Space Liability and Insurance
Expert-defined terms from the Graduate Certificate in Space Law. course at London School of Business and Administration. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
**Act of God** #
**Act of God**
Concept in space law that refers to an event caused exclusively by natural eleme… #
Examples include solar flares, asteroid impacts, or space weather.
**Ad Lamina Limit** #
**Ad Lamina Limit**
The boundary that separates the Earth's atmosphere from outer space, usually set… #
Also known as the Kármán line.
**Advanced Risk Assessment** #
**Advanced Risk Assessment**
A systematic process to identify, evaluate, and prioritize potential risks in sp… #
It involves analyzing hazards, estimating probabilities, and determining the potential impact of identified risks.
**Aerospace** #
**Aerospace**
**Aggressive Space Policy** #
**Aggressive Space Policy**
A space policy focused on dominance, competition, and military objectives, poten… #
A space policy focused on dominance, competition, and military objectives, potentially leading to conflict and instability in space.
**Apogee** #
**Apogee**
The point in an object's orbit around Earth that is furthest from the planet's c… #
The point in an object's orbit around Earth that is furthest from the planet's center.
**Astronaut** #
**Astronaut**
**Astronomical Liability** #
**Astronomical Liability**
Liability for damages caused by space objects, as regulated by the Liability Con… #
It includes both absolute and fault-based liability.
**Attitude Control** #
**Attitude Control**
The process of maintaining and adjusting the orientation of a spacecraft in spac… #
The process of maintaining and adjusting the orientation of a spacecraft in space.
**Aurora** #
**Aurora**
A natural light display in the Earth's sky, primarily seen in high #
latitude regions (Aurora Borealis in the North, Aurora Australis in the South), caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with the Earth's magnetic field.
**Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)** #
**Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)**
A defense system designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles,… #
A defense system designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles, often involving space-based assets.
**Black Box** #
**Black Box**
An indestructible recording device used to capture data from spacecraft, useful… #
An indestructible recording device used to capture data from spacecraft, useful for investigating accidents and understanding the events leading to them.
**Challenger Accident** #
**Challenger Accident**
A space disaster that occurred on January 28, 1986, when the Space Shuttle Chall… #
The accident was caused by the failure of an O-ring seal in the right solid rocket booster.
**COPUOS** #
**COPUOS**
The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, a United Nations body establi… #
The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, a United Nations body established in 1959 to promote international cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space.
**Columbia Accident** #
**Columbia Accident**
A space disaster that occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Colum… #
The accident was caused by damage to the left wing during launch, which allowed hot gases to penetrate and destroy the structure.
**Collision Avoidance** #
**Collision Avoidance**
The process of preventing collisions between space objects, usually through mane… #
The process of preventing collisions between space objects, usually through maneuvers, monitoring, and coordination.
**Deep Space** #
**Deep Space**
The region of space beyond Earth's gravitational influence, starting at approxim… #
The region of space beyond Earth's gravitational influence, starting at approximately 380,000 km from Earth.
**Debris Mitigation** #
**Debris Mitigation**
Measures aimed at reducing the creation and accumulation of space debris, as wel… #
Measures aimed at reducing the creation and accumulation of space debris, as well as minimizing the risks associated with it.
**Demisable Body** #
**Demisable Body**
An object, such as a satellite, designed to burn up or disintegrate upon re #
entry to Earth's atmosphere, minimizing the risk of damage or injury.
**Dual #
Use Technology**
Technology with both civilian and military applications, such as satellite commu… #
Technology with both civilian and military applications, such as satellite communications or remote sensing.
**Earth Observation** #
**Earth Observation**
The use of satellites and other space #
based assets to monitor and analyze Earth's environment, weather, geology, and human activities.
**Earth Stations** #
**Earth Stations**
Ground #
based facilities used for communication with satellites, including antennas, receivers, and transmitters.
**Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)** #
**Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)**
Interference caused by electromagnetic radiation affecting the proper functionin… #
Interference caused by electromagnetic radiation affecting the proper functioning of electronic devices, including spacecraft.
**End #
of-Life Disposal**
The process of safely and responsibly disposing of a space object at the end of… #
The process of safely and responsibly disposing of a space object at the end of its operational life, often through de-orbiting or transfer to a graveyard orbit.
**Exclusive Use** #
**Exclusive Use**
The right to use and operate a satellite or other space asset without sharing it… #
The right to use and operate a satellite or other space asset without sharing it with other users or organizations.
**Extraterrestrial** #
**Extraterrestrial**
Pertaining to objects, phenomena, or life existing outside of Earth #
Pertaining to objects, phenomena, or life existing outside of Earth.
**Fault #
Based Liability**
Liability for damages caused by space objects, as regulated by the Liability Con… #
Liability for damages caused by space objects, as regulated by the Liability Convention, that arises when damage is due to the fault of the launching state or its operator.
