Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introductory Part --  1 The Aim and the Method of This Book --  1.1  The Aims and the Structure --  1.2  The Method --  2 Space Economy, Space Society and Space Law --  2.1  The Space Economy in General --  2.2  An Embryonic Space Society --  2.3  Ubi ius, ibi societas --  3 Space Law: What Is It? --  3.1  The Multiple Layers of Space Law --  3.2  International Space Law --  3.2.1 The Outer Space Treaty --  3.2.2 The Other Multilateral Space Treaties --  3.2.3 International Agreements on Cooperation in Outer Space: Some Relevant Examples --  3.3  National Space Law --  3.4  Legal Hybridity in Space --  4 Comparative Law and International Law --  4.1  The Dialogue between Comparative Law and International Law --  4.2  Some Benefits of Comparative International Law --  5 Space Law and Comparative Law: A Beneficial Symbiosis --  5.1  Comparative Law for Space Law --  5.2  Space Law for Comparative Law -- 1   The Players of Space Law --  1 Humankind --  1.1  Space Law and the Problem of Terrestrial Territorialisation --  1.2  Humankind and Human Rights in Space Law --  2 States and Other Entities of International Law --  2.1  States and Intergovernmental Organisations in International Space Law --  2.2  The Role of the State (and Its Public Bodies) in National Space Law --  2.3  Jurisdiction in Space --  3 Commercial Entities --  3.1  A General Tendency towards Commercialisation of Outer Space --  3.2  Commercial Entities in International Space Law --  3.3  The Current Orientation of the Space Legislation of the United States of America --  3.4  Licensing Private Operators --  3.4.1 The United States of America --  3.4.2 Europe --  3.4.3 People's Republic of China --  4 Individuals and Social Groups --  4.1  Individuals in International Space Law --  4.1.1 The Multilateral Space Treaties --  4.1.2  Other International Agreements --  4.2 Individuals in National Space Law --  4.3  Some Inconclusive Remarks on Individuals and Social Groups in Space Law -- 2   Legal Models in Outer Space --  1 Public Sector-Centered vs. Private Sector-Centered Space Policies and Legal Rules --  1.1  Space Powers and Polycentric Governance of Space Activities --  1.2  Private-Focused Models of Space Policies and Space Law --  1.2.1 The United States of America --  1.2.2 The Artemis Accords --  1.3  Public-Focused Models of Space Policies and Space Law: China --  1.4  Europe: The Problematic Quest for a Third Way --  2 Fundamental Rights, Constitutional Principles and Space Law --  2.1  Outer Space and Inequalities --  2.2  Space Law, Equality Issues and State Intervention in Light of a Heterodox Economic Approach --  2.3  Social Rights and Public Economic Intervention: Prospects for a European Third Way towards Outer Space -- 3   Some Traditional Problems of Private Law from the Perspective of Space Law --  1 Property Rights with Regard to Space Objects --  1.1  Property Rights in Outer Space? --  1.2  The International Law Framework --  1.2.1 Outer Space Treaty and Moon Agreement --  1.2.2 The Uncertainties and Ambiguities of the Rules of International Law --  1.3  National Laws and the Artemis Accords --  1.3.1 The Law of the United States of America: Towards 'Space Homestead Acts'? --  1.3.2 Other National Laws Regarding Space Resources and the Artemis Accords --  1.4  Looking for Property Models in Outer Space --  1.4.1 Suggestions from Civil Law and Common Law --  1.4.2 Suggestions from China --  1.5  De iure condito --  1.6  De iure condendo --  2 Liability in Outer Space --  2.1  Torts in Outer Space --  2.2  The International Law Framework --  2.2.1 Responsibility and Liability in the Outer Space Treaty --  2.2.2 The Liability Convention: Substantive Provisions --  2.2.3 The Liability Convention: Procedural Provisions --  2.2.4 The Liability Convention: An Assessment --  2.2.5 Liability in International Agreements on Cooperation in Outer Space: The Examples of the International Space Station and the Artemis Accords --  2.3  Third-Party Liability of the European Space Agency --  2.4  Liability in National Space Legislation --  2.4.1 The United States of America --  2.4.2 France --  2.4.3 Italy --  2.4.4 China --  2.5  How Legal Comparison Might Help to Improve and Update Space Liability Rules --  3 Space Contracts --  3.1  Contracts and Outer Space --  3.2  Uncertainty --  3.3  Cross-Waiver Clauses --  3.4  International Harmonisation of Space Contracts --  4 Securities in Outer Space --  4.1  Securities and the Space Industry --  4.2  Securities in the Context of Space Resources --  4.3  Securities in the Context of (Artificial) Space Objects -- Some Conclusions --  1 Towards a System of Private Law in Outer Space --  2 Reconnecting the Thread of the Investigation --  3 Legal Comparison as an Actual Tool for Peaceful Cooperation in Outer Space -- Bibliography -- Index.

This book approaches space law from the angle of legal comparison. In a new phase of exploration and exploitation of outer space characterised by an increasing presence and role of commercial entities, problems inherent in systems of private law arise in a special context and require specific legal answers. Through a comparative method, this book systematises the complex legal spacescape concerning some fundamental concepts rooted in the various national systems of private law: natural and legal persons, property rights, liability, contracts, and securities. These analyses form a handbook of private law in the context of outer space.

English