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Call for Papers: 3rd Manfred Lachs International Conference on NewSpace Commercialization and the Law

Published: 11 December 2014

3rd Manfred Lachs International Conference on NewSpace Commercialization and the Law

Organized by the Institute of Air and Space Law, Faculty of Law, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Venue:  Headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization

When: 16 and 17 March 2015

Call for papers

The term ‘NewSpace’ is commonly used within the industry, regulatory and policy circles pertaining to new commercial space endeavors, yet its precise definition is vague and does not appear to have been fully articulated. NewSpace Global, which provides market indices and strategic analyses of NewSpace industries, defines ‘NewSpace’ as “an emerging global industry of private companies and entrepreneurs who primarily target commercial customers, are backed by risk capital seeking a return, and profit from innovative products or services developed in or for space.”

Although difficult to define, several themes appear to apply unequivocally to the NewSpace movement: disruptive technologies, entrepreneurship, privately held companies, individual access to and settlement of space and exploitation of space resources. Through innovative technologies and practices, new production techniques and new products, NewSpace resurrects unresolved legal issues and brings forth new legal challenges. By canvassing NewSpace endeavors, their technological developments and business initiatives, it will be possible to better understand the various legal challenges facing this nascent industry so as to initiate positive changes in law and policy and to appropriately address industry needs arising therefrom as well as protecting global public interest, public safety, environment and national and international security interests.

In order to comprehensively address these challenges, the McGill Institute of, and Centre for Research in, Air and Space Law in close collaboration with other premier institutions, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) and Global Space Institute (GSI), are organizing an international interdisciplinary Conference on NewSpace and the Law. We expect to attract participation from representatives of all major stakeholders in the space sector, (i.e., governmental and non-governmental institutions, academic institutions, private entities, etc.) acting in their personal or professional (as opposed to their official) capacities. 

By this Call for Papers, the organizers of the Conference hereby solicit papers that, among other things, will discuss and critically analyze the current technical, economic, political, strategic, and legal challenges to the achievement of responsible commercialization of the NewSpace industry. Papers should be between 3,000 and 4,500 words in length and must specifically address at least one of the following topics:

1.         New Extensions of Commercial Space Applications--Broadband Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Geomatics
2.         New Space Transportation Systems and Capabilities for Traffic Management of Objects in Air Space and Outer Space
3.         Small Satellites (including Nano, Micro, Cube, Femto and Chip satellites) 
4.         Commercial Space Stations and Launches for Trips to the Moon and Mars, etc.
5.         On-Orbit Servicing and Active Space Debris Removal
6.         Commercial Satellites for Military Purposes
7.         Commercial Space Mining (i.e. exploitation of Space Natural Resources)
8.         Funding Sources

Interested author may submit an abstract of the paper not exceeding 250 words via e-mail to Dr. Jinyuan Su at jinyuan [dot] su [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca by 5 January 2015.

The abstract must indicate the precise topic or title of the paper, the author's (or authors') full name(s), full contact details including valid email address, and current institutional affiliation. Please submit your abstract under cover of the following email header “3rd MLC 2015 Abstract – [Author(s) LAST NAME]”. The language of the Conference will be English.

Each submitted abstract will be evaluated on the basis of its technical quality, innovative ideas and relevance to the theme of the Conference. The Conference registration fee will be waived for authors who participate in the Conference as speakers. Suitable and well-written papers will be published in the Proceedings of the Conference. Papers of the highest quality may be published as part of an edited collection.

Deadlines

5 January 2015 - Deadline for abstract submission
15 January 2015 - Notification to authors
5 March 2015 - Deadline for paper submission (No paper – no podium)
16-17 March 2015- Conference

For further information on the Conference, please contact Dr. Jinyuan Su, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Institute of Air and Space Law, McGill University (jinyuan [dot] su [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca).

NB: The McGill Institute of Air and Space is pleased to host the 3rd Manfred Lachs Conference at the ICAO Headquarters back-to-back with the ICAO/UNOOSA AeroSpace Symposium, which will take place right after, from 18 to 20 March 2015. Participants in the Manfred Lachs Conference will benefit from the significantly reduced special “academia” rate of US$145.00 in the registration fee for the ICAO/UNOOSA AeroSpace Symposium. Information about the Symposium is available at www.icao.int/meetings/space2015.

Ram S. Jakhu
Conference Chair

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