**Frequency Spectrum** #
**Frequency Spectrum**
The range of electromagnetic frequencies used for various communication and remo… #
The range of electromagnetic frequencies used for various communication and remote sensing applications, managed and allocated by international agreements.
**Funding Agreement** #
**Funding Agreement**
An agreement between a space agency and a contractor for the design, development… #
An agreement between a space agency and a contractor for the design, development, and production of space assets, usually involving the transfer of technology and intellectual property rights.
**Geostationary Orbit (GEO)** #
**Geostationary Orbit (GEO)**
An orbit 35,786 km above Earth's equator, where a satellite matches Earth's rota… #
An orbit 35,786 km above Earth's equator, where a satellite matches Earth's rotation speed, appearing stationary from the ground.
A satellite #
based positioning system that provides users with precise location and time information, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou.
**Graveyard Orbit** #
**Graveyard Orbit**
An orbit above the geostationary belt used for disposing of retired satellites,… #
An orbit above the geostationary belt used for disposing of retired satellites, minimizing the risk of collisions and space debris accumulation.
**Ground Segment** #
**Ground Segment**
The Earth #
based infrastructure used for controlling, communicating, and monitoring space assets, including ground stations, control centers, and user terminals.
**Hohmann Transfer Orbit** #
**Hohmann Transfer Orbit**
An elliptical transfer orbit used for moving a spacecraft between two circular o… #
An elliptical transfer orbit used for moving a spacecraft between two circular orbits, minimizing the amount of propellant required.
**Hosted Payload** #
**Hosted Payload**
A secondary payload carried by a primary space mission, usually sharing the same… #
A secondary payload carried by a primary space mission, usually sharing the same launch vehicle and spacecraft.
**Human Spaceflight** #
**Human Spaceflight**
Space travel involving human crew members, for scientific research, exploration,… #
Space travel involving human crew members, for scientific research, exploration, or other purposes.
**Insurance** #
**Insurance**
A contractual agreement where an insurer compensates the insured for losses or d… #
A contractual agreement where an insurer compensates the insured for losses or damages incurred, often used in space activities to cover launch failures, satellite losses, or third-party liabilities.
**Intelsat** #
**Intelsat**
The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, an intergovernmenta… #
The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, an intergovernmental organization established in 1964 to provide global satellite communication services.
**Interference** #
**Interference**
The unwanted introduction of signals or noise into a communication system, often… #
The unwanted introduction of signals or noise into a communication system, often caused by other users or natural phenomena.
**International Space Station (ISS)** #
**International Space Station (ISS)**
A multinational space station orbiting Earth, used for scientific research, tech… #
A multinational space station orbiting Earth, used for scientific research, technology development, and human spaceflight training.
**ITU** #
**ITU**
The International Telecommunication Union, a specialized agency of the United Na… #
The International Telecommunication Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for coordinating global telecommunications and information technology.
**Launch Authorization** #
**Launch Authorization**
The formal permission granted by a national space agency or other competent auth… #
The formal permission granted by a national space agency or other competent authority to launch a space object.
**Launch Failure** #
**Launch Failure**
An event during the launch phase of a space mission that prevents the spacecraft… #
An event during the launch phase of a space mission that prevents the spacecraft from reaching its intended orbit or target.
**Launch Range** #
**Launch Range**
A geographical area used for launching space vehicles, including launch pads, co… #
A geographical area used for launching space vehicles, including launch pads, control centers, and safety zones.
**Launch Services Agreement** #
**Launch Services Agreement**
A contract between a launch service provider and a customer for the provision of… #
A contract between a launch service provider and a customer for the provision of launch services, including launch vehicle, range, and other related services.
**Launch Vehicle** #
**Launch Vehicle**
A rocket or other spacecraft designed to propel a payload into space, often cons… #
A rocket or other spacecraft designed to propel a payload into space, often consisting of multiple stages.
**Liability Convention** #
**Liability Convention**
The United Nations Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Sp… #
The United Nations Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects, adopted in 1972, establishing rules for compensation for damages caused by space objects.
**Life Determining Event** #
**Life Determining Event**
An event, such as a space mission anomaly or accident, that could result in the… #
An event, such as a space mission anomaly or accident, that could result in the loss of human life.
**Long March** #
**Long March**
A series of Chinese launch vehicles, developed by the China Academy of Launch Ve… #
A series of Chinese launch vehicles, developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, used for various space missions.
**Low Earth Orbit (LEO)** #
**Low Earth Orbit (LEO)**
An orbit below 2,000 km above Earth's surface, often used for Earth observation,… #
An orbit below 2,000 km above Earth's surface, often used for Earth observation, communication, and scientific research.
**Manned Spacecraft** #
**Manned Spacecraft**
A spacecraft designed to carry and support human crew members, also known as #
A spacecraft designed to carry and support human crew members, also known as