Edward R. Finch Jr. (1919-2011)

Edward R. Finch, Jr., a longtime member of IISL, passed away on 4 September 2011 at the age of 92. Ambassador Finch was a member of the U.S. delegation to UNISPACE in 1982 and 1999 and a Permanent NGO Representative to COPUOS. He was on the Board of Directors of the National Space Society and he was a member of the Space Law Committee of the American Branch of ILA. One of his books was Read more…

Eduardo Gaggero (1937-2011)

Sadly, Dr Eduardo Gaggero is no longer with us. His friends and colleagues remember him as a figure of great renown in the field of air and space law, not only on the international scene but also as head of CIDA-E, the Uruguayan Centre for Air and Space Law, which he loved so much and conducted so well. Winning hearts and minds in the various institutions to which he belonged was no more than a Read more…

S. Neil Hosenball (1925-2009)

Our member S. Neil Hosenball passed away on 23 December 2009. He was born in New York, and was a graduate of Harvard University law school. He was a lawyer in Cleveland before joining the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). After many years as Deputy General Counsel, Dr. Hosenball served as NASA’s General Counsel from 1975-1985. He participated in the drafting of the UN treaties on the peaceful uses of outer space, among other Read more…

Eilene M. Galloway (1906-2009)

It is with sadness that the International Institute of Space Law notes the passing of Eilene Marie Galloway on 2 May 2009. She had been recently diagnosed with inoperable cancer and lived her final days at home surrounded by family and friends. Monday 4 May would have been her 103rd birthday. In the 15 May 2006 U.S. Congressional Record, in honour of her 100th birthday, Rep. Bart Gordon, chairman of the House Science and Technology Read more…

Further statement by the IISL Board of Directors on claims to lunar property rights

In view of recent misleading views and discussions on this subject in the press, the IISL Board considers that it is appropriate to further clarify a number of salient points as follows: International Law establishes a number of unambiguous principles, according to which the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is permitted for the benefit of mankind, but any purported attempt to claim ownership of any part of Read more…

Lee Morse Love (2008)

Lee Morse Love, a pioneer in reporting on United Nations’ efforts to ensure the peaceful uses of outer space for over 40 years, passed away Sunday 31 August 2008. She wrote about the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space from its early days, and her personal relations were so close with committee members that during the Cold War years she was one of the very few people who was able to Read more…

Statement by the IISL Board of Directors on claims to property rights regarding the Moon and other celestial bodies

Claims to own the Moon or parts thereof by private parties have been made for many years, but so far such claims have not been taken very seriously. However, this could change, as “deeds to lunar property” have started to appear, raising the opportunity for individuals to be misled. In addition, the scope of such claims has been extended recently to other celestial bodies. Thus, the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Space Read more…