IISL strengthens cooperation with ChinaNew!!
At the occasion of the 2025 Space Day of China which was organized by China National Space Administration (CNSA), and the 2025 China Space Conference which was organized by Chinese Society of Astronautics, during April 23-26 in Shanghai, China, the IISL President Kai-Uwe Schrogl and the CSA Vice President and Secretary General Wang Yiran, signed an MoU intending to formalize and to strengthen the already longstanding cooperation between the two institutions. On April 24, the IISL President Kai-Uwe Schrogl was invited by CNSA to attend the opening ceremony of the 2025 Space Day of China and was invited by CSA to deliver a keynote for the plenary of 2025 China Space Conference.With the theme of International Cooperation and Competition Rules in Commercial Space, President Kai-Uwe Schrogl analyzed the inherent relationship between technological innovation and rule game in the space industry, and provided unique insights for establishing a fair, transparent and sustainable international commercial space order. On April 25, President Kai-Uwe Schrogl had exchanges at the meetings of the Space Policy and Law Committee of CSA and the Chinese Institute of Space Law (CISL). At the latter occasion the recent IISL study on legal aspects of Al in space activities was reviewed. IISL highly welcomes the opportunity to provide the platform for interaction of Chinese space law experts and institutions with their colleagues in the international community on all continents. This is crucial for IISL’s mission to maintain and extend the rule of law in outer space reflecting the responsibility of all actors to jointly work together in securing this goal.
IISL/ECSL Symposium 2025
This year’s symposium will be held on the 14th of May 2025, from 10.00 to 13.00 in Room M-Plenary of the Vienna International Centre. A panel of prestigious speakers will discuss the following subject: “Due regard in outer space: current legal implications” during the morning session of the 64th Legal Subcommittee of the UNCOPUOS. Please find the programme below. This event is co-organised annually with the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and takes place during the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) in Vienna, Austria. The IISL and ECSL are both observers at the Legal Subcommittee. This Symposium brings together academic experts and leading practitioners in the field of space law, policy and regulation to discuss pressing issues and to propose solutions to the international community.
Register for IISL Happy Hour #19
The 19th IISL Happy Hour will be held on 6 May, 12:30-14:00 CEST. In this happy hour, Dr. Diane Howard from the University of Texas at Austin and former Vice President of the IISL (2014-2021) will share her experience under the title “Dr. Diane Howard: My Life in Service” on serving the US Government under two successive Administrations, first as Chief Council for Space Commerce, Department of Commerce (2019-2021) and then as Director for Commercial Space Policy, National Space Council (2021-2025).
IISL Happy Hour #18 held
IISL Happy Hours are events coordinated and co-hosted by IISL Members Setsuko Aoki and Quentin Verspieren. This is a monthly 60-minute program starting with a presentation by an IISL member about a recent project or study, followed by a free discussion session during which all participating IISL members are invited to chat and report on their relevant activities. The 18th IISL Happy Hour was held on 31 January (Thursday) 1230- 1330 CET. The IISL President Kai-Uwe Schrogl made an opening remark reflecting the achievement of the IISL of the year 2024 and expressing a hope for 2025.Then, Prof. Olavo de O. Bittencourt Neto of the Catholic University of Santos (Brazil) made an academic presentation titled “The Risks of Space Law Fragmentation”. Very active Q and A sessions followed before some updating and casual chatting of the participants of the 18th IISl Happy Hour. Participants were about 25 members. The presentation was followed by an active Q&A session. The video recording of the 18th IISL Happy Hour is available below.
IISL publishes Report of IISL Working Group on Legal Aspects of AI in Space
More recent developments of a widespread use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are affecting many areas of human life on Earth, as well as human activities in outer space. In April 2024, the Board of Directors of IISL agreed to form a new ‘Working Group on on Legal Aspects of AI in Space’. The primary aims and objectives of the IISL AI Working Group were to: The Working Group had eight members and was initiated and led by IISL member, Tuana Yazici. The members included: Anne-Sophie Martin, Steven Wood, Lisa Kucher, Roser Almenar, Laura Yvonne Zielinski, Stefan-Michael Wedenig, and Giovanni Tricco. The Working Group completed a comprehensive draft in October 2024 and presented its preliminary findings during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan, Italy. Following this presentation, the Working Group also presented the draft to the IISL Board during their meeting in Milan, where the Board provided constructive comments and suggestions. The study was finalized in December 2024. The final report of the IISL Working Group on on Legal Aspects of AI in Space, titled “Balancing Innovation and Responsibility: International Recommendations for AI Regulation in Space”, can be found here:
Register for IISL Happy Hour #18
The 18th and first IISL Happy Hour in 2025 will be held on 30 January (Thursday) 12:30 -13:30 CET. Dr. Olavo Bittencourt, a board member of the IISL will make a presentation titled “the risks of space law fragmentation” for the first part of the Happy Hour. Then, attendees will exchange views and update as a space law family the residual time.
Seasonal Greetings
Dear IISL Members,The year is coming to an end and we would like to extend our heartfelt best wishes to all of you and wish you a successful 2025! Thank you for your interest and continued engagement and for making IISL successful and offering a valuable contribution to the space (law) world! As a special seasonal gift to all of you, we are very happy to share with you the link to our newest publication. Our esteemed member and Honorary Director of IISL Dr. Steven Doyle, in meticulous work, has written about the life and work, as well as his personal experience with Andrew G. Haley – one of the very first space lawyers. Enjoy this time travel to the early days of space law and the creation of the IISL, IAA, and IAF, in a well documented and fascinating account of a first hand witness! Click on the gift to open the ebook! With our best wishes, IISL PS. Please note that the date for the next IISL Happy Hour is Thursday, 30 January 2025 at 12:30 – 13:30 h CET.
Submission of the Working Group on the Future of the Moon Agreement to UN COPUOS
On 15 November 2024, the Working Group on the Future of the Moon Agreement submitted an answer to UNOOSA’s Invitation Circular OOSA/2024/43 CU 2024/221. The circular was distributed under the initiative of the Legal Subcommittee’s Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities, and invited Committee members and permanent observers to provide contributions on elements for an initial draft set of recommended principles for space resource activities. The Invitation Circular as well as the IISL Working Group on the Future of the Moon Agreement’s response can be viewed and downloaded below. More information on the Working Group is available on the dedicated IISL website of the Working Group.
IISL General Assembly in 1 hour!
Dear Members, The IISL General Assembly will take place virtually on 14 December at 13:00 h UTC / 14:00 Paris time. IISL Members in good standing have received by email a link to join the meeting and the agenda in the week before the meeting (Subject: IISL General Assembly Meeting; sent on 11 December 2024). Please find the agenda below. Kind regards, The IISL Team
IISL General Assembly to be held on 14 December 2024
Dear IISL Members, The next IISL General Assembly will be held on 14 December, 14:00 h Central European Time (Paris). The event will take place virtually and the meeting link as well as the agenda for the Assembly will be distributed to Members on good standing. The General Assembly will address the activities of IISL since the last assembly, the work of the IISL Committees and Officers, operational matters of IISL, as well as the results of the last IISL elections. The IISL General Assembly will take place virtually on14 December at 14:00 (Paris time).