The 1972 Liability Convention: time for revision?

The 1972 Liability Convention is an example of the interaction of international policy, international relations and economy. It helps define liability for damage caused by space objects. However, with more and more space activities taking place on a daily basis, along with the trend towards commercialization, the continued application of the Convention faces severe challenges. Consequently, a serious review of the Convention is needed after more than 30 years of its existence. With possible revision the Convention would offer clear guidelines for decision makers to decide cases in a rational way best suited to the development of space operations.