Research Report
Ⅰ. Background and Purpose
□ With the era of the Cold War coming to an end and private sector’s expanding participation, space industry has been placing its priority on rather commercial activities than defense.
□ Korean space legislation including the Space Development Promotion Act does not cover commercial space activities such as space launch and space trip.
□ United States of America has prepared legal and institutional system on commercial space activities while establishing ‘the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act’ which granting American citizens a right to own, transport, use and sell space resources
□ The purpose of this study is to review advanced legislative regime of the United States of American on commercial space activities and to draw legal and policy implications for Korean legislation.
Ⅱ. Main Contents
□ Current situation and changes in space policy of the United States of America
○ In 1980’s reduction in space budget drove the government to propel space development and technology innovation in private sectors.
○ The US government has been encouraging investment into space industry by private sectors by pulling the plug on alternative launch vehicle development project by NASA and entrusting private sectors with the project.
□ System and Contents of the US Space legislation
○ Since the enactment of the Commercial Space Launch Act in 1984, the US government has established a series of commercial space activities-related laws in order to support and encourage private sector’s participation into space industry
○ ‘The United States of America has established “three-tiered risk sharing regime” between private sector and the government for instituting “third party liabilities” by revising the Commercial Space Launch Act and curbed, through the Learning Period, excessive regulation for growth of the space industry.
○ The Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act enacted in 2015 made into law the right into space resources, extension of operation period of ISS(international space station), streamlining regulation by federal agencies
Ⅲ. Expected Effect
□ It is expected that this study will be utilized as a basic material for the preparation of law to promote and support commercialization in space industry