This session will review current issues in space law arising from the renewed global focus on returning to the Moon and the prospect of permanent lunar settlement.

It will consider proposed lunar missions and plans by NASA, the European Space Agency, China and Roscosmos, and will examine how existing principles of international space law, including the non-appropriation of outer space and celestial bodies, apply to these developments.

The session will also explore how the need for lunar development can be reconciled with private and common usage, the application of the ‘peaceful purposes’ principle and restrictions on certain military establishments, and the legal issues surrounding commercial activities on the Moon, including intellectual property and international agreements for commercial operations.