Human activities in outer space will become ever more important because of increasing commercial activities such as space tourism, civilian and military activities, especially satellite launches, all the way to a potential future mining of extraterrestrial commodities stemming from celestial bodies.


The handbook describes the legal grounds for such human activities in outer space and on celestial bodies in 12 chapters. At the outset, an overview of the history of space flight, of space law and the applicable legal sources is given as well as the main legal concepts of international space law. Following, the national and international legal regime for space activities is introduced. Finally, an outlook is give as to the main legal and legislative tasks of the future. To this extent, close attention is also paid to the astrophysical and mechanical prerequisites of such activities.


Moreover, the book contains various pictorial presentations, references to the relevant literature of every chapter as well as short summaries of each chapter facilitating a quick orientation and easy approach to this area of law.


The author is a professor of public and international law at the University of Köln and director of the Institute of Air and Space Law. He has published numerous books and articles on air and space law.