Spaceports: The Missing Link in International Space Law?

Article
Open Access
by Boudour Mefteh1
1 The University of Debrecen, Géza Marton Doctoral School of Legal Studies (Debrecen, Hungary)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29202/asl/16/2
Received: 04 November 2025 / Accepted: 20 December 2025 / Published: 30 December 2025

View Full-Text Review Reports Cite This Paper

Abstract

For all their critical function, spaceports are typically the missing element in legal discussions of space activities. And yet, it is only because of launch facilities, most commonly spaceports, that the full picture of space operations becomes intelligible; without such infrastructure, no launch can take place. Despite their importance, spaceports remain a legal blind area: although foundational outer space treaties refer to launching facilities, they do not explicitly define or regulate “spaceports,” leaving their governance largely to national legislation rather than under a unified international space regime. Undoubtedly, in the New Space era, with hundreds of rocket launches projected, spaceports are increasingly central to space industry strategy and global access. This makes the topic extremely important, especially since the world’s spaceports are limited in number and geographically concentrated. This paper presents several historical examples that illustrate the legal complexities that arise when states and companies utilize foreign launch infrastructure. Moreover, reliance on foreign launch infrastructure can create dependencies in space activities. This article explores the absence of a clear international legal framework, supported by case studies, to suggest the important role UNCOPUOS could play in addressing this gap in international space law, by developing a universal spaceport regime in the future.

Keywords: Spaceports, International space law, national regulations, OST, liability, UNCOPUOS.

References

49 U.S. Code § 70101 National multimodal freight policy (2000) White House USA.

Agrawal, Rachita (2024) The Effect of Space Launches on Climate: A Legal and Policy Perspective. Advanced Space Law, Volume 13, 75-87. https://doi.org/10.29202/asl/13/7

Angels Aerospace (2025) Space Licensing in the United Kingdom. SpaceLaws.com. Available online: https://spacelaws.com/articles/space-licensing-in-the-united-kingdom/

Australia (2019) Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018, C2019C00246 (as of August 31, 2019). Federal Register of Legislation. Available online: https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A00391/2019-08-31/text

Launch Facility Licence: Guideline and Procedure (2023) Australian Space Agency. https://www.space.gov.au/about-agency/publications/launch-facility-licence

Bonucci, Alessio, Dan Hyman; Nikki Park, Greg Smith, and Troy Thomas (2023) A Launching Pad for the New Space Economy. Boston Consulting Group. Available online: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2023/the-growth-of-the-space-economy

Chemoul, B. (2018) The Guiana Space Centre: Towards Space 4.0. Paper presented at the AIAA SPACE 2018 Conference and Exposition, Orlando, Florida, September 17–19. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Available online: https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/pdf/10.2514/6.2018-2721

Baikonur Launchpad Explosion (2025) Encyclopaedia Britannica. Available online: https://www.britannica.com/event/Baikonur-launchpad-explosion

European Space Policy Institute (2023) Vienna: ESPI. Available online: https://www.espi.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ESPI-Yearbook-2023.pdf

Gebhardt, Chris (2020) Arianespace, with Russian Soyuz, Launches CSO-2 French Military Satellite. NASASpaceFlight. Available online: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/12/arianespace-cso-2-french-satellite/

Hassanabadi, Babak Shakouri (2014) Complications of the Legal Definition of ‘Launching State. The Space Review. Available online: https://www.thespacereview.com/article/2588/1

Indian Space Research Organisation (2025) Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR. Available online: https://www.isro.gov.in

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (2025) Tanegashima Space Center. Available online: https://global.jaxa.jp/about/centers/tnsc/

Martin, Anne-Sophie (2023) Spaceports on Coastal Areas and Spaceflights: Legal Considerations on the Protection of the Marine Environment. Maritime Safety & Security Law Journal, Issue 13. Available online: https://www.marsafelawjournal.org/contributions/spaceports-on-coastal-areas-and-spaceflights-legal-considerations-on-the-protection-of-marine-environment/

