Guide last updated by Katherine Read, August 2023
This guide was created by Katherine Read, Principal Library Assistant at the IALS Library.
Email katherine.read@sas.ac.uk
We'd love to hear your comments about this Research Guide.
Email ials@sas.ac.uk
This guide aims to give a brief introduction to the Library's holdings on air and space law. Please consult the Library Catalogue for complete information on current titles and locations. If you require further assistance please contact us.
Monday-Friday 9:30-17:00
Tel (0)20 7862 5790
Email ials@sas.ac.uk
This Subject Guide only lists a selection of Library resources on air and space law. To find additional resources you will need to search the Library Catalogue, which covers the complete holdings of the Library. It is possible to search for books, journals and series of law reports by author, title or keyword. Please note it is not possible to search for individual chapters, journal articles or legislation (e.g. individual Acts or SIs).
IALS Library is mainly open access and readers are able to browse the shelves in the main collection. There are two main exceptions to this:
Please request these at the Library Enquiry Desk.
For more information on understanding the catalogue record and further guidance on the location of materials please refer to our guide Classmarks and the Location of Resources in the Library.
The Library classifies textbooks either by jurisdiction (GO13, GA2 etc.) or according to subject area, examples of which include Comparative Law (SB), Public International Law (SG) and Private International Law/ Conflict of Laws (SH).
All classmark sections have a FOL section for oversize volumes, which is located on the same floor of the Library.
When you are searching the Library Catalogue for books, please note that only the current edition is held on the open shelves or in the Short Loan collection. IALS has a rich collection of previous editions held in the closed basement and these will display a Depository number on the catalogue. Please request previous editions from the Library Enquiry Desk.
International air and space law material is shelved at SG90.
The following list represents a selection of textbooks on air and space law. Please check the catalogue records for further information and location: Titles marked as e-books may also be available in print. Access from home requires your IALS library barcode and your family name. E books with 'open access' status on the catalogue are available to all users of this guide.
Benkö, M. Space law: reconsidering the definition/delimitation question and the passage of spacecraft through foreign airspace. 2013
Blount, P. & Hofmann, M. Space law in a networked world Brill Nijhoff 2023
Byers, M. Who owns outer space? : international law, astrophysics and the sustainable development of space. CUP 2023 (open access)
Diederiks-Verschoor, I. Introduction to space law. 3rd rev. ed. 2008
Diederiks-Verschoor, I. Introduction to air law. 9th rev. ed. 2012
Dunk, F.G. Von der & Brus, M.M.T.A. The international space station: commercial utilisation from a European legal perspective. 2006
Dunk, F.G. Von der & Tronchetti, F. Handbook of space law 2015 Elgar (e-book)
Dunk, F.G. Von der. International space law 2018
Dunk, F. G Von der Advanced introduction to space law 2020
Failat, Y. & Ferrera-Snyman, A. Outer space law: legal policy and practice 2022
Giemulla, E. & Weber, L. International and EU aviation law. Selected issues. 2011
Goh, G. Dispute settlement in international space law : a multi-door courthouse for outer space. 2007 Brill (e-book)
Haanappel, P. Law and policy of air space and outer space: a comparative approach. 2003
Havel, B. The principles and practice of international aviation law 2014
Hobe, S et al. Cologne commentary on space law 3 vols. 2009-2015
Hobe, S. Space law 2nd ed. Beck 2023
Hodgkinson, D. & Johnston, R. Aviation law and drones: Unmanned aircraft and the future of aviation 2018
Jakhu, Ram S. National regulation of space activities. 2010
Krause, Charles, F. Aviation tort and regulatory law. 2nd ed. 2023
Larsen, P. Aviation law: cases, laws and related sources. 2nd ed. 2012
Lyall, F. & Larsen, P. Space law: a treatise. 2nd ed. 2018
McGill, M.et al. Sustainable Development, International Aviation, and Treaty Implementation. 2018 Cambridge (e-book)
Oduntan, G. Sovereignty and jurisdiction in the airspace and outer space. 2012
Ronzitti, N. & Venturini, G. Law of air warfare : contemporary issues. 2006
Shawcross, C. & Beaumont. Air law. 4th ed. 1977-
Steer, C. & Hersch, M. War and Peace in Outer Space: Law, Policy, and Ethics. 2020 Oxford Academic (e-book)
Tompkins, G. Liability rules applicable to international air transportation as developed by the courts in the United States. 2010
Zannoni, D. Disaster management and international space law 2019 Brill (e-book)
IALS Library holds a selection of current serial titles on air and space law from many different jurisdictions. These are located on all floors of the Library. Some titles are only in printed volumes while others or available in both formats. For more detailed help, please refer to the guide on Finding journal articles. The following titles focus particularly on Air and Space law but there may be relevant articles in less specialised journals.
Colloquium on the law of outer space. Proceedings
Journal of air law and commerce (open access journal)
If you are interested in legislation or cases concerning air and space law issues in specific countries you will need to consult the legislation or law reports for that jurisdiction.
Consult the Library Catalogue to find the general classmark for the country you require. Consult consolidations of legislation, digests or indexes to trace particular acts or cases.
Academic users may also use databases like Lexis/Westlaw to find UK, US, EU or international decisions. For further information please refer to Law Databases or ask at the Library Enquiry Desk.
You may also find it useful to refer to our guides on finding Legislation and Cases or check to see if we have a Jurisdiction Research Guide for the country you are interested in.
Eagle-i is an internet portal maintained and updated by IALS library staff. It allows you to search for quality web resources on air and space law.
The following represent a sample of the available quality individual web resources on air and space law.
Air Transport Portal of the European Commission
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/index_en.htm
Civil Aviation Authority
European Space Policy Institute
International Civil Aviation Organization
https://www.icao.int/Pages/default.aspx
International Institute of Air and Space Law
https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/law/institute-of-public-law/institute-of-air-space-law
London Institute of Space Policy and Law
http://www.space-institute.org
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs