IISL SPRING SPACE LAW SYMPOSIUM, May 8, 2026, virtual, 4:30-10:00 am ET

Organised by the IISL with the support of the Amsterdam Space Law & Sustainability Centre and Durham University Space Research Centre (SPARC), the IISL Spring Space Law Symposium 2026 will examine the extent to which the existing international legal framework governing outer space is capable of accommodating rapid technological and operational developments. Across three panels co-moderated by Dr PJ Blount, Dr Ioana Bratu and Dr Laetitia Cesari, the symposium considers how emerging technologies, evolving uses of space, and increasing environmental pressures challenge foundational principles of space law, including jurisdiction, responsibility, and international cooperation.

The first panel addresses the legal implications of novel technological applications, including suborbital transportation, artificial intelligence, and life sciences research in space, alongside questions of intellectual property beyond territorial limits. The second panel turns to the resilience of established legal instruments, notably the Outer Space Treaty regime, in light of new operational realities such as satellite constellations, blockchain-based governance tools, and competing models of resource regulation. The third panel focuses on sustainability, examining whether current legal doctrines sufficiently address issues of environmental protection, space debris mitigation, and the accountability of both state and non-state actors.

The symposium explores whether incremental adaptation of existing norms is adequate, or whether more structural legal developments may be required to ensure the continued viability of space activities as a shared domain.