Abstract

After the first rocket launches in the late 1950s, it became clear that space objects, both at launch and on return to the Earth, can pose a danger to people, the environment, and property. It is natural that with the expansion of the national space programs across the globe in the early 1960s increasing the number of rocket launches, cases of space objects falling onto Earth also became more frequent. The United Nations responded to the problem by adopting the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects in 1963. The Convention was developed in a single paradigm in sync with other international treaties in the field of space activities and regulated the liability of states arising from activities related to outer space. Since its adoption, the Convention has been applied in several cases. However, only a handful of them has become public. This article discusses the contents of the Convention and the examples of its application to the disputes arising out of damage caused by space objects.

This paper will be part of the TDM Special Issue on "Old and New Disputes in Aerospace Law". More information here www.transnational-dispute-management.com/news.asp?key=1858