IOM: Proposed Space Objects Register

The Department of Economic Development in the Man Government, in conjunction with the Communications Commission is to invite tenders to investigate options for extending the Island’s space activity through introducing a mechanism for licensing space objects and/or the options for setting up a facility to register space objects via the Island. The Department of Economic Development is aware of the success of the ship and aircraft registers and would like to evaluate the full potential and commercial benefits of establishing a mechanism for licensing space objects and/or the options for setting up a facility to register space objects via the Island.

The legal basis for the Island’s involvement in the space industry comes from the Outer Space Act (of the UK Parliament) 1986 and the subsequent Outer Space Act 1986 (Isle of Man) Order 1990.

Advertisements inviting tenders for this work will appear in the press shortly. This is a strategic piece of work for the Isle of Man Government and the study will include the following specific objectives:

• The report should investigate the full potential and commercial benefit of establishing a mechanism for licensing space objects and/or the options for setting up a facility to register space objects via the Island.
• The report should examine similar legislation enacted in other jurisdictions and determine whether similar proven legislation would be suitable for introduction in the Isle of Man.
• The study will need to understand and recognize the constitutional relationship between the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom and in this instance in particular, given how the isle of Man derives its legal powers in this regard.
• The Study must be both transparent and as technically robust as possible, and will focus on characterising the potential commercial opportunities for the Isle of Man.

Commenting on the decision to progress with this initiative, Minister for Economic Development, Hon. Allan Bell MHK commented: “The Isle of Man has achieved considerable success in recent years in developing its space industry and at the same time has been very successful in developing its aircraft and ship registries. I believe the time is right to now also examine how we can capitalise on these successes by looking at the creation of a space objects register and the potential economic benefits that such a register could bring”