The International Institute of Space Law is pleased to provide an update (April 2026) on the regional rounds of the 2026 edition of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition, which continue to demonstrate the global reach and academic excellence of space law education.

Regional Winners Announced

• Europe: Utrecht University | Manrique Naranjo, Julia van Reenen, Olga Makin
• North America: New York University School of Law | Abigail Happ, Shelby Hobohm, Morgan Smith
• Asia-Pacific: National Law School of India University, Bangalore | Anandita Pande, Nikhilesh Mukherjee and Shreya Rajesh

These teams will advance to the World Finals, to be held in conjunction with the International Astronautical Federation’s annual congress.

Upcoming:

Latin American Round: The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB/MCTI) is pleased to announce the XI International Meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Network (ReLaCa Espacio) and the VI International Institute of Space Law (IISL) Latin American Round of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition.

• Location: Brasília, Brazil
• Dates: 20-22 May 2026

African Regional Round: The African Regional Oral Rounds will be held later in the cycle, with dates to be confirmed in due course, bringing together the winners of the national rounds from across the continent.

Continuing the Legacy

The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition remains the leading global platform for students to engage with complex issues in international space law. Organised under the auspices of the IISL, the Competition simulates proceedings before the International Court of Justice and attracts participation from universities worldwide.

Further updates, including confirmation of additional regional winners, will be published in due course.