Christopher Johnson
Space Lawyer in Washington, D.C.
I am the Space Law Advisor at the Secure World Foundation, an NGO focused on space sustainability. I also teach space law at Georgetown law, and at the International Space University (ISU).
I am interested in norms (laws, standards, best practices) for outer space, including norms to prevent conflict, remove debris, service satellites, and access and use space resources.
I am also interested in inclusive discussions between the commercial, scientific, and military communities, as well as other voices, in the discussions for developing space sustainably, and especially in discussions on emerging activities in space, such as megaconstellations, private space exploration, and the governmental oversight over these activities.
In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that the current framework regulating activities in outer space is filled with various deficiencies, including both intentional and inadvertent gaps and uncertainties in the law. Here are some presentations and writing I have done on this topic:
Deficiencies and Pressing Issues in the Existing Legal Regime for Outer Space https://swfound.org/media/206838/deficiencies-and-pressing-issues-in-the-existing-legal-regime-of-outer-space.pdf
What is allowed in Outer Space? https://blog.oup.com/2018/03/outer-space-law/