Space Law Lawyer

We assist clients with FCC licensing applications, orbital slot assignments, spectrum allocation, and compliance with the regulatory frameworks governing satellite operations. Our team navigates the complex intersection of federal agencies overseeing space activities, including the FCC, FAA, NOAA, and the Department of Commerce.

Satellite operators must comply with a web of domestic and international regulations governing radio frequency use, orbital debris mitigation, data privacy, and national security. We guide clients through the licensing process from initial application through ongoing compliance, helping them avoid costly delays and regulatory violations.

As the satellite industry evolves with mega-constellations, small satellites, and new frequency bands, regulatory requirements continue to change. We stay at the forefront of these developments to provide our clients with timely, actionable legal advice.

From entity formation to investor relations and joint ventures, we advise commercial space companies on the legal framework for private space operations, including launch services, space stations, in-orbit servicing, and space tourism ventures.

The commercial space industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, with private companies taking on roles once reserved for government agencies. This expansion creates unique legal challenges involving corporate structure, investment agreements, government contracts, intellectual property, and liability allocation.

We help space entrepreneurs and established companies structure their ventures for success, navigate government approval processes, negotiate partnerships and investment deals, and develop contracts that address the unique risks and opportunities of operating in space.

Launch operations carry unique liability risks. We help clients navigate third-party liability requirements, government indemnification programs, launch insurance procurement, and risk allocation in launch services agreements.

The Commercial Space Launch Act establishes a tiered liability framework for licensed launches. Operators must obtain third-party liability insurance up to the maximum probable loss determined by the FAA, and the government provides indemnification for certain losses above that amount. We help clients understand and comply with these requirements.

Launch services agreements involve complex risk allocation provisions between launch providers, payload owners, and insurers. We draft and negotiate these agreements to protect our clients' interests while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards.

As commercial interest in asteroid mining and lunar resource extraction grows, we advise clients on the legal frameworks governing space resource rights, including the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act and evolving international norms.

The 2015 U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act grants U.S. citizens the right to own and sell resources extracted from celestial bodies, creating a legal foundation for space mining. However, questions remain about how these rights interact with the Outer Space Treaty's prohibition on national appropriation of celestial bodies.

We help clients navigate this evolving legal landscape, advise on compliance with U.S. law, monitor international developments, and structure commercial activities to maximize legal certainty. As the legal framework for space resources continues to develop, having experienced counsel is essential.

Space law is governed by international treaties including the Outer Space Treaty, the Liability Convention, the Registration Convention, and the Rescue Agreement. We ensure our clients' operations comply with these treaties and the national laws implementing them.

The Outer Space Treaty establishes fundamental principles including the freedom of exploration, prohibition of national appropriation, liability for damage, and obligation to avoid harmful contamination. National space laws implement these obligations at the domestic level, creating a complex regulatory environment for commercial operators.

We advise clients on how international obligations affect their commercial activities, help them structure operations to comply with treaty requirements, and represent their interests in policy discussions that shape the future of international space law.

Innovations developed for and in space present unique IP challenges. We advise on patent protection, technology transfer agreements, trade secrets, and the application of intellectual property law to inventions created in orbital environments.

U.S. patent law has been extended to inventions made in outer space on spacecraft under U.S. jurisdiction. However, protecting IP in the multinational environment of the International Space Station and future commercial stations raises complex jurisdictional questions that require specialized knowledge.

We help space technology companies develop comprehensive IP strategies that include patent filings, trade secret protection, licensing agreements, and technology transfer arrangements. We also advise on ITAR and EAR export control compliance, which is critical for any company dealing with space-related technology.