Mineiro, Michael C. (2008) Law and Regulation Governing U.S. Commercial Spaceports: Licensing, Liability, and Legal Challenges. Journal of Air Law & Commerce (73). Available online: https://scispace.com/pdf/law-and-regulation-governing-u-s-commercial-spaceports-388ockzpoh.pdf

Narayanan, Nikhil (2025) 50 Years of Aryabhata Satellite: When India Imagined, and Pulled Off the Impossible. The Federal. Available online: https://thefederal.com/category/science/50-years-aryabhata-took-bengaluru-peeny-connection-182466

NASASpaceFlight (2019) UK Spaceport at Sutherland Enters Public Consultation Phase. Available online: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/09/uk-spaceport-atsutherland-enters-public-consultation-phase/

The Space Economy in Figures: How Space Contributes to the Global Economy (2022) 2nd ed. Paris: OECD Publishing.

Spaceport (2025) Oxford Dictionary. Available online: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/spaceport

Peter, Hugo (2021) The Importance of the UN COPUOS in Space Debris Mitigation: What Evolution for the UN COPUOS, Paper presented at the 8th European Conference on Space Debris (virtual), 20–23 April 2021. Available online: https://conference.sdo.esoc.esa.int/proceedings/sdc8/paper/194/SDC8-paper194.pdf

Roberts, Thomas G. (2019) Spaceports of the World. CSIS Aerospace Security Project. Available online: https://aerospace.csis.org/spaceports-of-the-world/

Shaw, Malcolm (2025) International Law. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Available online: https://www.britannica.com/topic/international-law

Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) (2020) FAA Requires Spaceport Camden Proponents to Restart Environmental Review. SELC. Available online: https://www.selc.org/press-release/faa-requires-spaceport-camden-proponents-to-restart-environmental-review/

UK Space Law: Introducing the UK’s New Spaceports and Space Hubs (2025) Stevens & Bolton LLP. Available online: https://www.stevens-bolton.com/site/insights/articles/uk-space-law-introducing-the-uks-new-spaceports-and-space-hubs

2008 U.S. Commercial Space Transportation Developments and Concepts: Vehicles, Technologies, and Spaceports (2008) Federal Aviation Administration. Available online: www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/Developments_Concepts_Feb_2008.pdf

Commercial Space Data (2025) U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Available online: https://www.faa.gov/space

Spaceport License (2025) U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Commercial Space Transportation. Available online: https://www.faa.gov/space/licenses/spaceport_license

The Space Industry Act 2018 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations (2018) UK Statutory Instruments No. 1224 (C. 86). Available online: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/1224/regulation/2/made

Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (2007) Endorsed by UN General Assembly Resolution 62/217 (22 December 2007). Vienna: United Nations. Available online: https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/library/space-debris-mitigation-guidelines_copuos.pdf

National Space Legislation – Crafting Legal Engines for the Growth of Space Activities (2010) Presented by Armel Kerrest at the IISL/ECSL Symposium, Legal Subcommittee of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), 22 March 2010. Vienna: United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. Available online: https://www.unoosa.org/pdf/pres/lsc2010/symp01.pdf

Von der Dunk, Frans G., ed. (2025) Spaceport. In The Spationary: A Dictionary of Essential Space Terminology for Lawyers. Brill, Nijhoff, Leiden. Available online: https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/71881?language=en&srsltid=AfmBOopon6VlHL2jqEZS4VU8qYHKYAD-Pye1mlHNY5cTCqiU7D1Pbj_k

Wall, Mike (2014) NASA Warns Public to Stay Away from Antares Rocket Debris. Space.com. Available online: https://www.space.com/27582-antares-rocket-debris-nasa-warning.html

Yu, Huan (2019) Studies on National Space Legislation for the Purpose of Drafting China’s Space Law. PhD diss., Leuphana University Lüneburg. Available online: https://pubdata.leuphana.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/9e1f6054-9dfc-4f65-9a40-6a7f39e751cf/content

Share and Cite

Mefteh, Boudour (2025) Spaceports: The Missing Link in International Space Law? Advanced Space Law, Volume 16, 16-29. https://doi.org/10.29202/asl/16/2
Back to the list of Articles