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"Under space law, that box of electronics is literally under the law of the licensing or launching state - it is an actual embassy in space," he says.

The main and in fact only legal framework for international space law is the U.N.'s Outer Space Treaty.

There is other relevant legislation and policy in addition to international space law, of course.

JR Catchpole, co-author of the paper and a space law expert at Foot Anstey LLP, said:

Michelle Hanlon, space lawyer and Executive Director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, thinks this is a travesty.