Parameters, concepts and the terminology of outer space law: a review of the essential facilities served by outer space activities and the rules of interpretation for treaty law and soft law guidelines.

The 'resilience' of outer space activities is a concept frequently referred to in the context of maintaining the capabilities of space systems, whether from a protective or a security perspective. The notion or description can apply to the requirements for ensuring the protection of space assets, as well as to maintaining their inherent robustness. Activities in outer space are subject to the imponderables of its highly fragile environment, and accompanying risks. Theseincludenaturaldisasters,suchasspaceweather.Equally, activities in outer space allserve some aspect of our common societal needs; these include a continued interest in undertaking scientific research in outer space, whilst ensuring space-based capabilities that have meanwhile become essential civilian services. The concept and notions of resilience now span activities and measures that range from ensuring the safety of outer space assets, to maintaining their integrity. They also include securing accessibility to space. The terminology is often generic. Resilience is a technical attribute and core description among the accompanying elements required to ensure the availability of space-basedoperations that have meanwhile become an essential part of daily services to civil society. The concept of resilience is worth analysing, as are the contexts in which it is used. This paper, in the form of a virtual poster presentation, reviews the various concepts and general principles surroundingtheterminology, asapplicable in the context of rules relating to the resilience of space operations in their current setting. This review includes those measures adopted to secure the operational and informational benefits provided by outer space operations, as well as those that secure non-interference or interruption.