Awards
IISL Awards Dinner 2024 and IISL Awardees
The IISL Awards Dinner 2024 took place on Thursday, 17 October 2024, at the Palazzo Emilio Turati in Milan — the site of the Milan Chamber of Commerce, where also the IISL Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition took place. In a celebratory and cheerful ambience, the IISL awards were presented by Marco Ferrazzani on behalf of the IISL Awards Committee, composed of K. R. Sridhara Murthi (Chair), Olavo de Oliveira Bittencourt Neto, and Corinne Jorgenson; and Mark Sundahl and Mahulena Hofmann for the Diederiks-Verschoor Committee. The 2024 awards were bestowed as well as some awards from 2023, that could not be presented in person last year. For an overview of all IISL Awardees, see also here. Awardees 2024 Lifetime Achievement The IISL Lifetime Achievement Award recognises outstanding lifetime dedication to the development and furtherance of space law. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Marco Ferrazzani, “[i]n recognition of his many decades of outstanding services to the international space law community and the International Institute of Space Law, to which he has made invaluable contribution as Director and his distinct contributions in the creation of the European Centre for Space Law, his strong stewardship in supporting the Manfred Lachs Moot Court in the European region, and his notable role for capacity building in different regions of the world and for promotion of international cooperation in the field of exploration and peaceful uses of Outer Space”. Distinguished Service The Distinguished Service Award honours extraordinary achievements to the goals of IISL. This year’s Distinguished Service Award was presented to Rafael Moro Aguilar — “a renowned scholar in the field of Space Law, made outstanding contributions in the very challenging role as a co- editor of the annual IISL proceedings for about a decade. Rafael has also richly contributed to the IISL working group on light pollution of the night sky from a space law perspective and has also further strived hard in establishing the linkage with International Astronomical Union. Rafael spearheaded the promotion and dissemination of space law in the Spanish speaking countries and had also undertaken the Spanish edition of Cologne Commentary on Space Law, Volume I”. Certificate of Gratitude The Certificate of gratitude recognises extraordinary services rendered to the Institute. This year, the Certificate of Gratitude was presented to Yu Takeuchi as well as Jairo A. Becerra and Laura Gamarra-Amaya in recognition of their extraordinary support of the Institute. Yu Takeuchi is serving as Co-Chair of the STM WG since 2021 and contributed to presenting WG’s research result at the IAC 2023 and its achievement of promoting legal aspect of STM at COPUOS Legal Subcommittee. He served as Associate Regional Organizer of Asia-Pacific of the Moot Court Competition 2023 and currently is Regional Organizer for 2024 Competition. His contributions had been essential in the increased recognition of the IISL activities among policy makers and by the Japanese government. Jairo A. Becerra and Laura Gamarra-Amaya, as professors at the Faculty of Law of the Catholic University of Colombia have been passionately promoting space law education and research among Latin American students. Their hard work and advocacy over the years led to organisation of a regional round of the Manfred Lachs Competition in Latin America. Young Achiever Award The Space Law Award for Young Achievers was introduced as a new category of award in early 2019 and recognises meritorious contributions or outstanding achievements relevant to the field of space law or distinctive service to the activities, events or goals of IISL by young individuals. This year, the Award was presented to Ruvimbo Samanga and Scarlet O’Donnell. Ruvimbo Samanga, is Space Law & Policy Analyst/Researcher, with mission to collaborate on space-related, capacity building research for the African and the global space sector. She has been the Ambassador of Milo Space Science Institute and had supported international projects. She has been recognised by IAF with the Young Space Leader Award in 2022 , had been serving in the Advisory Board Member Inter Astra Retreat and completed the African Space Policy & Strategy Course from African Space Leadership Institute. Scarlet O’Donnell made scholarly contributions to the principle of international responsibility for activities in Outerspace. She is a doctorate in essential field of space law, supported emerging space faring nations with regard to adherence to space global governance, and had rendered substantive support to IISL in various functions. With the backdrop of work experience in UNOOSA and DLR, and with a continuous engagement of discourses on Space Law tempered with an analytical articulation, Scarlet represents a fine example of the energetic new generation that links the rich traditions of space law with the renewed pathways of future generations. For more information on this year’s young achievers, see also here: Diederiks-Verschoor Award The Diederiks-Verschoor Award 2024 was presented to this year’s winner David Eagleson by Mark Sundahl and Mahulena Hofmann. The IISL Board of Directors additionally annually grants the Prof. Dr I.H.Ph. Diederiks-Verschoor Award, given to the best paper accepted for presentation at the Institute’s Colloquium during the IAC by an author not older than 30 years and who has not published more than five papers in the Proceedings of IISL Colloquia. A medal is donated each year by the initiator of the Award, Prof. Oscar Fernandez Brital from Argentina. Awardees 2023 IISL presented the 2023 Awardees who were not presented with their Awards in person last year, during this year’s ceremony. For a full list of IISL Awardees please see here. Lifetime Achievement Award The Lifetime Achievement Award 2023 was presented to Lesley Jane Smith. Lesley Jane Smith was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for two decades of distinctive contribution to IISL. Various roles, including the current position of Vice-President of the Board of Directors, Director, International Programme Committee Co-Chair to name a few. She also contributed to establishment of strong cooperation between the IISL and the International Astronautical Federation, among other things having served as the legal counsel of the IAF and working tirelessly for over a decade to coordinate
