The 2024 IAC will take place in Milan, Italy, from 14 to 18 October 2024.
As always, the IISL Colloquium is domiciled in Symposium E7.
This year's Moot Court Finals and IISL Awards Dinner are kindly supported by Greenberg Traurig, LLP. The Finals will be held on Thursday 17 October, at the Palazzo Giureconsulti in Milan. The Dinner will take place in the same location and on the evening on the same day.
See below for more details on our activities at the IAC 2024 in Milan!
IISL schedule
| 14 October Monday | 15 October Tuesday | 16 October Wednesday | 17 October Thursday | 18 October Friday |
| 11-15 h IISL Fall Board Meeting Rooms 4-5 MICO | 10:15 h IISL Colloquium Session 2 Green Hall 3 | 10:15 h IISL Colloquium Session 4 Green Hall 3 | 10:15 h IISL Colloquium Scientific Legal Roundtable Session 6 Green Hall 3 | 10:15 h IISL Colloquium Session 7 Green Hall 3 |
| 13-14 h IISL Lunchtime Event IISL Working Group on Legal Aspects of Al in Space Green Hall 3 | 13-14 h IISL Lunchtime Event General Counsel Roundtable Green Hall 3 | |||
| 15:30 h IISL Colloquium Session 1 Green Hall 3 | 15:00 h IISL Colloquium Session 3 Green Hall 3 | 15:00 h IISL Colloquium Session 5 Green Hall 3 | 15:00 h IISL Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition Finals Palazzo Emilio Turati | |
| 19:00 h IISL Awards Dinner Palazzo Emilio Turati |
IISL Colloquium 2024
Symposium E7 -- IISL COLLOQUIUM ON THE LAW OF OUTER SPACE
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.
IPC members
Coordinator: Prof. Lesley Jane Smith, Leuphana University of Lüneburg/Weber-Steinhaus & Smith, Germany;
Coordinator: Dr. Catherine Doldirina, International Institute of Space Law (IISL), Italy;
Coordinator: Dr. Tanja Masson-Zwaan, International Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
Sessions
| 1. Young Scholars Session with Keynote Lecture | This session is open for abstracts and papers from space lawyers under 35 years old. It welcomes contributions on any topics related to space law. It also features a regular, annual keynote presentation by a High level expert and diplomat in the field of international space law. | 14 October 2024, 15:30 h |
| 2. Near Space: Legal Aspects of Aerospace Activities | In the last few years, technology is focusing not only on the use of outer space, but also of near space. The use of sub-orbital flights for testing purposes, the use of high-altitude platforms for communication, are only two examples of many. The panel invites authors to deliberate the challenges arising from the applicability of both air and space law. It discusses the future models for such activities, including the proposal on sub-orbital flights elaborated by the International Law Association, (ILA). | 15 October 2024, 10:15 h |
| 3. Artificial Intelligence and Safe Space Communication | At first sight, the use of AI raises legal questions connected with the attributability and liability for space activities; the establishment of fault in the event of damage in outer space then becomes even more complex in the process. However, this is not the full picture: The panel discusses not only the challenges AI brings to the present legal framework for outer space activities, but deliberates the legal steps designed to assist space assets reduce their vulnerability. | 15 October 2024, 15:00 h |
| 4. Launching into Outer Space | The original way of launching objects into outer space – one rocket, one object- has been revolutionized already long time ago. Today’s technology can use reusable launchers, multiply the load of space objects, and develop methods such as launching from sea platforms, ships, airplanes, or space objects themselves. Also new countries are joining the family of launching States. This situation opens questions connected with the applicability of the Liability Convention, with contracts, insurance, liability, and fault. The panel deliberates the legal setup of the present and planned spaceports, and the challenges they are facing. | 16 October 2024, 10:15 h |
| 5. Alternative Space Rules Setting | The UN space treaties were elaborated in the 60s and 70s; since the Moon Agreement, no universal space law agreement was agreed upon in the UN COPUOS. However, many other rules are existing which have direct influence on space activities: In some cases, international and regional standards and other recommendatory norms are replacing binding international framework. The panel will discuss whether the consensus principle can be replaced by alternative space norms setting or and under which conditions these two bodies of rules can complement each other. | 16 October 2024, 15:00 h |
