National Space Law
The present collection of laws and regulations, relating to the exploration and use of outer space, is based on submissions made by States. The texts are reproduced in the form and in the language(s) in which they were received from the States and were not formally edited and/or translated by the United Nations.
Disclaimer: Reference to the external websites below does not imply endorsement by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) of their contents. Any views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of UNOOSA. The hyperlinks are provided solely for informational purposes.
In 2022, UNOOSA launched a new platform, called Accessing Space Treaty Resources Online (ASTRO) , which serves as a database of national space laws, policies, and regulations of State members of COPUOS. This database is based on submissions made by States. The texts in the ASTRO database are reproduced in the form and in the language(s) in which they were received from States, and were not formally edited and/or translated by the United Nations.
Argentina
- National Decree No. 995/91, Creation of the National Commission on Space Activities (28 May 1991)
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 7 June 2022 ]
Armenia
- Law No. HO-152-N on Space-related Activities of the Republic of Armenia
- Armenian version (external link) [ link verified 17 December 2021 ]
- Armenian version (external link) [ linkverified17 December2021 ]
- Armenian version (external link) [ linkverified17 December2021 ]
- Armenian version (external link) [ linkverified17 December2021 ]
- Armenian version (external link) [ linkverified17 December2021 ]
Australia
- Space Activities Act 1998 (No. 123, 1998) (as amended, taking into account amendments up to Act No. 8 of 2010)
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified27 November 2021 ]
Austria
- Authorization of Space Activities and the Establishment of a National Space Registry (Austrian Outer Space Act)
- English version (unofficial translation provided by Austria)
- English version (unofficial translation provided by Austria)
Azerbaijan
- Law #603-IVQ of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 19 April 2013 On the Accession to the "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies"
- English version (external link) [ link verified24 April 2023 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified24 April 2023 ]
- Azerbaijani version (external link) [ link verified24 April 2023 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 24 April 2023]
- Azerbaijani version (external link) [ link verified 24 April 2023]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 24 April 2023]
- English version (external link) [ link verified24 April 2023]
- English version (external link) [ link verified10 June 2022 ]
Belarus
- Decree 609 of the President of the Republic of Belarus of 22 December 2004.
- Russian version (external link) [ link verified15 March 2023 ]
- English version
Belgium
- Law on the Activities of Launching, Flight Operations or Guidance of Space Objects
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- French and Dutch version
- English version
Brazil
- Law No. 8.854 of 10 February 1994, Law Establishing the Brazilian Space Agency
- Portugese version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- Portugese version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- Portugese version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- Portugese version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- Portugese version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- Portugese version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- Portugese version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
Canada
- Canadian Space Agency Act
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021]
- French version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
Chile
- Supreme Decree No. 338: Establishment of a Presidential Advisory Committee known as the Chilean Space Agency
- English version (unofficial translation)
China
- China's Space Activities (White Paper of 2016)
- English version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- Chinese version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
Colombia
- Decree 2442 of 18 July 2006 on the Creation of the Colombian Commission of Space (CCE)
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
Costa Rica
- Law No. 9770 on the Creation of the Registry of Spatial Objects
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 3 June 2022 ]
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 3 June 2022 ]
Denmark
- The Danish Outer Space Act (act no.409 of 11 May 2016)
- English version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- English version
- Danish version
Ecuador
- Executive Decree No. 1246 on the Creation of the Ecuadorian Space Institute
- Spanish version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
Finland
- Act on Space Activities (63/2018)
- English version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- Finnish version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
France
- Law No. 61-1382, 20 December 1961 Statute of the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
- French version (external link) [ link verified 17 December 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 17 December 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 17 December 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
Germany
- Law governing the transfer of responsibilities for space activities
- German and English
- German and Russian
- English and Russian
- Chinese version
- Comparative table of terminology - Chinese/English/French/German/Russian/Ukraine
Indonesia
- Law No. 21 of 2013 on Space Activities
-
Italy