Meet the 2024 IISL Young Achiever Awardees
The Space Law Award for Young Achievers was introduced as a new category of award in early 2019 and recognises meritorious contributions or outstanding achievements relevant to the field of space law or distinctive service to the activities, events or goals of IISL by young individuals, that can serve as inspiration to the up-and-coming generation of space lawyers. This year’s Young Achiever Award went to Ruvimbo Samanga and Scarlet O’Donnell. They answered three questions for IISL, offering us the opportunity to get to know them more closely. Ruvimbo Samanga 1) Who I Am: I am Ruvimbo Samanga, a space law and policy analyst and advocate for the development of space law in Africa. My work focuses on space law, policy, and sustainable development, particularly in relation to how space technology can drive socio-economic growth across Africa. I have a background in international law, and my passion is ensuring that space becomes a tool for the benefit of all humankind, especially for developing nations. 2) How I Came to Space Law and What I Did So Far: I became interested in space law during my legal studies, when I realized the critical role space technologies can play in addressing global challenges, particularly for African nations. I was drawn to the idea of ensuring equitable access to space for developing countries. My journey began when I participated in the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition, where my team won the African rounds. This experience sparked my deep interest in space law. Since then, I have worked on various space law projects, including being a legal expert for private sector, NGOs, regional and research institutions and contributing to the development of space policies in the region. I have also been involved with several global organizations, such as the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) and the Milo Space Science Institute, where I advocate for space education and diversity in the space industry. 3) What I Expect from Space Law in the Future: In the future, I expect space law to play an increasingly important role in ensuring the peaceful, sustainable, and equitable use of space. As more countries and private entities become involved in space activities, the need for comprehensive and inclusive legal frameworks will grow. I hope to see the development of clearer regulations on issues like space debris, resource extraction, and space traffic management. Moreover, I envision a future where space law helps developing nations, especially in Africa, harness space technology to address issues like food security, environmental monitoring, and disaster management. I believe space law will continue to evolve as a key pillar in ensuring that the benefits of space exploration and technology are shared globally, for the benefit of all humanity. Scarlet O’Donnell 1) Who I Am: I am a space lawyer specializing in both national and international space law. My work focuses on areas such as international responsibility, the registration of objects launched into outer space, the domestic implementation of international space law, comparative space law, international liability, space traffic management, and, importantly, space sustainability. My background is in public international law, and over the past few years, I have lived in the Netherlands, Cambodia, Sweden, Austria, and Germany. I am deeply passionate about ensuring that all nations can benefit from space exploration and that space serves the interests of ‘all humankind’. 2) How I Came to Space Law and What I Did So Far: My journey into space law began during my law studies and Ph.D. research. My doctoral work at Lund University, Sweden, focused on both international and national space law, with a particular emphasis on Articles VI, VII, and VIII of the Outer Space Treaty. I have also worked as a Scientific Advisor at the German Space Agency (DLR) and served as a consultant for UNOOSA’s Space Law for New Space Actors Project. This experience has allowed me to merge academic expertise in space law with practical experience. In addition, I have been involved with the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) in various capacities, first as a webmaster, and currently as a member of the IISL Board of Directors and Chair of the IISL PRISM Committee. Last year, I had the honour to bring together a team of young scholars from the five regions of the world represented in the IISL Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition to jointly draft and present the Nandasiri Jasentuliyana Keynote Lecture opening the 2023 IISL Colloquium and Young Scholars Session. As our topic, we chose to revisit the foundation of IISL’s mission: the rule of law in outer space. 3) What I Expect from Space Law in the Future: Space law is built on the foundation of five UN treaties, crafted with remarkable foresight during the early space age. In the coming years, I anticipate further refinement of these foundational principles, adapting them to match the current technological landscape. This is particularly critical for ensuring the sustainability of space activities, so that future generations can continue to access and utilise outer space. The growing role of the private sector in space exploration may drive new developments in space law and policy. I look forward to seeing how these changes will influence the creation of national and international regulations. For me, the work of COPUOS and its Subcommittees is fascinating not only because it deals with matters beyond our planet, but also because it is one of the few international committees that operates by consensus. The agreements forged here can have far-reaching implications, even influencing areas of geopolitics on Earth. In the years ahead, I believe space law will expand its importance for global cooperation in space activities as well as for political and diplomatic exchanges worldwide. I hope that space activities will continue to be and increasingly be carried out “for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development, and shall be the province of all [hu]mankind”.
