National Space Legislation–Need of the Hour

“With "outer space" daily becoming less of an abstract notion and more of a cultural reality, the utilization of "near space" must be spoken on a practical level. In the wake of successful Mars fly-overs and landings, humanity must consider the government and management of regions no longer reachable only in imagination, but reachable and exploitable by man and his various technologies. An equitable and binding code of behaviour, applicable to all who venture into these realms, is the concern addressed in our lead article. National space law, like any legal system, should aim to provide traffic-directing regulation and preserve justice. Law should neither lag too far behind space development nor try to predict future regulatory needs. A legal framework is necessary.”