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WRegSAT

The Workshops on the Regulation of Space Activities and Technologies (WRegSAT) represent a groundbreaking initiative at the forefront of space governance research. UNSW Canberra is managing this innovative project on behalf of the Australian Centre for Space Governance, which, aims to address the complex challenges and opportunities presented by Australia's rapidly evolving space industry.

The WRegSAT project will consist of a number of annual series, each series comprising three workshops, that bring together experts to examine pressing regulatory issues in the space sector. Each series will focus on a specific regulatory challenge, culminating in the production of a Regulatory Options Paper (ROP). The hope is that these comprehensive documents will serve as valuable resources for policymakers, and other stakeholders, offering insights and recommendations to help shape Australia's evolving framework for the regulation of space activities.

Addressing Australia's Space Ambitions

Australia's space industry is poised for significant growth, with projections indicating a potential market size of AUD$12 billion by 2030 and the creation of 20,000 new jobs. To support this expansion, the WRegSAT project recognises the need for a robust and adaptable regulatory framework that can keep pace with technological advancements and emerging space capabilities.
The project addresses critical questions about how best to regulate the space industry, balancing the need for a world-leading approach to governance with the imperative to foster growth in Australia's domestic space sector.

Key Objectives

The WRegSAT series aims to support several critical objectives that should be of particular interest to legal professionals:

1. Developing options for future-oriented regulations that anticipate and adapt to challenges in the space sector.
2. Ensuring sustainability in space activities.
3. Supporting innovation and competitiveness in Australian space enterprises.
4. Aligning space regulations with national security priorities and international agreements.
5. Proposing regulatory options that meet or exceed global standards.
6. Proposing exemplary regulatory models that can influence international frameworks.
7. Gathering and incorporating unique Australian perspectives, including insights from First Nations Peoples.

Interdisciplinary Approach

The WRegSAT project highlights the interdisciplinary nature of space governance, bringing together experts from various fields including law, humanities, engineering and technology. This approach recognises that effective space regulation requires a holistic understanding of the complex interplay between legal, ethical, and technical considerations.

The current scope of Australian space activities and technologies is significantly broader than the scope of the Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018. Emerging space capabilities like active debris management, on-orbit servicing, lunar operations, and space resource exploitation are not adequately covered by existing regulations. The experts in the WRegSAT project will develop options for a regulatory framework that could address these gaps and that will be adaptable to future opportunities and challenges. This project is independent of government and of the regulator, the Australian Space Agency, which is charged with designing policy in the space sector. However, an observer from the Australian Space Agency will attend the workshops.

Stakeholder Engagement

The WRegSAT series emphasises the importance of engaging a broad range of stakeholders in the regulatory process. This inclusive approach ensures that the resulting framework considers diverse perspectives and interests within the space industry.

Global Context

With the global space industry projected to reach USD$1.8 trillion by 2035, the WRegSAT project positions Australia to play a significant role in shaping the future of space activities. By addressing emerging capabilities such as active debris management, on-orbit servicing, and space resource exploitation, the project ensures that Australia's regulatory framework remains relevant and competitive on the global stage.
Other universities contributing to the WRegSAT are the Australian National University, University of Adelaide, Flinders University, the University of Newcastle and RMIT. 
 

WRegSAT Series I
 

In 2025 the very first WRegSAT series will undertake a comprehensive survey of the regulatory framework applicable to Australian space activities and technologies, rather than focussing on a specific regulatory challenge. Series I will provide a foundation for the annual series that follow. UNSW Canberra is managing WRegSAT on behalf of the ACSG and Duncan Blake from UNSW Canberra will be the Deputy Chair for Series I, assisted by Margot Ellis on logistics and administration. Australian law firm Gilbert & Tobin have provided the funding to enable this first series, and under the Sponsorship Agreement with UNSW, there is an option to extend the funding to Series II in 2026.
 

The participants in Series I will undertake a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the Australian space regulatory framework, taking into account the evolution of the framework up to now, the scope of current and foreseeable future Australian space activities and technologies, the range of stakeholders in the regulation of Australian space activities and technologies, seeking insights from comparative jurisdictions, noting intersections with the regulatory frameworks for adjacent industries as well as analogies that might be drawn from other industries, and pursuing innovative approaches from regulatory theory. The full details of the Regulatory Challenge are in the document below, supported by five Supplementary Briefs.
 

The participants in Series I are:

  • Lesley Sutton, Chair, from Gilbert & Tobin

  • Duncan Blake, Deputy Chair, from UNSW Canberra

  • Margot Ellis, Space Governance Research Officer from UNSW Canberra

  • Bill Barrett, from Asia Pacific Aerospace Consultants

  • Andrew Hutchinson, from Praxis Aerospace

  • Shena Howell, from Shoal Group

  • Luke Standen, from Gilbert & Tobin

  • Professor Melissa de Zwart, from Adelaide University

  • Professor Matthew Stubbs, from Adelaide University

  • Honorary Professor Deen Sanders, from University of Newcastle

  • Associate Professor Melrose Brown, from UNSW Canberra

  • Associate Professor Stacey Henderson, from Flinders University

  • Associate Professor Rebecca Leshinsky, RMIT

  • Dr Cassandra Steer, Chair ACSG

  • Dr Aleks Deejay, Executive Director ACSG

  • Dr Tristan Moss, from UNSW Canberra

  • Dr Joel Lisk, from Flinders University

  • Art Cotterell, from Australian National University
     

An observer from the Australian Space Agency will attend each of the three in-person workshops. Observers from other government departments and agencies are welcome. Where government representatives participate as observers, they will not contribute to, or otherwise seek to influence, the development of the ROP, and their participation is no indication of endorsement of the output of the WRegSAT. The ROP will be presented to the Australian Space Agency, and other interested parties, at the end of the year.
 

The convenors of WRegSAT I welcome and seek input from any stakeholders in the regulation of Australian space activities and technologies. Such input can be provided to any one of the participants listed above, and/or to the Space Governance Research Officer, Margot Ellis: margot.ellis@unsw.edu.au
 

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