LAW4575 Outer space law
Faculty of Law
LAW4575 Outer space law is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law, offered in 2027 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2027
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
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Requisites
Before LAW4575
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After LAW4575
No unit lists LAW4575 as a prerequisite in the 2027 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Students who commenced their course in or before 2026 must have completed a minimum of 60 credit points of law study.
Students who commenced their course in 2027 or later must have completed a minimum of 54 credit points of law study.
Overview
This unit introduces you to the international and domestic legal frameworks governing the exploration and use of outer space. It examines the foundational principles of outer space law, including peaceful use, freedom of exploration, non-appropriation, international responsibility, liability for damage caused by space objects, registration, rescue and return obligations, environmental protection, and the legal status of astronauts and space objects.
The unit situates outer space law within public international law and considers how doctrines such as sovereignty, jurisdiction, state responsibility, treaty interpretation, environmental protection and the use of force operate in the space context. It also examines the role of international institutions, including the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
Offerings in 2027
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Online quizQuiz / Test10%
- Collaborative policy briefingPresentation30%
- Research essayWritten60%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Demonstrate an understanding of the principal treaties, institutions, concepts, and doctrines of outer space law.
- 2
Apply public international law principles to legal problems involving space activities, including jurisdiction, responsibility, liability, registration, environmental protection, and dispute resolution.
- 3
Critically evaluate the adequacy of existing international legal rules in responding to contemporary challenges such as commercial space activities, space debris, militarisation, and resource use.
- 4
Analyse the relationship between international space law and Australian domestic regulation of launch, return, licensing, safety, and responsibility.
- 5
Collaborate effectively to interpret legal materials, evaluate competing policy arguments, and propose legally reasoned responses to emerging space law problems.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars36 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
Learning resources
Required resources
See the Moodle unit page for prescribed and recommended resources.
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for LAW4575?
LAW4575 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is LAW4575 offered?
In 2027, LAW4575 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
How much work is LAW4575?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does LAW4575 have an exam?
No. LAW4575 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.
More details
- Credit points
- 6
- Level
- 4
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Faculty
- Faculty of Law
- Type
- Coursework
- EFTSL
- 0.125
- Student contribution
- SCA Band 4
- Study abroad
- Available
- Handbook years
- 2027