[ceejayoz]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Liability_Convention

Only used once, when the Soviets dropped a nuclear reactor on Canada.

> States (countries) bear international responsibility for all space objects that are launched within their territory. This means that regardless of who launches the space object, if it was launched from State A's territory, or from State A's facility, or if State A caused the launch to happen, then State A is fully liable for damages that result from that space object.

[walrus01]

As I recall a village in Australia also billed NASA with their standard municipal littering fine, for skylab debris that landed there, and the bill was paid 20+ years later by a radio station as a publicity stunt.

[krick]

I feel like it should be updated. When it was written it wasn't like every Musk could launch high-orbit rockets on sundays. Only actual states did.

[dragonwriter]

The convention does not prevent national law from providing private liability which may come into play between entities subject to the jurisdiction of the same state or between the state who is liable to other states under the convention and entities operating within the state. So, there is no need to update the convention; the states from which private launches operate simply need adequate domestic law to cover both fully-internal liability and private launcher liability for claims against the government under the convention. (And the US generally does, with the basic regulatory regime being adopted and the private space launch industry operating in the 1980s; it is not an issue that arose with Musk/SpaceX.)

[condiment]

FAA launch licenses require substantial liability insurance. 500 million in this case.

https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/DRSDOCID17389...

[ceejayoz]

States can set whatever rules they like internally. The US can make SpaceX pay them back if they want.

[tcmart14]

No expert, but I would assume, the USA would front it, but then take a case against SpaceX. So it would be Boat Owner v. USA, then USA v. SpaceX shortly after. Although I could be totally wrong.

But yea, seems appropriate to update it or if that is going to be the process, write it in stone.

[oskarkk]

Every rocket flight has to be approved by the government. No launch until FAA (and also FCC) OK's it.

[twic]

Does the thing have to have got into space and then come back for this to apply?

[dr_orpheus]

But don't forget about a local government in Australia fining NASA $400 for littering after debris from Skylab re-entry landed there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab#Re-entry_and_debris