SPACE TOURISM: FUTURE OF LEGAL FRAMEWORK?

Abstract

With rapid upcoming technologies in the field of space, a vision or rather a concept has been crystallized. Space tourism is the new born vision, with the underlying motto of commercializing space. Although in its formative years in India, the possibility of having this vision turned into reality has been recognized by the ISRO. While the potential project looks promising, a lot of homework remains to be done, as the concept is still not envisaged in the institutional and legal framework in the country. In a country like ours which is still in the developing stage in the field of space technology, even if it seems to be an achievable challenge, the big question remains, if it is a pragmatic option? As establishing the industry would cost crores and being a luxurious activity, it would mean only for the few in this highly populated country. At the same time the brighter aspect of this promising project cannot be overlooked, if achieved it will be a huge milestone for the country, forming a formidable entity of its’ own in the international space sector. The paper is an attempt to examine the prospects of having this facility in the country. As policies and legal challenges are numerous, the process is tenuous. In this context, it is necessary to understand the requirements of enabling legal, infrastructural and technological framework. Also, the role of private players is of paramount significance and cannot be ignored, if the promising project is to be accomplished. Since there also exists an anti-space tourism perspective, for it ought to be for a certain class of the country, combined with some other aspects which mould this perspective is dealt in the paper. The project has its own implications ranging from economical to environmental. Space being universal, legal obligations need to be followed, as international treaties and conventions play an active role. Thus, the paper on the whole examines the prospects, policy and legal challenges, requirements, anti-perspective towards the industry on the basis of current status of the system, followed by a look at the desired legal structure, the infrastructural setup and the role of private and international players in the accomplishment of the project.