| 6-E3.5. 38th IAA/IISL Scientific Legal Roundtable: "Cyberspace Security in Outer Space: Scientific, Technical and Legal Dimensions of a Dilemma" | (Invited papers only, please do not submit abstracts as these will be rejected.) Outer space and cyberspace are realms opened to human exploration and exploitation through scientific discovery, technological innovation and increasingly, commercial application. Spacecraft operating in near-earth orbital regions or in inter-planetary expanses rely on forms of electronic communication, often referred to as “cyberspace” to carry out their missions. Best practices and usage norms to ensure safe passage through outer space have evolved as direct counterparts to the rules and norms governing use of the radio spectrum and telecommunications technologies to avoid harmful, mission-endangering radio frequency interference. The technological shift to Internet-based telecommunications infrastructures is exposing space-based systems to terrestrial cyber-disruptions that are challenging long-standing technological practices and governance regimes in outer space. On-going earthbound military hostilities employing cyber-disruptions rooted in Internet network architectural vulnerabilities are already disabling or interfering with space-based communications. This IAA-IISL Roundtable will discuss whether scientific/technological trends as well as governance institutions and rules are sufficient to ensure space activities and systems may operate in a setting of cyber-security and not cyber-disruption. | 17 October 2024, 10:15 h |
| 7. Regional Space Legislation | The last years are facing a growing intensity of regional space law setting: The US initiated the recommendatory Artemis Accords, the Chinese-Russian MoU presupposes a creation of an International Lunar Research Station, and the European Union who adopted a space Directive only recently is working on the enlargement of its space legislation. The panel analyses the regional space law and its implementation and discusses its interplay with the UN legal framework. | 18 October 2024, 10:15 h |
| IP. Interactive Presentations - IISL COLLOQUIUM ON THE LAW OF OUTER SPACE | The IP session is not restricted to any specific topic related to space law and invites authors to contribute presentations on any interesting, relevant and current space law issues. | |
| IPB. Interactive Presentations - IISL COLLOQUIUM ON THE LAW OF OUTER SPACE | Interactive. | |
| LBA. Late Breaking abstracts (LBA) | Interactive. |
IISL Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition Finals
The Finals will be held on
Thursday, 17 October 2024, 15:00 h
Palazzo Emilio Turati, Via Meravigli 9/b Milano, Italy
Buses will pick up attendees from Venue to the Palazzo.
More information on this year's case
Republic of Angani (Applicant) vs. Federal State of Bolvanger (Respondent)
Case Concerning The Protection Of Dark And Quiet Skies And The Freedom Of Scientific Investigation
can be found here.
The event takes place with the kind support of Greenberg Traurig.
IISL Awards Dinner
The 2024 IISL Annual Awards Dinner will take place on
Thursday, 17 October 2024, 19:30 h
Palazzo Emilio Turati, Via Meravigli 9/b Milano, Italy
Update 11 October 2024: IISL Dinner Reservations are now closed. Please address any queries to secretary@iisl.space.
The event takes place with the kind support of Greenberg Traurig.
IISL Lunchtime Events during IAC
During this year’s IAC in Milan, IISL will hold two special lunch time events: a General Counsel Roundtable and the presentation of the current work under the IISL Study Group on Legal Aspects of AI in space.
Both Lunchtime Events will be introduced by IISL President Kai-Uwe Schrogl and are open to IISL Members as well as IAC participants.
General Counsel Roundtable
On Wednesday, 16 October 2024 at 13-14 h in Green Hall 3
This panel provides the General Counsels/Legal Advisers in Ministries and Agencies the opportunity to inform about current issues of particular relevance and to exchange with IISL members and audience. The GCR is moderated by IISL Officers PJ Blount and Lesley Jane Smith.
Participating Experts:
Nicoletta Bini, Italy
Christine Calvé, Canada
Ian Grosner, Brazil
Nomfuneko Majaja, South Africa
Gisela Süss, ESA
Gabriel Swiney, United States
Presentation and Discussion on the Draft Findings of the IISL Working Group on Legal Aspects of Al in Space
On Tuesday, 15 October 2024 at 13-14 h in Green Hall 3
During this interactive session, the IISL Working Group on Legal Aspects of AI in Space, chaired by Tuana Yazici, presents its current work product and invites IISL members and other interested congress participants to engage in a dialogue before the upcoming finalization of its study. The working group comprises esteemed members: Anne-Sophie Martin, Steven Wood, Lisa Kucher, Roser Almenar, Laura Yvonne Zielinski, Stefan-Michael Wedenig, and Giovanni Tricco.
IISL Happy Hour on information relevant for this year's IAC
You can find the recording of our most recent IISL Happy Hour of 26 September 2024, hosted by Prof. Setsuko Aoki and Quentin Verspieren, here.
