Space exploration, once a distant dream, is now a booming reality with both government agencies like India’s ISRO and private companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin pushing the boundaries of innovation. As India opens its space industry to private players, the commercialization of space has accelerated globally. Yet, with this rapid growth comes a pressing challenge: the increasing accumulation of space debris. NASA has tracked over 27,000 pieces of space junk orbiting Earth, creating a looming threat not only to future space missions but also to our planet itself.
This surge in space activity raises critical legal questions. Who is responsible for the damages caused by man-made satellites and debris? How should liability be assigned in an era where space tourism and commercial ventures are becoming the new frontier? With a lack of comprehensive space law and the potential for international disputes, defining a new standard of tortious liability in space is more urgent than ever.
Author Rohan Nataraj, K V Sreeja
To read more check out Global Thoughts and Opinions, 2023, our paper been published.