Update on Moot Finals and IISL Awards Dinner location
Dear IISL Members, Unfortunately, there has been unclarity with regard to the address of the location of our Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition Finals as well as the 2024 IISL Awards Dinner, both taking place on Thursday, 17 October 2024. The correct address is: Palazzo Emilio Turati, Via Meravigli 9/b, Milano, Italy. For questions relating to the transport from the 2024 IAC location to the venue, please consult the IISL Executive Secretary. See you at Palazzo Emilio Turati on Thursday!
IISL opens 2024 Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space at IAC in Milan
14 October 2024. IISL opened its annual Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space today. The kickoff of Session 1 was given by IISL President Kai-Uwe Schrogl with an overview of recent activities of the Institute and an outlook to the future. The slides can be accessed below, and more information on this year’s IAC is accessible here. Topic description The 2024 IISL Colloquium focuses on how the latest technological developments are impacting the development of the law of outer space, and on whether space law should embrace new fields of activities, such as cyber, within its scope. The Colloquium looks at current discussions about questions related to the ethics and understanding of what is meant by treaty law terms freedom of exploration and use. It examines how space situational awareness (SSA), space surveillance and tracking (SST) can be integrated as elements within a greater framework for effective space traffic management. It serves as a forum to discuss developments of national space law as a constitutive element of the overall framework of space law enforcing and detailing the principles and general norms of space law, in particular within the field of security. It looks at whether existing legal concepts, particularly responsibility and liability for autonomous systems driven by artificial intelligence, are sufficiently regulated, and whether there is a homogenous approach to licensing at national level. It also provides insights as to how disruptive NewSpace activities can and should be accommodated by space law. Session Chairs and Rapporteur Session 1 was co-chaired by IISL Vice-President Lesley Jane Smith and Ms. Nicoletta Bini. Lukas Christopher Jung acted as rapporteur. Nandasiri Jasentuliyana Keynote This year’s – 16th – Nandasiri Jasentuliyana Keynote was presented by Dr Diane Howard. The inspiring keynote was entitled “The Complexity of Change: Some Legal and Policy Implications” and her presentation slides are accessible below. The paper will be made available on our Jasentuliyana page later on. Young Scholars Session During the ensuing Young Scholars Symposium, twelve young scholars presented their work and IISL Director Mahulena Hoffman, member of the Awards Committee, announced the winner of the Diederiks-Verschoor Award. The young scholars and their presented topics were: Presenter Title Ms. Jacqueline Reichhold, Ms. Katja Grünfeld New Technologies – New Responsibilities: A Story of Celestial Operations, Debris and Artificial Intelligence Mr. Quentin Gueho The legal obligation for States to take into account legal and sustainability rules in conducting military space operations Ms. Iva Ramuš Cvetkovič Legal analysis of the national »space mining laws« in light of environmental protection and sustainability Ms. Yéléna Esslinger, Dr. Gabrielle Leterre, Dr. Anna Hurova ARIAS’s Approach to Bridging the Gap: Integrating Environmental Law into Space Sustainability Discourse Ms. Laura Cummings Ross “Flagging Out” – The Rise of Non-National Satellite Spectrum Authorizations Mr. David Eagleson Regulating the Efficient Use of Low-Earth Orbit: A Coordinated Approach to the Challenge of Satellite Mega-Constellations Mr. Laszlo Mezey A legal compass for Emerging Space Nations on benefit sharing Mr. Vinicius Guedes Gonçalves de Oliveira A Brazilian Odyssey in NewSpace – Crafting Comprehensive Space Legislation for the Final Frontier Ms. Geetanjali Kamat Examining the role of liability in SSA services under international space law Mr. Thomas Graham Responsible AI in Space: Unpacking Current Industry Practices and Regulatory Trends Mr. Leonardo Cerisano, Ms. Giulia Pascuzzi Common the good, collective the responsibility: the article 48 of the ARSIWA and the protection of the Outer Space environment Mr. Howard Chang Space Race 2031: The History of the Wolf Amendment and the Future of the ISS and Tiangong Space Station Presented papers 2024 Diederiks-Verschoor Award The 2024 Diederiks-Verschoor Award was awarded to David Eagleson. IISL congratulates the winner of the Diederiks-Verschoor Award and invites all of its Members to partake in the 2024 IISL Colloquium. Outlook for the remaining week This week, IISL will hold seven Colloquium sessions and interactive presentation sessions, and two lunchtime events. Moreover, the IISL Moot Court Finals and Awards Dinner will take place on Thursday. We are looking forward to seeing you in Green Hall 3 for the Colloquium and at our Tuesday and Wednesday Lunchtime events! Photo impressions of Session 1
IISL Awards Dinner registrations closed
IISL Dinner Reservations are now closed. Please address any queries to secretary@iisl.space.
