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Threats to the Outer Space Environment: The dangers of Space debris- Legal considerations

More than 50 years of space flight since Sputnik I on 4 October 1957 have left many usable orbits full of junk. Parts of rockets and fuel as well as other particles threaten space objects tremendously since they fly at a very high velocity and can thus destroy even functional space objects like satellites. Shielding of space objects against space junk bigger than 1 cm is impossible.

Against this background first the international legal order for human space activities will be looked into in order to find out whether there are provisions designed for the protection of outer space and the celestial bodies. Moreover new legally nonbinding so called “Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines” will be presented that aim at a protection in a however imperfect way. Finally the question will be asked whether and for whom there is a legal duty to clean up outer space from the space debris particles.

About the Speaker

Professor (Dr) H.C. Stephan Hobe is the director of the Institute of Air Law, Space law and Cyber Law as well as co-Director of the International Investment law Centre Cologne. He is a member of various scientific associations , inter alia the Vice President of the German Society of International Law. His scientific Ouevre encompasses 3 books on Public International Law (11the ed. 2020), European Law (10th ed. 2020) and Space Law (1st ed. 2019) as well as editorships (e.g. of the Cologne Commentary on Space Law) and 350 articles on German public law, public International law, international investment law, air law space law and cyber law. He teaches as a guest professor at various universities in Europe, Africa and Asia.