Space Law and Space Policy
These modules cover who is allowed to do what in space: the treaties, national laws and export controls that govern it, and the open questions about resources, military use, debris and competing coalitions.
How the policy modules work: Each policy module states the rule, who structurally benefits from it and the competing positions, then stops without a verdict. It is educational material, not legal advice.
Modules On This Topic
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Space Law, Policy, and Life Sciences
A light preview of the Outer Space Treaty and how the human body responds to spaceflight, setting up the deeper policy course to come.
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Outer Space Treaty (1967), Foundations
Non-appropriation, peaceful use, and state responsibility — what each rule says, who structurally benefits, and the competing positions, stated fairly.
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Later Space Law Instruments
The Rescue Agreement, Liability Convention, and Registration Convention's broad reach — and why the Moon Agreement never won over a major spacefaring nation.
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National Space Law and Export Control
ITAR's effect on international satellite commerce, competing readings of whether it protects or undermines US industry, and how national licensing compares.
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Who Owns Resources Mined in Space?
Who owns resources mined in space? The US 2015 and Luxembourg 2017 laws, the Artemis Accords, and the objection that it is appropriation by another name.
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Military and Dual-Use Space Policy
Dedicated military space commands, four nations' anti-satellite weapons tests and their different debris outcomes, and the strategic-vs-shared-cost tension.
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What Is Kessler Syndrome?
Kessler syndrome: a self-reinforcing chain of orbital collisions that can leave an orbit unusable for decades, and why debris rules are voluntary.
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Current Geopolitical Landscape
The Artemis Accords coalition and the China-Russia lunar research station partnership, presented as two coalitions with their own stated rationales.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is this legal advice?
No. The policy modules explain what each rule says, who structurally benefits and the competing positions, and stop there without a verdict. They are educational material, not legal advice.
Where should I start?
SSA-04 Module 1 on the Outer Space Treaty (1967): non-appropriation, peaceful use and state responsibility. SSA-01 Module 6 gives a lighter preview first, alongside how the human body responds to spaceflight.
Is mining the Moon or asteroids legal?
There is no binding international regime that settles it. The US and Luxembourg have laws allowing their nationals to own what they extract, and the US-led Artemis Accords back that reading, but others argue it amounts to appropriation. The module presents both positions and gives no verdict.
What is the 25-year rule?
A widely cited but voluntary guideline recommending that satellites in low Earth orbit deorbit within 25 years of the end of their operational mission.
Is it free, and do I need an account?
Yes. The lessons are free and open to read without an account. There is no accreditation or certificate attached: it is a self-directed curriculum built from primary sources.
How long does it take?
Each module is sized for one sitting, and the module pages estimate 20 to 35 minutes each. All of the modules on this page add up to about 4.1 hours of reading.