Licensing system of space activities in China: Status quo, problems and proposed solutions

The outer space activities are creative, strategic and high-risk, and these activities need control and supervision objectively. This leads to the creation of the licensing system of space activities. The licensing system of space activities is subject to both international law and national law. Most space powers in the world have promulgated their domestic space laws and provided for corresponding licensing regulations. In recent years, Chinese space industry developed very fast. The diversification of the subjects in space activities and the commercialization of space activities urged China to establish the licensing system of space activities. Accordingly, China promulgated the Interim Measures for Licensing the Civil Space Launch Project in 2002. So far, this is the only legislation concerning licensing system of space activities in China. However, with the development of space industry over the past 10 years, this legislation shows many problems in applicable scope, legislative levels and specific provisions. Obviously, the legislations lagged far behind the development of the practice of space activities in China. In order to keep up with the development of space industry, China shall focus on improving the legislations relating to the licensing system of space activities. To specify, China shall expand the applicable scope of its legislations, improve the legislative levels and the operability of its legislations, and enhance the procedural guarantees of its licensing system of space activities.