Update: Address for IISL Awards Dinner at IAC
Dear Members, The correct venue and time for our Awards Dinner on Thursday, 17 October 2024, at 19:30 h is: Palazzo Giureconsulti, Palazzo Emilio Turati, Piazza Mercanti 2, 20121 Milano, Italy. We sincerely apologize for communicating a wrong address in our previous communication! Registration for the Dinner is still open here: IISL Awards Dinner Registration The event takes place with the kind support of Greenberg Traurig.
Information on IISL activities at IAC 2024 in Milan
Dear Members, We have published information relevant to our activities at the IAC 2024 taking place in Milan, Italy from 14 to 18 October 2024. The page is regularly updated, so you are welcome to revisit it ahead of and during the Congress. See you in Milan!
IISL Awards Dinner Registration OPEN!
Dear IISL Members, The 2024 IISL Annual Awards Dinner will take place on Thursday, October 17, 2024 | 19:00Palazzo Turati, Via Meravigli, 7, 20123 Milano, Italy Registration for the Dinner is now OPEN here: IISL Awards Dinner Registration IMPORTANT Note on Dietary Requirements: All dietary requirements and preferences have to be submitted to us by 5 October 2024, in order to ensure the delivery from the caterer. If you have questions, please contact us on secretary@iisl.space and webmaster@iisl.space. We look forward to seeing you there!
Update: Extension of IISL Awards deadline to 25 March!
The IISL Awards Committee extended the deadline for this years Awards Nominations to 25 March 2024! Each year, IISL recognizes eminent and extraordinary contributions and services to the field of space law, and for advancing the broader objectives of the Institute through prestigious IISL annual awards. The annual awards are given under the following five categories: In particular, the last category of award entitled IISL Space Law Award for Young Achievers, introduced in 2019, aims at recognizing meritorious contributions / outstanding achievement relevant to the field of space law or distinctive service to the activities, events or goals of IISL by young individuals. The nominated individuals should be below 40 years of age as of 31 March 2024. More details on all categories of the awards can be accessed from our website <International Institute of Space Law | IISL>. The Institute calls for nominations in prescribed forms for the 2024 IISL Awards in the above categories, to be sent before the deadline of Monday, 25 March 2024. Nominations must be submitted electronically to <awards@iisl.space>, by filling and e-mailing the prescribed form, and providing all the required information and documentation. Nomination forms and eligibility criteria for each category, and the procedure for nominations, can be accessed on the IISL website under “awards and competitions” menu. The list of past awardees can also be found on the same page. As the scope of the IISL Awards is global and is not limited to IISL members, all members are urged to actively participate and nominate. IISL Awards Committee Please see below for the Nomination form (docx) to be used for nominations for IISL Awards and Instructions on IISL Awards and Certificates (pdf).
IISL Awards nomination season opened
Each year, IISL recognizes eminent and extraordinary contributions and services to the field of space law, and for advancing the broader objectives of the Institute through prestigious IISL annual awards. The annual awards are given under the following five categories: In particular, the last category of award entitled IISL Space Law Award for Young Achievers, introduced in 2019, aims at recognizing meritorious contributions / outstanding achievement relevant to the field of space law or distinctive service to the activities, events or goals of IISL by young individuals. The nominated individuals should be below 40 years of age as of 31 March 2024. More details on all categories of the awards can be accessed from the IISL web site <International Institute of Space Law | IISL > The Institute calls for nominations in prescribed forms for the 2024 IISL Awards in the above categories, to be sent before the deadline of 29 February 2024. Nominations must be submitted electronically to <awards@iisl.space>, by filling and e-mailing the prescribed form, and providing all the required information and documentation. Nomination forms and eligibility criteria for each category, and the procedure for nominations, can be accessed on the IISL website under “awards and competitions” menu. The list of past awardees can also be found on the same page. As the scope of the IISL Awards is global and is not limited to IISL members, all members are urged to actively participate and nominate. IISL Awards Committee Please see below for the Nomination form (docx) to be used for nominations for IISL Awards and Instructions on IISL Awards and Certificates (pdf).