Results of the first NPOC Space Law Essay Competition

In the academic year 2021/22, the NPOC (National Point of Contact) Space Law Austria launched its first Essay Competition on current issues in space law. Applicants were invited to submit a 5,000 words essay on one of three topics, which had also been the subject of the Young Lawyers Symposium of the ECSL (European Centre for Space Law).

The competition attracted submissions by students from different Austrian universities, including Erasmus students. The winner was Arya Gerda Haager (Johannes Kepler University Linz) with her essay on "The Importance of Non-Binding Instruments in International Space Law").

The second place went to Andra Tofan on "The Quest for Purposefully Designing a Legal Regime on Mars", and the third rank was won by Michael Bigl for his essay on "Setting up a Legal Regime to Preserve a Precious Dream – Why Legal Norms for Mars are of Paramount Importance".

The winning essay by Arya Gerda Haager has been published at npocspacelaw.univie.ac.at.

The NPOC Space Law Austria is looking forward to the next issue of the Essay Competition, which is planned to take place in the academic year 2022/23.

Winning essay by Arya Gerda Haager: The Importance of Non-Binding Instruments in International Space Law (pdf, 244.02 kB)