Soucek, Head of International Law Division at ESA

1-      Hi, Alex. How are you doing and how is the whole covid situation going on for you personally? 

So far, so good. I have to be humble and hope, like all of us, that things will turn better again. And no, this is not the “new normality”, it’s simply “not normal”.  

2-      Could you first present us your career path at ESA ? 

I joined ESA in 2004 as a Young Graduate Trainee in the Earth Observation Ground Segment Strategy Office in ESRIN (Frascati, Italy) and was fortunate enough to stay in ESA and serve the Agency in several positions and establishments: first, in the Coordination Office of the Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes in Italy, then in the International and EU Law Division of the Legal Services Department in France and later in the Netherlands, and now as the Head of the International Law Division. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to experience so very different sides of ESA, to work in various establishments, be part of really exciting projects and live in cultures and countries previously alien to me. Oh, and I have found my wife in ESA, and so our daughter Anna is a true ‘space child’… but I guess that’s not part of the career path, is it?

3-      For how long have you been an ECSL member? 

Answering such a question reminds me how fast time flies. It must soon be 20 years! As a student, I participated in the ECSL summer course in Nice, France, in 2001 and still have fond memories of those two weeks. Full space law immersion in a Mediterranean late summer at the seaside! It is fair to say that the ECSL summer course was, in a way, the jump start for my later career. In 2004, at the ECSL Summer Course in Graz, it was then me who had the chance to give a lecture to the students. Little did I know, at that time, how many such lectures would follow over the years. 

4-      What was your dream job when you were younger ? 

On the one hand, I loved the idea to eventually become the Director of our local natural history museum, the “Haus der Natur” in Salzburg (not least because there was, and still is, is a stunning 1:1 diorama of the Apollo LEM on the lunar surface, which impressed me much). On the other hand, I already back then dreamed of working for a space agency. I actually have the proof on record: shortly before our school leaving exams, my classmates and I recorded that famous “where we will be in 20 years” video and I said that I see myself working as a lawyer at ESA. Quod erat demonstrandum. 

5-     How did you end up teaching space law and what is your view on teaching as an activity? 

Teaching fills me with energy and I am fortunate enough to regularly teach space law and the law of international organisations. It is now more than 15 years that I have been teaching space law in Graz, Austria, together with Prof. Brünner and his team: we were the first to start a regular space law course in Austria. But I am equally engaged in teaching at other universities, such as in Paris and Cologne, during many ECSL events and at the ESA Academy, where I introduced the “space law for engineers” course. Besides, I am glad to have had the opportunity to guest-lecture at many universities, such as Keio University in Tokyo, Kings College London, New York University, SciencesPo Le Havre, or my own ‘alma mater’ in Salzburg, to name some. Teaching is dear to me – most of all the interaction with the students. It is beautiful to share a passion, and it is exciting to be shown the limits of your own knowledge through tricky questions from the audience. The customary “career coaching over a beer or two” after a successful course is always a highlight, helping students to identify ways and means to pursue their passion for space and the law.  

6-     Which advice would you give young students that are interested in space law ?

One could answer with the usual well-meant commonplaces here (determination, specialisation, networking, and so forth). Instead, let me share three pieces of very personal advise: a) true fascination can carry you a long way; b) make an effort to understand spaceflight (there is nothing worse than a space lawyer who doesn’t make an effort to understand the realities of spaceflight); c) have a plan B – space law is not all; life is full of interesting things worth doing; so, if one dream job doesn’t work out, try to find a fulfilling alternative.

7-     What is your favourite thing about your job ? 

The daily interaction with wonderful colleagues of the ESA family, and friends and experts beyond ESA. When I walk to the canteen at ESTEC, there may be a world-renowned comet specialist at the table on the left, a spacecraft project manager at the table on the right, and a former astronaut queuing just in front of me (grabbing the last Schnitzel… seconds before me). In a coffee break, I might be able to sneak into the cleanroom observation bay and see a satellite that will actually be in outer space few months later. And at the entry gate, there are 22 (and some more) flags blowing in the wind, reminding us that we are part of an international organisation, fortunate enough to cooperate in advancing spaceflight. 

8-     What is your least favourite thing about your job ? 

Emails. (Yes I know, we are old-fashioned in ESA, we still write emails). 

9-     What role has the ECSL had in your professional life ?

