Unmanned Spacecrafts and Space Drones as the Challenges for Space Law

Abstract

In the article, the authors considered the challenges for space law, which are created by the intensive development of production technologies of unmanned spacecrafts and space drones, as well as their use in the space industry. The authors clarified the term “space object”, which is used in the Space Law. This helped reveal the difference between the terms “unmanned spacecrafts” and “space drones”, which are synonymous in the Air Law. The authors investigated the basics of the space law and proved that in the existing formulations, the space law is not able to regulate the modern space exploration. Based on the study, the authors proposed: (1) to consolidate the influence of public organizations created in the space industry and specializing in the space exploration in the space law; (2) to change approaches to space law; space law should be considered as an effective regulator capable of ensuring the sustainable development of the mankind;. (3) under the space law, to create a holistic concept for using all types of space object on the Low Earth Orbit.

Keywords

• space object
• unmanned spacecrafts
• space law
• space drones
• u-space
• air law
• low earth orbit