CHALLENGES OF REMOTE-SENSING POLICIES AND CODIFICATION IN I.R.IRAN

摘要

Article 6 of the Outer Space Treaty 1967 encourages determining responsibility of States for national space policies and codification of related laws from the international law perspective. According to this Article each respective State party to the Treaty bears responsibility for authorization and continuous supervision on activities carried out by governmental and nongovernmental entities. Among these activities national policies and laws for remote-sensing is of specific concern. Presence of a developing State such as Iran in remote-sensing activities is significant from three aspects: 1) activities of this State in designing, building and launching remote-sensing satellites as a sensing State 2) activity of this State and its nationals in applying remote-sensing data as a user; 3) reactions of this State toward remote-sensing of its territory by remote-sensing satellites of other State as a sensed State Since launch of LANDSAT by the United States, Iran has established a center for remote-sensing and has been active in processing and providing satellite images. Also Iran is determined to be more active in outer space activities. She has launched several objects to the outer space and is planning to launch a remote sensing satellite in a near future. Structurally, she has concentrated its space activities in a governmental agency; however, it lacks national space policies and law. Whatsoever carried out up to now has been based on the general policies of the State and the constitutional code. This paper while discussing structural frameworks governing on remote-sensing in Iran, tries to investigate activities and reactions of this State as remote sensing, user, and sensing. Through studying history at its national space codification, it discusses challenges for establishing national space law from the domestic and international perspectives.