Events

October 7, 2024

ETH Global Lecture Series: Who Owns the Moon?

9 Dec 2024 – Unlike any other time in human history, humanity sits on the threshold of the universe. As the commercial space industry grows in influence and importance, complex legal and ethical questions emerge. Join us as we navigate the intricacies, gaps, and inconsistencies of space law.

After millennia of being awed by the night sky and centuries of studying the patterns of stars and planets, the vast resources of space are within our grasp. Last year, the global space industry skyrocketed launching 3,000 satellites, interplanetary probes, landers, and much more. In the United States, SpaceX was responsible for almost 90% of these launches and now more than 70 other countries are demonstrating space capabilities. As a result, complex legal and ethical questions emerge about territory, resource rights, sustainability, equity, and the preservation of the space environment.

Join Michelle Hanlon, a leading voice in space law and Executive Director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi, as she takes us through the intricacies of space law – exploring the human boundaries that exist as we travel the Universe.

In Hanlon’s presentation, you will discover:

– The importance of safeguarding historic sites on the Moon and beyond—not just as a tribute to our past, but as essential stepping-stones for our future explorations.

– The gaps in space law specifically, the differing obligations that space law imposes on scientific and commercial activities, as well as governmental and private actors.

– The intergovernmental treaties and agreements that form the backbone of space law, and how they are set to gain unprecedented significance in our increasingly crowded and competitive cosmic landscape.

– How we can navigate this exciting frontier responsibly and ethically, ensuring that our ventures into space enrich not only our own species but the entire universe.

Speakers

– Michelle Hanlon, Executive Director of the Air and Space Law Program at the University of Mississippi and its Center for Air and Space Law

– Luca Thanei, Research Assistant in the Chair for the History of Technology, Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences at ETH Zurich (panelist)

-Catherine Kropf, Deputy Head of the Swiss Space Office at the State Secretariat for Education Research & Innovation SERI of the Swiss Confederation (panelist)

– Rodrigo Polanco, Legal Adviser, Swiss Institute of Comparative Law. Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Academic Coordinator, World Trade Institute (panelist)