The space law, which covers the rules applicable on all human activities related to exterior space and which touches upon the problems resulting from such activities, occupy a broad spectrum extending from the clauses of a specific insurance contract that concerns a satellite launching system to wide principles that regulate the sovereignty rights of States in the exterior space. For this reason, it is seen that some space law rules consist of implementing the existing domestic principles of law to a new field. In functional terms, the space law has been developed as a sub-branch of international law in order to deal with the practical problems related to the use and research of space.
The United Nations played a leading role during the emergence of space law and within this scope, the timeframe between 4th-10th October has been declared as the World Space Week. There are two dates coming to the forefront about the creation and development of space law: 4 October 1957, when the USSR launched its first artificial satellite Sputnik 1 into space; and 10 October 1967 when the Space Convention took effect about the exploration, usage rights and the activities of States therein, which Turkey is also a signatory of.
The main centers for the developments in space law are without doubt the national space agencies that lead the space policies of States. NASA established by the USA in 1958 is the most widely known one amongst national space agencies currently existing in 38 countries. The establishment of a space agency in Turkey occurred in a very recent period. Firstly, the Council of Ministers submitted the Draft on the Turkish Space Law to the Turkish Parliament on 13.02.2017. This draft didn't become a law but instead, the Turkish Space Agency was established with the "Presidential Decree on the Turkish Space Agency" numbered: 23, that was published on 13 December 2018 in the Official Gazette numbered: 30624.
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