SPACE LAW SYMPOSIUM TO DEBATE MAJOR CHALLENGES FOR A NEW ERA OF SPACE EXPLORATION AND OPPORTUNITY

There is no escaping the complex challenges ahead for international Space Law as we enter a new era for space exploration driven by technology, commercial opportunities, national security, scientific curiosity and geopolitics. The inaugural Space Law Symposium is certain to be a headline feature at Space-Comm Expo Scotland as it aims to raise the profile and debate some of the major challenges for the new space race including space exploration, AI, data, cybersecurity, space debris and sustainability.

 

Space-Comm Expo Scotland will be the biggest space industry event ever held in Scotland with over 3,000 attendees, 75 exhibitors and 60 speakers at the SEC Glasgow on 11-12 September. Registration is free to attend via: https://space-comm-scotland.co.uk/

 

Scotland has a global reputation and heritage in law and fittingly the Space Law Symposium, sponsored by global law firm DLA Piper, will provide a unique platform to bring together legal experts from across government, regulators, business, lawyers and academia from the UK and around the world. The keynote speech by Alderman Professor Emma Edhem, Lord Mayor’s Envoy for Space Technology and Innovation will be followed by a series of four panel sessions debating the major issues and providing valuable knowledge to help the space industry to respond to changes and challenges. Attendees at Space-Comm Expo Scotland will have the opportunity to engage with speakers, panel guests and legal experts to help answer some of the most pressing questions keeping them awake at night.

 

The Space Law panel sessions include Navigating the Cosmos, Legal and Financial Challenges, Traversing the International Legal and Policy Landscape and Exploring the Intersection between Space Commercialisation and Sustainability. Panel guests include Space Law experts and thought leaders from the UK Space Agency, UK Government, Civil Aviation Authority, International Space University, Institute of AI for Space Sustainability and business leaders from the commercial space industry including spaceport operators, launch providers and satellite manufacturers.

 

Naomi Pryde, Scotland Head of Litigation and Regulatory and Global Co-chair of Space Exploration and Innovation at DLA Piper said: “When considering space, our minds often drift to astronauts and space travel. However, space has now become an essential component of our daily lives, supporting everything from communication and navigation services to weather monitoring, pollution tracking, research, harnessing natural resources and preventing natural disasters.

The future holds countless opportunities in space, with a surge in satellite launches expected by 2030. As the orbital environment becomes more crowded, the space industry faces a critical moment where Space Law plays a vital role in ensuring safe, sustainable, and regulated activities.

The challenge and opportunity of space law lie in its international nature, offering a chance for nations to collaborate on a global approach to space exploration and innovation. Space-Comm Expo creates a unique forum for discussions, and DLA Piper is proud to sponsor this inaugural legal symposium”.

 

The foundations of Space Law date back to the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 focusing on space for science and peaceful purposes and prohibiting the use of nuclear weapons. Subsequent agreements have laid down principles for non-appropriation, freedom of exploration, liability and coordination by the UN Committee on the Peaceful Purposes of Outer Space (COPUOS). Synergies and precedents on Earth for global and international domains related to Space Law exist via Maritime Law, Antarctic Treaty System, Environmental Law, Civil Aviation, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Intellectual Property Law and International Human Rights Law.

 

Dr Nicholas Ross, Founder and CEO of Niparo, a leading expert on Space Law and Sustainability in Scotland said: Space Law is complex. Achieving a set of international norms and best practices that allows humans to fully utilize space and that we really do aim for ‘exploration and use of outer space for the benefit of all peoples’ is crucial. Agreeing on what these are, given the current geopolitical climate is very hard, but does remain in everyone’s self-interests. In many respects Space Law isn’t anything special or unique, and there are opportunities here in the areas of environmental law, international relations, insurance and liability that all come into play. Space-Comm Expo Scotland provides an excellent platform for debate and collaboration. With a strong legal tradition and a thriving space sector, Scotland is and should be, looking to engage its exceptional strong academic base and the space industry community and be a world leader in Space Law.”

 

Space-Comm Expo Scotland is supported by the UK Space Agency, UKSpace, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Government, Space Scotland, South Scotland Enterprise, FinTech Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The award winning format organised by Hub Exhibitions includes exhibitors, product demonstrations, speakers, panel sessions and 1-2-1 networking opportunities.

 

Register for free to attend.

 

For information on exhibiting email: spacecomm@hubexhibitions.co.uk

 

 

Back to content