International Legal Regulation of Space Tourism

• Author: Irina R?zhenko and Olena Halahan
• Position: Ph.D. in Law, Associate Professor, Kherson State University (Kherson, Ukraine)/Senior lecturer, Kherson State Maritime Academy (Kherson, Ukraine)
• Pages: 83-90

Advanced Space Law, Volume 5, 2020 83

International Legal Regulation of Space Tourism

Irina Rуzhenko1

Ph.D. in Law, Associate Professor, Kherson State University

(Kherson, Ukraine)

E-mail: Rigenko_Irina@ukr.net

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9208-2132

Olena Halahan2

Senior lecturer, Kherson State Maritime Academy (Kherson, Ukraine)

E-mail: olena_halahan@ukr.net

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8392-6965

Rуzhenko, Irina, and Olena Halahan (2020) International Legal Regulation of Space

Tourism. Advanced Space Law, Volume 5, 83-90. https://doi.org/10.29202/asl/2020/5/8

The article analyzes the state of legal regulation of the process of organization and implementation of

space tourism, denes the features of its application and its place in modern international space law. The

legal norms in the eld of space travel and the legal bases of their organization were analyzed.

An attempt to analyze the legal status of persons taking part in space missions was made. The

issue of the international legal personality of the participants of the space tourist service contract

was investigated. Particular attention was paid to the legal status of space tourists. The content of the

denition of “cosmonauts as messengers of humanity into space” was analyzed. The issues of the risks

inherent in space tourism activities and the international legal liability of the parties to the space tourist

services contract were considered. It has been stated that a space traveler has a certain amount of rights

and obligations throughout the period, from the beginning of preparation to the journey and ending

with the period after returning to Earth. An indicative list of space tourists’ rights has been restated,

and examples of their obligations and limitations in time and space have been provided. It was noted

that the legal status of persons who have the status of space tourists, does not coincide with the status

of professional astronauts, despite the fact that the rst and second performing space travel. It is proved

that the concept of “space tourist” is an integral part of the concept of “participant of space ight”.

The study found that space tourists have the opportunity to undertake space travel on the basis of a

contract for space tourist services and solely on a commercial basis. It was stated that the activities to

be conducted while the tourist is in space should be well planned and approved by a particular state

body — the national space agency of the launching country. A specic condition for the participation of

a space tourist in space ight is the process of its preparation and the passage of special selection, which

includes checking personal, biographical, medical information about the person, physical and mental

health status, command of the language of communication and so on.

© Ryzhenko, Irina, 2020

© Halahan, Olena, 2020