Outer Space Act 1986
| Year | 1986 |
Outer Space Act 1986
1986 CHAPTER 38
An Act to confer licensing and other powers on the Secretary of State to secure compliance with the international obligations of the United Kingdom with respect to the launching and operation of space objects and the carrying on of other activities in outer space by persons connected with this country.
[18th July 1986]
Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Application of Act
1 Activities to which this Act applies.
1.—This Act applies to the following activities whether carried on in the United Kingdom or elsewhere—
2 Persons to whom this Act applies.
(1) This Act applies to United Kingdom nationals, Scottish firms, and bodies incorporated under the law of any part of the United Kingdom.
(2) For this purpose ‘United Kingdom national’ means an individual who is—
(a ) a British citizen, a British Dependent Territories citizen, a British National (Overseas), or a British Overseas citizen.
(b ) a person who under the British Nationality Act 1981 is a British subject, or
(c ) a British protected person within the meaning of that Act.
(3) Her Majesty may by Order in Council extend the application of this Act to bodies incorporated under the law of any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or any dependent territory.
Licensing of activities
3 Prohibition of unlicensed activities.
(1) A person to whom this Act applies shall not, subject to the following provisions, carry on an activity to which this Act applies except under the authority of a licence granted by the Secretary of State.
(2) A licence is not required—
(a ) by a person acting as employee or agent of another; or
(b ) for activities in respect of which it is certified by Order in Council that arrangements have been made between the United Kingdom and another country to secure compliance with the international obligations of the United Kingdom.
(3) The Secretary of State may by order except other persons or activities from the requirement of a licence if he is satisfied that the requirement is not necessary to secure compliance with the international obligations of the United Kingdom.
(4) An order shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
4 Grant of licence.
(1) The Secretary of State may grant a licence if he thinks fit.
(2) He shall not grant a licence unless he is satisfied that the activities authorised by the licence—
(a ) will not jeopardise public health or the safety of persons or property,
(b ) will be consistent with the international obligations of the United Kingdom, and
(c ) will not impair the national security of the United Kingdom.
(3) The Secretary of State may make regulations—
(a ) prescribing the form and contents of applications for licences and other documents to be filed in connection with applications;
(b ) regulating the procedure to be followed in connection with applications and authorising the rectification of procedural irregularities;
(c ) prescribing time limits for doing anything required to be done in connection with an application and providing for the extension of any period so prescribed;
(d ) requiring the payment to the Secretary of State of such fees as may be prescribed.
5 Terms of licence.
(1) A licence shall describe the activities authorised by it and shall be granted for such period, and may be granted subject to such conditions, as the Secretary of State thinks fit.
(2) A licence may in particular contain conditions—
(a ) permitting inspection by the Secretary of State of the licensee's facilities, and inspection and testing by him of the licensee's equipment;
(b ) requiring the licensee to provide the Secretary of State as soon as possible with information as to—
(i) the date and territory or location of launch, and
(ii) the basic orbital parameters, including nodal period, inclination, apogee and perigee,
and with such other information as the Secretary of State thinks fit concerning the nature, conduct, location and results of the licensee's activities;
(c ) permitting the Secretary of State to inspect and take copies of documents relating to the information required to be given to him;
(d ) requiring the licensee to obtain advance approval from the Secretary of State for any intended deviation from the orbital parameters, and to inform the Secretary of State immediately of any unintended deviation;
(e ) requiring the licensee to conduct his operations in such a way as to—
(i) prevent the contamination of outer space or adverse changes in the environment of the earth,
(ii) avoid interference with the activities of others in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space,
(iii) avoid any breach of the United Kingdom's international obligations, and
(iv) preserve the national security of the United Kingdom;
(f ) requiring the licensee to insure himself against liability incurred in respect of damage or loss suffered by third parties, in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, as a result of the activities authorised by the licence;
(g ) governing the disposal of the payload in outer space on the termination of operations under the licence and requiring the licensee to notify the Secretary of State as soon as practicable of its final disposal; and
(h ) providing for the termination of the licence on a specified event.
6 Transfer, variation, suspension or termination of licence.
(1) A licence may be transferred with the written consent of the Secretary of State and in such other cases as may be prescribed.
(2) The Secretary of State may revoke, vary or suspend a licence with the consent of the licensee or where it appears to him—
(a ) that a condition of the licence or any regulation made under this Act has not been complied with, or
(b ) that revocation, variation or suspension of the licence is required in the interests of public health or national security, or to comply with any international obligation of the United Kingdom.
(3) The suspension, revocation or expiry of a licence does not affect the obligations of the licensee under the conditions of the licence.
Other controls
7 Register of space objects.
(1) The Secretary of State shall maintain a register of space objects.
(2) There shall be entered in the register such particulars of such space objects as the Secretary of State considers appropriate to comply with the international obligations of the United Kingdom.
(3) Any person may inspect a copy of the register on payment of such fee as the Secretary of State may prescribe.
8 Power to give directions.
(1) If it appears to the Secretary of State that an activity is being carried on by a person to whom this Act applies—
(a ) in contravention of section 3 (licensing requirement), or
(b ) in contravention of the conditions of a licence,
he may give such directions to that person as appear to him necessary to secure compliance with the international obligations of the United Kingdom or with the conditions of the licence.
(2) He...
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