LEGAL STATUS OF PRIVATE SPACE COMPANIES IN MODERN SPACE LAW

Abstract

The article examines the legal status of private space companies within the system of modern international and national space law in the context of the commercialization of space activities. The provisions of the main international treaties in the field of space activities are analyzed, in particular the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 regarding the responsibility of states for the activities of non-governmental legal entities, the Liability Convention of 1972 concerning the regime of absolute liability and fault-based liability, as well as the Registration Convention of 1975. The evolution of legal regulation of space activities in Ukraine is examined, including the transition from a licensing to a declaratory system provided by amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On Space Activities" of November 15, 1996, and its impact on the conditions for conducting space activities by privately owned entities. The legal regime of space resources is considered through the prism of national legislation of the USA (in particular the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015), Luxembourg and other states, and the Artemis Accords of 2020 as a new system of principles for space activities are analyzed. Gaps in domestic legislation regarding the registration of space objects, certification and standardization of space technology, as well as liability insurance for damage caused by space objects are identified. The necessity of modernizing the legal regulation of space activities considering the growing role of private business entities is substantiated, and proposals for improving domestic space legislation at the sub-legislative level are formulated. The study provides a basis for further research into the legal consequences of Ukraine's potential accession to the Artemis Accords.