Abstract
This Chapter endeavors to identify the current international and national regulatory and legal framework as well as the guidelines and recommended practices which provide guidance to those space actors that are planning to launch and operate satellites into Earth orbit(s) – especially those anticipating and planning launch of small satellites. Thus, the specific topics addressed in this Chapter include, inter alia, requirements for various types of national licenses, the registration with the United Nation as well as International Telecommunication Union procedures with regard to the use of radio frequencies and intersystem coordination. It also addresses other aspects such as due diligence prior to launch, launch operations and range safety concerns, safety certification of launch facilities, safe operation of small satellites in orbit, orbital debris mitigation efforts to achieve long-term sustainability of such outer space activities, liability for damage caused by space objects, the space situational awareness and space traffic management and space militarization concerns, etc.
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References
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Jakhu, R.S., Pelton, J., Mishra, N. (2019). “Rules of the Road” for Launch and Operation of Small Satellites and Related Issues. In: Pelton, J. (eds) Handbook of Small Satellites. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20707-6_77-1
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