Quite an important one. I was an autodidact in space law. My “first contact”? Xerox copies of a space law book chapter I had pulled out of a waste paper bin during my first internship at the German Space Operations Centre! It was ECSL that gave me the first full-fledged, in-depth exposure to space law when I participated in the 2001 summer course. And today, the ECSL is actually part of my work, since I have the privilege to supervise the ECSL Executive Secretary and learn with her or him, and with the whole community.

10-     What would you say is the main strength of the ECSL ?

The network, the proximity to ESA, a lot of bright young professionals having consecutively served as secretaries, and the wealth of practical activities: summer course, young lawyers symposium, executive course, ESA Academy, Practitioners Forum, etc. etc. There’s always something going on, or to come around the corner. It’s a living thing! And it is an institution of its own – we who form the ECSL community should cherish having all these opportunities to connect, learn and celebrate space law.

11-     What are your hobbies ?

You would never guess: astronomy. I am a dyed-in-the-wool amateur astronomer since childhood days. One of those who can point you at the constellations of our hemisphere and who actually find most Messier objects still with a hand-controlled telescope and a good old star map. One who froze his hands in long winter nights on the observation deck, and who organised ‘star hikes’ in mild summer nights at our local observatory in Salzburg. Besides, since your question is in plural, I have a passion for history, in particular ancient Egypt and the Age of Sea Exploration); I am the proud owner of a hand-crafted replica of James Cook’s HMS Endeavour (it sails on the windowsill). Oh, and I am a passionate admirer of Mozart - l’origine oblige.

12-     What is your favourite space related movie ?

Call me a traditionalist, but that title goes to “Apollo 13”. I watch it at least once a year (since 1997, mind you). Not only does it allow to share the excitement of the Apollo days; there’s also a very personal reason: I have been serving for more than 10 years as a lead Flight Director in analogue Mars mission simulations with the Austrian Space Forum. That’s why I so much sympathise with Ed Harris aka Gene Kranz (“now keep that chatter down!”). Apart of that, I happily admit that I am a trekkie – Star Trek accompanied me all through my childhood and up to today.

13-     If you could visit a planet which one would it be and why ?

That would be Venus. Now, I have been an amateur astronomer far too long, and studied space sciences, to know that would be a bad choice (always cloudy, fairly hot, crushing pressure). But I have always been fascinated by this real “twin” of Earth, the fact that we see a greenhouse effect in full swing, its topographic mysteries hidden under the permanent cloud cover. The Soviet Venera and VEGA missions are, for me, fascinating achievements of early planetary exploration.

14-     Which space law related topic did you enjoy working on the most  ?

I tell you a secret: almost every topic. But if I have to make a choice… I like when things get practical, when law is put at the test and you have to find legal solutions which actually get things going in practice (to quote Apollo 13 again: “Don’t tell me what is was built for – tell me what it can DO!”). At ESA Legal, we are privileged to come across a lot of these topics – from the first space debris removal mission to planetary protection for a re-entry capsule, from negotiating space station agreements to contributing to space traffic management considerations. And what I particularly cherish is the opportunity to have world-class technical experts at hand – colleagues who are just a phone call or an office corridor away and who enrich our legal work with “reality checks” and background briefings.

15-     Which space law related topic do you think will be the next hot topic for the space community ?

I have seen several of those coming … and developing. That is a really interesting aspect of our work – we often get to see later-to-be “hot topics” in their embryonic stage; I remember learning about ‘mega-constellations’ from our ESA engineers in an internal workshop long before that term was mentioned at the COPUOS LSC for the first time; similarly with ‘planetary defense’ and ‘cube- and nanosats’, ‘high altitude platforms’, etc. I know I haven’t answered the question. But I have answered around it.

16-    Is there something that you never experienced and that you would like to do ?

If I hadn’t had the incredible opportunity to experience microgravity, I would definitively say: to be weightless for once. But I have been! 90 times 30 seconds during a three-day parabolic flight campaign, equalling a total of 45 minutes – half an orbit around Earth, after all (and performing an experiment along the way). Apart of that, I am intrigued by the idea to climb an Eight-thousander (correction: to stand on top of one), or to be a mouse on a sailing boat of The Ocean Race around the world.

17-    Who do you want us to interview next ?

Pull a newcomer onto the stage! The more experienced you are, the more ‘stage time’ you get anyway. So, let’s give the stage more often to the next generation!

Warm thanks for opening up to us and for sharing some insightful pieces of advice, Alexander. Take care !
Interview by Chehineze Bouafia (ECSL/ESA)

Stay tuned for our next ECSL member interview !

The opinions expressed in these articles are that of the subject(s) interviewed, and not the ECSL or ESA.