"Hosted by the University of Nebraska College of Law in conjunction with the Association of Space Explorers with Co-Sponsorship of the Secure World Foundation and Supported by the American Branch of the International Law Association"
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Draft Program
Conference on
Near-Earth Objects: Risks, Responses and Opportunities – Legal Aspects
23-24 April 2009, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Thursday 23 April
08.00 - Registration opens
08.30 - Opening Session: Welcoming words on behalf of UNL and other sponsors
09.00 - Session 1: Setting the Scene
Moderator: Dr. Frans von der Dunk
09.05 - Rusty Schweickart, Chairman of the Board, B612 Foundation – Risks Posed by NEO’s and Current Capabilities to Respond
09.35 - Gary Rodriguez, CEO/Systems Architect, sysRand Corp. – Opportunities for Mining Mineral Resources on NEO’s
10.05 - Coffee break
10.25 - Dr. Thomas D. Jones, Astronaut, Author of Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System – The ASE NEO Report and Onwards
10.55 - Dr. Jean-Michel Contant, Secretary General of the International Academy of Astronautics, and President/CEO of the ASTS Group – The IAA Report on NEO’s
11.25 - Dr. Sergio Camacho, Secretary General of the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America and the Caribbean - Report on Action Team 14 and COPUOS Activities further to the ASE NEO Report
11.45 - Q & D
12.15 - Lunch break
14.00 - Session 2: Legal, Policy and Institutional Aspects of NEO Threat Mitigation
Moderator: Lou Friedman
14.05 - Walther Lichem, former Austrian Ambassador – Legal and Institutional Implications of Asteroid Threat Mitigation Operations Policy: Responsibilities and Liabilities
14.30 - Dr. Ray Williamson, Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation – The Role of NGO’s in NEO Threat Mitigation
14.55 - Q & D
15.15 - Tea Break
15.35 - Agnieszka Lukaszczyk (on behalf of Space Generation), space policy consultant for Secure World Foundation – Legal and Policy Aspects Emanating From the Various Papers Proposing NEO Mitigation Approaches
15.55 - Session 3: Institutional Aspects of NEO Threat Mitigation
Moderator: Lou Friedman, Executive Director, The Planetary Society
16.00 - Ben Baseley-Walker, Legal and Policy Consultant at the Secure World Foundation – Different Institutional Models for NEO Response
16.25 - Q & D
17.00 - Adjourning
18:30 - Drinks & dinner (Wick Alumni Center)
Friday 24 April
08.30 - Session 4: International Legal Aspects of Exploring and Exploiting NEO’s
Moderator: Matt Schaefer, Professor of law and Director, Space and Telecom Law , UNL
08.35 - Dr. Maureen Williams, Professor of International Law, University of Buenos Aires – International Space Law Applicable to Exploring and Exploiting NEO’s
09.00 - Dr. Frans von der Dunk, Harvey and Susan Perlman Alumni/Othmer Professor of Space Law, UNL – National Licensing for Exploitation Activities in the Context of International Space Law
09.25 - Leslie Tennen, Attorney at Law, Sterns and Tennen – Towards a New Regime for Exploitation of Outer Space Mineral Resources?
09.50 - Q & D
10.10 - Coffee break
10.30 - Session 5: US Domestic Law Aspects of Exploiting NEO’s
Moderator: Matt Schaefer
10.35 - Joanne Gabrynowicz, Director, National Center for Remote Sensing, Air and Space Law and Research Professor of Law, University of Mississippi – US Domestic Law and Regulation Pertinent to Exploiting NEO’s – an Overview of the Current State of the Law
11.00 - Keith Steeves, President and CEO, A.P.S.E. Inc. – Private Sector Perspective on Exploitation of NEO’s
11.25 - Dr. Harold Reitsema, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. (retired), Aerospace Consultant – Another Private Sector Perspective on Exploitation of NEO’s
11.50 - Q & D
12.10 - Lunch break
Conference moves to Law College
13.40 - Session 6: Intergovernmental Panel on Legal and Policy Aspects of NEO Response Activities
13.45 - Chair: Rusty Schweickart
Panelists: Ciro Arevalo, Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space; Masahiko Sato, Manager, Legal Affairs Division, General Affairs Department, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA); Dr. Adigun Ade Abiodun, Nigeria, United Nations Expert on Space Applications (ret.), and Dr. Suzanne Parete-Koon, Physical Science Officer, Office of Space and Advanced Technology, United States Department of State.
14.55 - Open floor discussion
15.25 - Tea break
15.45 -Session 7: Simulation of a Response to NEO Impact Scenarios
Moderators: Eligar Sadeh, President, Astroconsulting International LLC Panelists: Col. Rex Kizah, Permanent Professor, Chair of Department of Physics, United States Air Force Academy; Lt. Col. Mick Gleason, Eisenhower Center for Space and Defense Studies, United States Air
Force Academy; Brian Weeden, Technical Consultant, Secure World Foundation
17.45 - Closing session wrap-up & thanks from UNL
18.00 - Drinks & dinner (Reading Room Law College)
