STRENGTHENING THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR UKRAINE’S SPACE ACTIVITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES
Heading:
| 1Malysheva, NR, 1Semenyaka, VV, 1Hurova, AM 1V.M. Koretsky Institute of state and law of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, International Space Law Centre, Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Space Sci. & Technol. 2026, 32 ;(2):115-128 |
| https://doi.org/10.15407/knit2026.02.115 |
| Publication Language: English |
Abstract: Th e article examines the current state of the legal framework governing space activities in Ukraine in the context of escalating
national security challenges, rapid technological development, and ongoing European integration. It substantiates that the eff ective functioning and sustainable development of Ukraine’s space sector are impossible without a coherent, modern, and internally consistent system of legal regulation. Th e authors demonstrate that the existing national space legislation remains fragmented, outdated, and insuffi ciently aligned with international space law and contemporary regulatory standards, which signifi cantly impedes the full implementation of the space activity cycle and the realization of Ukraine’s scientifi c, technological, and industrial potential. Special attention is devoted to the analysis of systemic defi ciencies in the Law of Ukraine “On Space Activities”, including the lack of eff ective implementation mechanisms, terminological inconsistencies, regulatory gaps concerning satellite navigation, Earth remote sensing, space debris management, and the commercialization of space services. Th e article also explores institutional and legal challenges related to public administration of the space sector, highlighting the negative impact of frequent organizational transformations, blurred distribution of competences among state authorities, and the absence of stable strategic governance. Th e study critically assesses implementation of the program-target approach to fi nancing space activities, revealing chronic underfunding, weak performance indicators, and the limited eff ectiveness of state space programs as instruments of sectoral development. In addition, the authors analyse organizational and legal transformations in Ukraine’s rocket-and-space industry, including corporatisation and prospects for privatization, as necessary preconditions for attracting investment and ensuring competitiveness in the global space market. A separate part of the article is devoted to the approximation of Ukrainian space legislation to European Union law. Th e authors examine the mechanisms of legal adaptation under the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement, sectoral cooperation within the EU Space Programme, and the implications of the draft EU Space Act for the future harmonisation of national space regulation. It is argued that alignment with emerging EU space law standards requires not only formal legal adaptation, but also conceptual modernization of Ukraine’s space governance model. Th e article concludes that the systematisation of space legislation, strengthening of institutional coordination, modernization
of legal instruments and deeper integration into European and international space initiatives constitute key priorities for ensuring national security, economic resilience, and the sustainable development of Ukraine’s space sector amid contemporary global challenges. |
| Keywords: space activities; space law; legal regulation of space activiies; national security; public administration; state space policy; programme-based fi nancing; harmonisation of legislation; European Union law; European integration; space security |
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