Online Introduction to Space Law Training Course 2021 opens new world for engineering and science students

With the guidance of ESA specialists and external experts, future scientists and engineers explored new territory, the world of ‘Space Law’. The training course was designed to provide students with an introduction to space laws, how they are applicable to space activities and how they regulate space missions. It was uncharted territory for many, but undoubtedly of great value to their later careers.

“I applied for the course because I didn’t learn anything about space law during my studies, thinking it might be worth having some basic knowledge of the topic. But then the course exceeded all my expectations, and left me looking for ways to get an even deeper insight into the field. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Even if you think you don’t have any interest in law, I challenge you to take this course – you won’t be disappointed,” remarked a German student from the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg.

The starting day of the training course focussed on the concept of international law. UN Space Treaties and other international legal instruments were discussed and analysed. Trainers presented fundamental legal notions, such as the status of launching states, along with the concept of sovereignty and responsibility. The topic of national space law was on the menu the next day, specifically how it complemented or even disturbed international space law. The framework for the International Space Station was used as a real-life example of international space laws and cooperation.

During the subsequent days, students engaged with the complete legal lifecycle of a space mission, from licensing, authorization and supervision to end-of-life and re-entry. This was complemented by lectures on hot topics like space debris, space security, CubeSats and mega-constellations.

To close out the week, students were challenged with demonstrating their newfound knowledge with a simulation of a UN General Assembly meeting. Divided into teams of three, the students acted as delegations representing different countries. Their task was to negotiate a proposal on a global space-based climate observing system. While coming to an agreement was the common goal, each team also had its own secret objectives. To this end, they had to discuss and negotiate with other delegations throughout the week and finally defend their position at this UN General Assembly meeting simulation.

It took three intense hours of debating to try to reach a consensus. While they did not manage to reach a consensus on the full proposal, which was expected due to the time limit and the delegations’ divergent secret objectives, it certainly gave them a great sense of how difficult such negotiations would be in real life. The students fully immersed themselves and the simulation was a success! The trainers were suitably impressed by the students’ conduct and evaluated them in order to award grades for course transcripts. This document, in conjunction with certificates of participation, will allow the students to request ECTS credit(s) from their universities.

Invaluable knowledge was gained, new friends were made and a new world was opened up to these students. This was definitely a week to remember for all.

"This course has opened my eyes to a lot of challenging, but also fascinating, questions that both engineers and lawyers must answer together to ensure that the space industry remains as innovative and ground-breaking as it has been for more than half a century. It has made me realise that, whatever our background is, legal or technical, we share a common goal and a passion for space, and that is what success is made of," said a Spanish student from the University of Oxford.

To find more information about upcoming ESA Academy training opportunities, please check the current opportunities page.

Contact: tlp @ esa.int