12.05.2007
Euro space station law
As NASA prepares for liftoff of STS-122 scheduled for tomorrow, Dec 6th, the mission to deliver the European Space Agency's Columbus Laboratory to the International Space Station, Jeremy Hsu has a good overview of law on the 4.5-metre diameter cylindrical lab now tucked into cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Atlantis that is to be Europe's "biggest single contribution" to the ISS: Europe Lays Down the Law for New Space Lab. (Space.com)Take a quick read. After all, legal issues are bound to come up during 10-year projected lifespan of Columbus. Prof. Frans von der Dunk (who wrote the 2006 book, The International Space Station Commercial Utilisation from a European Legal Perspective) and others explain the simple Columbus lab legal basics of criminal jurisdiction, civil liability and intellectual property.
And review the general legal framework for the International Space Station.
By the way, ESA has a new Columbus Blog, posting reports on delivery of Columbus lab and throughout the mission.
And of course, NASA's hot new webstation has all the latest on the mission.
Godspeed Atlantis and Columbus.
