SECOND ANNUAL SPACE LAW SEMINAR

October 6^th, 2008

3-5PM:  "Rules of the Road in Space: Satellite Threats and Other Security Issues"

Darren Huskisson, former Chief Cyber and Space Law, USSTRATCOM (confirmed)
Philip Meek, former Assoc. General Counsel (International Affairs), Air Force General Counsel's Office (confirmed)
Eligar Sadeh, Assoc. Director, Eisenhower Center for Space and Defense Studies, US Air Force Academy (confirmed)
Frans Von Der Dunk, Professor of Space Law, UNL College of Law (confirmed)

With commentary by Major Brandon Hart, Chief of Cyber and Space Law, USSTRATCOM (invited)

Preceded by

2-3PM:  “Government Contracting Law With Special Emphasis on the Space Sector”

Matthew Ruane, Advance Programs Manager, Boeing Corp., former Chief, Technology & Operational Contract Law, Air Force Command Law Office (confirmed)

Space Law Seminar at Strategic Space and Defense Conference

Omaha, October 2007

The Space and Telecom Law Program hosted a space law seminar on “Formalism v. Informalism in Space Law” in conjunction with the Strategic Space and Defense Conference in Omaha October 9, 2007. Steve Mirmina, Senior Attorney, NASA General Counsel’s Office, was the lead speaker. Steve’s presentation focused on informal mechanisms for regulating space debris, including exploring analogies in other international law fields to regulation through means less formal than a treaty. Darren Huskisson, former Chief of Cyber and Space Law at US STRATCOM, provided a military viewpoint on formal versus informal regulation, and Jonathan Solomon, Legal Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs, Canada provided a non-U.S. perspective on these issues.

The "off-the-record" discussion among the panelists explored the following set of questions:

1. While new formal space treaties (or major amendment of existing treaties) are unlikely in the near future, there are an array of informal mechanisms and national legislation and practice that occur to regulate space—what degree of formalism is most appropriate;
2. Do certain informal mechanisms work better than others;
3. What factors impact government choices regarding the degree of formalism;
4. How do the informal mechanisms interact with the formal treaties;
5. Will informal mechanisms have to become more formalized over time;
6. How do new space actors impact the choice between formal and informal mechanisms;
7. Given rapidly evolving technology and commercial activities, are informal mechanisms going to continue to be the major law making device;
8. How does potentially increasing militarization impact choices between formal and informal mechanisms; and
9. What "gaps" or issues in existing law most need "filling" through informal or formal mechanisms?