Satellite and space projects

Our satellite and space projects team includes lawyers with over 18 years' experience of advising on major satellite and space projects in the UK, Europe and worldwide.

Our service

We offer a full service practice advising on:

• Satellite construction
• Launch services
• Satellite capacity agreements
• Financing
• Joint ventures
• Orbital slot licensing and regulation
• Regulatory, licensing and market access issues
• Export controls
• Satellite broadcasting technology
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Disputes

Our team includes lawyers recognised across the space industry as leading advisers. Our core team works closely with our international network of correspondent firms and offices to deliver a seamless service.

Our experience

Our team has advised on some of the most complex satellite and space projects and includes lawyers who have worked as in-house counsel for satellite and space sector businesses. This means we can apply our in-depth understanding of the dynamics of the sector to provide strategic guidance to our clients, as well as highly focused commercial legal advice. Our team has advised leading satellite operators, manufacturers, service providers, national governments, broadcasters, financing parties, regulators and customers.

Highlights of our team’s experience include advising:

• the European Commission/European Space Agency on the procurement of the Galileo global satellite navigation system, including PPP structuring, financing issues, procurement agreement, contract structures, insurance/risk and WTO/EU procurement issues
• a global satellite operator on construction, launch, insurance and carriage agreements
• a major telecoms operator on its international arbitration concerning a defective satellite
• a leading satellite service provider on its space segment capacity agreements and digital broadcast systems
• a national government on the procurement of its first satellite, including the satellite manufacturing agreement, launch services agreement, orbital slot licensing and financing agreements
• a global satellite operator on multi-jurisdictional regulatory/market access issues
• leading European and US satellite operators on landing rights in over 35 countries
• the financing banks on the procurement and financing of the first satellite for an emerging markets government, including the satellite construction/launch agreement and orbital slot usage
• a leading international satellite operator on UK and ITU regulatory issues relating to a strategic joint venture operation
• a major satellite service provider on commercial agreements, export control issues and regulatory matters in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and China.

John Worthy won the UK telecom lawyer client choice award 2010 issued by the International Law Office, based exclusively on recommendations from over 1500 in-house counsel.