IISL Officers shared important information relevant to this year's IISL Colloquium, the Moot Court finals, and the IISL Awards Dinner.
Links
Find below relevant links for the IISL Colloquium 2024:
Archive
- IISL intensifies and expands partnerships at IAC 2024
Next to our IISL Colloquium, the IAC 2024 and its exhibition offered the possibility to intensify and extend international partnerships of our Institute. New contacts into all regions of the world were made, that are going to create new and exciting shared activities with our partners. Below, see some of the impressions of perspectives of… Read more: IISL intensifies and expands partnerships at IAC 2024 - Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition Finals successfully held in Milan
The 2024 Finals of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition were successfully held in Milan. The Finals took place at the Palazzo Emilio Turati, the site of the Milan Chamber of Commerce. The Competition was organised by the IISL Moot Court Committee, comprised of Steven Freeland (Chair), Leslie I. Tennen (Co-Chair), Martha Mejia-Kaiser… Read more: Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition Finals successfully held in Milan - 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… Read more: IISL Awards Dinner 2024 and IISL Awardees - 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… Read more: Meet the 2024 IISL Young Achiever Awardees - Session 7 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held
On 18 October, 10:15 h the seventh session of the IISL Colloquium was held at the Milan International Convention Centre MICO. The topic of the session was entitled: Regional Space Legislation. Topic description The last years are facing a growing intensity of regional space law setting: The US initiated the recommendatory Artemis Accords, the Chinese-Russian… Read more: Session 7 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held - Session 6 of the IISL Colloquium / 38th IAA/IISL Scientific Legal Roundtable at IAC 2024 successfully held
On 17 October, 10:15 h the sixth session of the IISL Colloquium - also 38th IAA/IISL Scientific Legal Roundtable - was held at the Milan International Convention Centre MICO. The topic of the session was entitled: Cyberspace Security in Outer Space: Scientific, Technical and Legal Dimensions of a Dilemma. Topic description Outer space and cyberspace… Read more: Session 6 of the IISL Colloquium / 38th IAA/IISL Scientific Legal Roundtable at IAC 2024 successfully held - IISL holds lunchtime events at IAC 2024
15/16 October 2024. During this year's IAC in Milan, IISL held two informative lunchtime events at the side of its annual Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space. The events were open to IISL members as well as IAC participants. On Wednesday, 16 October 2024, IISL hosted a General Counsel Roundtable, providing the participating experts… Read more: IISL holds lunchtime events at IAC 2024 - Session 5 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held
On 16 October, 15:00 h the fifth session of the IISL Colloquium was held at the Milan International Convention Centre MICO. The topic of the session was entitled: Alternative Space Rules Setting. Topic description The UN space treaties were elaborated in the 60ties and 70ties; since the Moon Agreement, no universal space law agreement was… Read more: Session 5 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held - Session 4 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held
On 16 October, 10:15 h the fourth session of the IISL Colloquium was held at the Milan International Convention Centre MICO. The topic of the session was entitled: Launching into Outer Space. Topic description The original way of launching objects into outer space – one rocket, one object- has been revolutionized already long time ago.… Read more: Session 4 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held - Session 3 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held
On 15 October, 15:00 h the third session of the IISL Colloquium was held at the Milan International Convention Centre MICO. The topic of the session was entitled: Artificial Intelligence and Safe Space Communication. Topic description At first sight, the use of AI raises legal questions connected with the attributability and liability for space activities;… Read more: Session 3 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held - Session 2 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held
On 15 October, 10:15 h the second session of the IISL Colloquium was held at the Milan International Convention Centre MICO. The topic of the session was entitled: Near Space: Legal Aspects of Aerospace Activities. Topic description In the last few years, technology is focusing not only on the use of outer space, but also… Read more: Session 2 of the IISL Colloquium at IAC 2024 successfully held - IISL Board of Directors Fall Meeting held
14 October 2024. The IISL Board of Directors met on the first day of IAC, ahead of the start of the IISL Colloquium, in Milan, Italy. At its Fall Meeting, traditionally held on the first day of IAC, the IISL Board had on its agenda: updates from the IISL Membership Committee, from the IISL Election… Read more: IISL Board of Directors Fall Meeting held - 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… Read more: Update on Moot Finals and IISL Awards Dinner location - 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… Read more: IISL opens 2024 Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space at IAC in Milan - IISL Newsletter - IAC 2024 Edition
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