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The United Kingdom's Outer Space Act 1986

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The United Kingdom's Outer Space Act 1986 The International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention 5(05): 4704-4709, 2018 DOI: 10.18535/ijsshi/v5i5.09 ICV 2015: 45.28 ISSN: 2349-2031 © 2018, THEIJSSHI Research Article The United Kingdom’s Outer Space Act 1986 Tunku Intan Mainura Faculty of Law, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia Introduction objects the best features are provisions that specifically lay An ideal national space legislation of a state should contain down the information that is required for registering space provisions that reflect its conformity to the key international objects and provisions that also allow any person to inspect obligations as proclaimed by international customary law and the Register. In regard to the provisions on international advice by experts in space law. As such, an ideal national cooperation, the best feature is a provision that clearly state space legislation should contain the provisions that allow that states are required to encourage participants of space- states to authorise and supervise space activities that those related activities to forge international cooperation when they under states’ jurisdiction wish to undertake and to continue participate in space-related activities. As regards to the supervising the space activities that have been undertaken desirable characteristics of national space legislation, the best until they end (Authorisation and Supervision), provisions that desirable characteristics are national space legislation that is require states’ entities to be responsible towards the comprehensive in regulating space activities that is intended consequences of their activities (Responsibility and Liability), for, clearly identifies space policy objectives which conform provisions that require states to their register space objects to international obligations and national space legislation that within their national registry (Registration of Space Objects) provides a straightforward licensing regime1. and provisions that encourage international cooperation when Based on the above ideal legal framework, the Outer Space states entities participate in space-related activities Act 1986 will be analysed. This will determine whether the (International Cooperation). Equally important to the Outer Space Act 1986 conforms to the UK’s key international provisions are the features of the legislation. In regards to the law obligations and whether it contains the provisions and provisions on authorisation and supervision the best features characteristics that were recommended. are provisions that clearly lay down the procedure that needs 1.1 Introduction to be followed by the applicant of a licence when he wants to undertake space activities and the procedure that needs to be The United Kingdom (the UK) is an active participant in followed by the Minister involved when dealing with the space-related activities. These activities are either carried out application submitted to him for approval, provisions that domestically or through its participation as a member of the allow Minister involved to issue any documentation or European Space Agency2. The UK space activities can be guidelines for the purpose of clearly highlighting and divided under the categories of space science and technology, elaborating states’ key obligations under international law, space research and exploration, and space education3. As at 1 provisions providing for exceptions to the requirement of an January 2013, the UK has ratified all other UN outer space authorisation, provisions that require the consent of a licensee treaties except for the Agreement Governing the Activities of before the licence is revoked and provisions that allow for states on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies 1979 (1979 parties to appeal when they are not satisfied with the outcome Moon Agreement)4. of the authorisation and supervision. In regards to the provisions on responsibility and liability the best features are 1.1 Provisions of the UK’s Outer Space Act 1986 provisions on insurance and identifying the amount of In the domestic scene of UK, the national space legislation insurance needed, provisions that indemnify the government that governs its outer space activities is the Outer Space Act for action taken against it, provisions that clearly specify or 1986, which came into force on 31 July 1989. It was enacted identify the types of action or omission that amount to breach of national space legislation as criminal offence and state a fixed monetary amount or equivalent as regards to the 1 I, M. Tunku, ‘A legal framework for outer space activities in punishment imposed under criminal offences and provisions Malaysia’, PhD thesis, Newcastle University (2010). 2 that clearly specify or identify the types of action or omission UK Space Agency official website< http://www.bis.gov.uk/ that amount to breach of the national space legislation leading ukspaceagency/> 3 to civil penalty and state a fixed monetary amount or UK Space Agency official website< http://www.bis.gov.uk/ equivalent as regards to the punishment imposed under civil ukspaceagency/> 4 penalties. In regard to the provision for registration of space United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs official website <http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/pdf/limited /c2/AC105_C2_2013_CRP05E.pdf> 4704 The International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention, vol. 5, Issue 05, May, 2018 Tunku Intan Mainura / The United Kingdom’s Outer Space Act 1986 specifically to give the Secretary of State certain powers, the are three objectives of this review. Firstly, ‘to analyse the way most important of which is to issue licences regarding the in which the BNSC12 implements the Outer Space Act 1986 launching and operation of space objects and the carrying out based on the changes in the national and international situation of other activities in outer space by persons connected with namely the national, international and EU legislation, and that country so as to ensure that it complies with the requirements for indemnity and insurance and their provision, international obligations of the United Kingdom5. In drafting secondly, to investigate the licence application process, where the Outer Space Act 1986, the provisions of the International feedback from interested parties on the practice are taken, and Treaties and Convention that it considered most relevant were thirdly, to confirm the continuing need for licensing, and if so Articles VI, VII and IX of the Treaty on Principles Governing determine the benefits to the UK, and suggest any changes to the Activities of states in the Exploration and Use of Outer the procedure or processes in order to increase cost- Space, including the Moon and other Celestial Bodies 1967, effectiveness and relevance to the changing situation’13. Article I-IV of the Convention on International Liability for The Outer Space Act 1986 is divided into four segments and Damage Caused by Space Objects 1972 and Articles I-IV of contains provisions on the application of the Act, the licensing the Convention on Registration of Space Objects Launched of activities, other controls and general provisions. into Outer Space 19756. Generally, the Act has three main Nevertheless, due to its main focus on providing for regulation purposes: to secure compliance with UK’s international in matters pertaining to licensing, this Act has been viewed as obligations under UN treaties and conventions covering the ‘an insurance based licensing regime because the intention use of outer space, including liability for damage caused by was to operate a simple licensing regime involving essential space objects and registration of objects launched into outer technical checks with no significant increase in public service space; to introduce a licensing regime for space activities manpower’14. carried on by UK nationals and companies; and to ensure that We shall now proceed to analyse the provisions of the Outer the Government of the UK has sufficient power in domestic Space Act 1986. law to monitor and control the nationals’ and companies’ 1.2.1 Authorisation and Supervision space-related activities so that the UK can be assured that they meet with the international obligations7. The basic nature of One of the provisions that must be incorporated into national this Act is that it requires the UK individuals and space legislation is the provision that requires states to organisations that want to participate in space-related activities authorise and supervise the activities that those under states’ to firstly apply for a licence from the Secretary of State8 jurisdiction wish to undertake and to continue supervising the through the UK Space Agency9. space activities that have been undertaken until they end. An examination of the UK’s national space legislation, the Outer Since 1986, the Outer Space Act 1986 has been amended a Space Act 1986, shows that it conforms to this because it has number of times through Orders in Council to either extend its provisions on the authorisation and supervision of its space- powers to Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories or to related activities. amend the fees10. In 2005, in order to ensure that the Outer In authorising space-related activities, the Outer Space Act Space Act 1986 was up to date with the evolving international 1986 determines which kind of space activity requires situation and the challenges posed by future space projects, a authorisation and supervision from the Secretary of State, and review of the Outer Space Act 1986
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