Space Law

By 21 April 2026, Iran’s internet blackout had entered its fifty-third consecutive day, the longest nationwide internet disruption ever recorded (NetBlocks; IODA Iran shutdown report). Connectivity remained at approximately one per cent of pre-war levels. The shutdown was costing the economy an estimated $35–40 million per day in direct losses, rising to $70–80 million when indirect…

Space resources have long occupied a gray zone in international space law. They are central to the future of exploration and sustained presence beyond Earth, yet they remain legally ambiguous in a regime originally designed for use and exploration with an emphasis on scientific inquiry. That ambiguity, a legacy of the mid-20th century, has long been scrutinized for…

This post draws on the work of the International Institute for Space Law (IISL) Working Group on Pluralistic Governance and International Space Law (Chair, Elena Cirkovic). The 2024–2025 climate advisory opinions confirm that neither specialised treaties nor voluntary frameworks can displace customary environmental obligations or operate in isolation from general international law. The opinions reinforce the…

Introduction Assume hypothetically a future request for an International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on States’ obligations to protect outer space. How would the ICJ draw from the Advisory Opinion on Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change (Climate Change Advisory Opinion, CCAO) of 23 July 2025?…