Reliable access to space requires clear rules on who is responsible when launch operations involve several actors, infrastructures and jurisdictions. For spaceport operators, launch providers, payload actors, regulators and insurers, liability is not only a legal issue: it shapes trust, investment, operational planning and the practical workability of Europe’s launch ecosystem.

Why it matters

Spaceport and launch activities may involve shared responsibilities between site operators, launch service providers, payload owners, brokers, manufacturers, public authorities and third parties. If responsibility is unclear, launch campaigns become harder to insure, regulate and coordinate. Clear liability models can reduce uncertainty, support risk allocation and make European spaceports more attractive for commercial and institutional missions.

What AEAAS is looking at

AEAAS examines how liability and responsibility can be addressed in common regulatory practices for European spaceports. The project looks at responsibility allocation, operator and launcher obligations, third-party damage, payload-related risks, dispute resolution, compliance responsibilities and the interaction between liability rules and insurance requirements.

Key questions for stakeholders

• Where are responsibilities currently unclear between spaceport operators, launch providers and payload actors?
• Which risks should be allocated to operators, launch providers, manufacturers or third parties?
• How should liability rules address cross-border or multi-spaceport operations?
• What dispute resolution mechanisms would make launch operations more predictable?
• How can responsibility rules protect public interests without creating excessive burdens for industry?

Stakeholder input

AEAAS invites stakeholders to share practical experience on responsibility allocation, liability risks, dispute resolution and compliance obligations. This input will help identify liability approaches that are clear, enforceable and workable for European spaceport and launch operations.