A Further Research on Legal Issues of the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in Outer Space

The tendency of privation and commercialization of outer space activities highlights the importance of the protection of outer space IPR. The principles of outer space law shall be taken into account when reconstructing legal regimes for outer space IPR. Each state shall make decisions on the granting of IPR to intellectual innovations according to its domestic law regardless of the places. However, when limiting the scope of the objects of outer space IPR and reshaping the restriction systems on outer space IPR, the requirements of those principles of outer space shall be considered together with the objectives of encouraging technical innovation. Applying the laws of ship-flag to those registered outer space objects lacks sound grounds in both theory and practice. It would be better by means of domestic laws or international treaties stating explicitly that IPR laws of the registry state shall be applied to the registered space objects. As for the protection of IPR occurring within the space itself, international treaty shall be the only solution.