Liability for Damages caused by Launching Small Satellites by Private Companies and Startups

In recent years, revival of small satellites, especially CubeSats, has attracted many private companies and startups to the new space Industry. Like any other activity, launching these cheap and popular satellites is a high-risk activity and may cause damages on the surface of the Earth, to aircraft in flight or in outer space. Due to surge in launching small satellites by private companies and startups, this study tries to find the conformity of the liability for damages caused by launching small satellites by the private sector with the requirements of Outer Space Treaty and the Liability Convention through examining these Treaties, the practice of States where there has been an increase in the private missions of Small Satellites, and the regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran.