The UNL College of Law will host its fourth annual Omaha Space Law Seminar from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Hilton Omaha, with a reception following. This year's theme is "Operationalizing Space Law: The Law of Space Operations" and will feature:
- Matthew Burris, chief of space law for United States Strategic Command;
- Phil Meek, former associate general counsel for international affairs in the Air Force General Counsel's Office at the Pentagon;
- Michel Bourbonniere, legal counsel for the Canadian Space Agency;
- Frans Von Der Dunk, professor at University of Nebraska College of Law and board member of the International Institute of Space Law;
- Matthew Schaefer, College of Law professor and director of UNL's Space and Telecom Law Program.
Panelists will explore topics such as whether international law is a sufficient gap-filler to operationalize space law; when United Nations Charter Article 2(4)/51 is triggered in space operations; whether ground and cyber attacks impacting space operations are subject to space rules; how the line between space activities deserving a civil/criminal response or a military response should be delimited; how Necessary, Proportionate and Discriminate between combatants and non-combatants works in space; when laws of war are triggered; whether the air regime providing differing treatments to civil and military aircrafts provides any useful analogies or models for the space regime; and whether the current approach to cyber activities provides any useful models for space regime or vice versa.
There is no cost to attend the conference, but registration is required. To register, visit http://spaceandtelecomlaw.unl.edu/conferences/registration.shtml.
UNL has the world's only English-speaking master of laws program in space and telecommunications law, offering a credential that can launch students into careers dealing with legal issues associated with commercial space travel, satellite placement and the transmission of information.
- Molly Brummond, Law