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EDITORIAL INFORMATION

American Space Law: International and Domestic is intended to be a milestone book in space law literature. This milestone status is claimed not because of the ideas within the book but because of the focus of the book. American Space Law is the first space law text to recognize and be structured around a fundamental shift in the nature of space activity and the law regulating such activity.

Major changes in space technology and law require a second edition of American Space Law. I crafted the first edition around a two-era model of space law: the Classical Period (1957-1979) and the Modern Period. Since 1990, space law has entered a third era. The fall of Communism in Eastern Europe and Russia is the most visible but, by no means, the sole reason for this new era in space law and policy.

(Extracted from the prefaces to the first and second editions).

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

-Preface to First Edition.

-Preface to Second Edition.

-List of Acronyms.

-Table of Contents.

-Part I. Introduction.

-I. Space-The Evolving Frontier.

-Part II. International Space Law.

-II. The United Nations and Affiliated Organizations.
-III. International Governmental Organizations.
-IV. International Space Law-The First Era: 1957-1979.
-V. International Space Law-The Second Era: 1979-1991.
-VI. International Space Law-The Third Era: After 1991.

-Part III. Municipal Space Law.

-VII. United States: Public and Private Space Law.
-VIII. The National Aeronautics and Space administration.
-IX. The Federal Communications Commision.
-X. The Department of Transportation and Other Space Bureaucracies.
-XI. Comparative Domestic Space Law.

-Part IV. Conclusions.

-Space Station, Astrolaw, and Beyond.

-Appendices.

-1. Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and the Other Celestial Bodies.
-2. Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts, and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
-3. Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects.
-4. Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
-5. Treaty Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
-6. Principles on Remote Sensing.
-7. Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space.
-8. Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems.
-9. National Aeronautics and Space Act, as Amended.
-10. The "Commercial Space Lauch Act" of 1984, as Amended.
-11. 14 C.F.R. Chapter III-Office of Commercial Space Transportation, Department of Transportation.
-12. Licensing of Private Remote-Sensing Space Systems.
-13. Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992.

-Notes.

-Selective Bibliography.

-Index.

OUR REVIEW

First published in 1988 by the Iowa State University Press, the author, as he mentions in his second preface, has restructured the contents of his book so as to reflect with a greater coherence the political changes that have affected the world in the last years and influenced the future of space policy in a decisive way. In any case, the book describes the history of space legislation from 1957 till our present days, it reviews the American legislation, and also includes in its appendixes a great deal of original texts that will no doubt be very useful for the student as well as any reader interested in these issues. And all that is narrated in a very simple way, without any excessively technical terms, so that it can be easily understood by any reader. The treaties are minutely examined by Goldman and explained in full detail, so as to make the why and wherefore of each issue understandable for the reader.

The first conclusion is that the international laws governing the use of space are (must be) a matter in constant revision, which must respond to the changes imposed by the technological advances that constantly open new paths that, before, were really unexpected. Therefore, and even if each nation is free to legislate independently, everything that affects astronautics and space, given its global influence, must perforce be considered in an international manner, which depends on the political climates of each given moment, and the fast changes affecting our society. Goldman wants to clearly state the fact that space is becoming more and more important, and for this very reason, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make all nations agree. This will be the ultimate objective of all legislators as well as the reason why new editions of this and other books on the same issue will be needed, especially when the international space station is launched into orbit.