Teachers:
Katia Coutant (Université Paris Nanterre) and Alban Guyomarc’h (Université Paris Panthéon Assas)
Every Monday from 6 to 8 pm in the Salle Camille Marbo, 29 rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris.
Each two-hour session is divided into 2 parts: lecture and seminar discussion.
6 ECTS
Presentation:
After an introduction to the fundamental concepts of international relations and law, essential for understanding space issues, the semester is devoted to the study of the major themes and issues of space law and space activities, ranging from the privatization of activities to environmental protection.
An overview of the history of human activities in space from a legal perspective, from the construction of outer space law in the context of the Cold War to modern space law, is the subject of development and analysis in the first sessions. The aim of these sessions is to provide an understanding of the context that has led to the current framework applicable to space activities, first in international law, by understanding the corpus juris spatialis, and then in French law.
This knowledge of the normative framework paves the way for thematic sessions focusing on both practical and theoretical reflection. These include issues such as space as a “commons”, military uses of outer space, and the freedom of use enjoyed by both states and private actors.
This course provides a basic understanding of the law of outer space and the law of space activities, including the international relations issues involved.
The course also covers the principles governing the sending and use of satellites in outer space, analyzing the French framework and its specific features, as well as the European framework. This approach, which is justified in the light of current European developments, does not exclude non-European influences on space law. These are discussed in particular in the context of the development of international law relating to outer space.
The final weeks of the program are devoted to the practical aspects of space law: how do you put a satellite or astronaut into orbit and keep it there? What are the rules on space pollution, and what are the current obligations and loopholes? And finally, what are the legal issues involved in exploring celestial bodies?
All these questions are addressed in the context of the current privatization dynamic.