Astra Carta – Lift off for a sustainable space industry?

In this guest blog for techUK, Linklaters lawyers Imogen Ormerod and Akshay Sewlikar explore the unveiling of the Astra Carta and it's importance for a sustainable global space industry.

Space is increasingly within reach. It plays a vital role in shaping our future existence and is now more accessible than ever thanks to developing science and cutting-edge technology.

At present, the space domain is governed by international treaties that were primarily written at a time when only a few nation states had access to space. Today, over 70 nations have a space agency and the private sector is playing an increasingly significant role in space exploration and development. Over a third of orbital launches in 2022 were commercial spacecraft carried by commercial vehicles, while an additional 18% of orbital launches were conducted by companies serving government clients.

This growth trajectory (especially in respect of private companies) brings with it challenges as well as opportunities, in particular how to ensure that the orbits around earth (as well as those beyond) remain accessible. The risks need to be well-understood and, where possible, mitigated.

Read the full article.

Imogen also took part in a panel discussion, Industries of the Future: Space, with other industry experts as part of techUK's Supercharging Innovation campaign week. This webinar explored the space industry of tomorrow and panellists spoke about what steps the UK can take to become a superpower across a broad spectrum of emerging and transformative space technologies. View the session here.

Visit the Linklaters Space & Satellites page to find out more about what we're doing in the sector.