- Law No. 23, 25 January 1983: Norms for the implementation of the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects signed in London, Moscow and Washington on 29 March 1972 (Official Gazette, General Series, No. 35, 5 February 1983)
- Italian version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- Italian version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- Italian version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- Italian version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
Japan
- Law No. 161 of 2002 Concerning Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified27 November 2021 ]
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- Act concerning Adequate Handling of Satellite Remote Sensing Data
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified 17 December 2021 ]
- Japanese version (external link) [ link verified 16December 2021 ]
Kazakhstan
- Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Space Activities (No.528-IV of 6 January 2012)
- English version (translation provided by Kazakhstan)
Kenya
Liechtenstein
- Act from 5th October 2023 "On the Authorization of Space Activities and the Registration of Space Objects"
- German version (external link) [ link verified 19 February 2024 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 19 February 2024]
- German version (external link) [ link verified 19 February 2024 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 19 February 2024 ]
Luxembourg
- Law of 27 July 1991 on Electronic Media
- French version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
Netherlands
- Rules Concerning Space Activities and the Establishment of a Registry of Space Objects (Space Activities Act)
- English version (translation provided by the Netherlands)
- English version (translation provided by the Netherlands)
- English version (translation provided by the Netherlands)
- English version (translation provided by the Netherlands)
- English version (translation provided by the Netherlands)
- English version (translation provided by the Netherlands)
- English version (translation provided by the Netherlands)
New Zealand
- Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 July 2022 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 July 2022 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 July 2022 ]
Nigeria
- National Space Research and Development Agency Act (NASRDA Act)
Norway
- No. 38, 13 June 1969, Act on Launching Objects from Norwegian Territory into Outer Space
- English version (unofficial translation)
Peru
- Decree-Law No. 20643 (establishing the Comision Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo Aeroespacial - CONIDA)
- Spanish version [ link verified 24 April 2023]
- Spanish version [ link verified 24 April 2023]
- Spanish version [ link verified 24 April 2023]
Philippines
- Commonwealth Act No. 146 (1936) or the Public Service Act, as amended
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
Poland
- Act of 26 September 2014 creating the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) (as amended in 2019)
- Polish version external link) [ link verified 8 June 2022 ]
Portugal
- Decree-Law no. 16/2019, of 22 January, Legal regime of access to and exercise of space activities
- Portuguese version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- Portuguese version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- Portuguese version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
Republic of Korea
- Space Development Promotion Act
- English version (unofficial translation)
- English version (unofficial translation)
Russian Federation
- Law of the Russian Federation No. 5663-I "On Space Activities" of 20 August 1993
South Africa
- Statutes of the Republic of South Africa - Trade and Industry No.84 of 1993, Space Affairs Act, 1993
Slovenia
- Space Activities Act
- Slovene version (external link) [ link verified 8 June 2022 ]
- English version (unofficial translation)
Spain
- ROYAL DECREE 278/1995, dated 24th February 1995, establishing in the Kingdom of Spain of the Registry foreseen in the Convention adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 2nd November 1974
- Spanish version (extenal link) [link verified 16 August 2024)
Sweden
- Act on Space Activities (1982:963)
- English version (unofficial translation)
- English version (unofficial translation)
Tunisia
- Decree n°84-1125 of 24 September 1984 (modified by decree n°931642 of 9 August 1993) on the creation of the National Commission of the Outer space
- French version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
- French version (external link) [ link verified 21 December 2021 ]
Türkiye
- Presidential Decree on the Establishment of Turkish Space Agency (Türkiye Uzay Ajansı Hakkında Cumhurbaşkanlığı Kararnamesi)
- Turkish version (external link) [ link verified 30 December 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 24 April 2023 ]
Ukraine
- Decree of the President of Ukraine on the establishment of the National Space Agency of Ukraine (29 February 1992, No. 117)
- English version (unofficial translation)
- Ukrainian version
- English version (unofficial translation)
- Ukrainian version
- English version (unofficial translation)
- Ukrainian version
- English version (unofficial translation)
- Ukrainian version
- English version (unofficial translation)
- Ukrainian version
- Russian version
- English version (translation provided by the Russian Federation)
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Outer Space Act (United Kingdom, 1986)
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
United States of America
- United States Code, Title 42 (The Public Health and Welfare), Chapter 26 (National Space Program)
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified18 June 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]
- English version (external link) [ link verified 27 November 2021 ]