An international treaty laid out the basics of space law in 1967. But without a lot of case history to go on, lawyers today have looked to maritime law and Arctic exploration as they lay the groundwork for how space will be governed.

In partnership with American Experience

Space Law: The Next Generation

Producer: Joshua Fisher
Editor: Kimberly Mayhorn

This story was produced in partnership with PBS, American Experience, to coincide with “Chasing the Moon,” which reimagines the race to the moon for a new generation, upending much of the conventional mythology surrounding the effort.

Related:
Space Holds Allure for Businesses. But How Will Disputes Be Settled? by Clyde Haberman

Transcript
 

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