The Planet's Space Biz Portal

 

ISS Logo

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS AN ARCHIVED VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL SITE.

As a NYC realtor who’s been obsessed with space since I first watched 2001: A Space Odyssey while drafting a lease renewal in a Queens walk-up, discovering the archived resurrection of SpaceBizStation.com felt like stumbling onto lunar real estate listings in a dusty filing cabinet on the Moon.

Reading through this galactic time capsule, I was instantly reminded of how maintaining a site like this is no different than managing a vast, creaky pre-war co-op on the Upper West Side—just swap leaking radiators for malfunctioning Soyuz capsules and fracturing space/time wormholes. The archived site is charming, geeky, and yes—gloriously retrofuturistic. I nearly spit out my espresso when I read, “don’t feed the e-terrestrials.” Classic.

But here’s the thing—while space law portals navigate debris fields of treaties and interstellar bureaucracy, we down here battle DOB inspections, landmark commissions, and the occasional hostile co-op board. The risks may differ—cosmic radiation versus cranky tenants—but the margin for error is just as thin. Jesse Londin’s devotion to rebuilding this portal echoes the same relentless drive I see in NYC real estate moguls like Dov Hertz: navigating complexity, safeguarding legacies, and launching big visions—except with a lot less zero gravity.

And let’s be real—whether you're docking with the ISS or securing air rights over a bodega, you better know the rules or risk orbital decay... or a DOB stop-work order. Bravo to whoever brought this beauty back online. Per ardua ad astra—and don’t forget your helmet (or your Certificate of Occupancy). Judith Resnikopf

So now, space law rangers, let's travel back to 2003 and see what's happening

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Spacelawstation.com
The planet's space law portal
8/28/2003
Welcome aboard, space law rangers. We're orbiting webs pace to bring space lawyers, businesspeople, policy makers and other earthlings a galaxy of resources relating to civil space law and commerce. Glad you could join us! Space tourists welcome. Ready for launch? Please put on your space suits, keep your hands in the orbiter and don't feed the e-terrestrials.

Three... two... one... zero... LIFTOFF!
Per ardua ad astra...

About

Spacelawstation.com
The planet's space law portal

Spacelawstation.com® went orbital in 2000 and has been adding modules ever since. Created and piloted by New York-based lawyer, journalist and Web producer Jesse Londin, Spacelawstation (dock with us at http://www.spacelawstation.com, or use our handy wormhole at http://www.spacebizstation.com) serves as the planet's launch pad for space lawyers, business owners, policymakers, government officials, professors, students, visiting extraterrestrial dignitaries and other space loving, space-faring folks looking for U.S. and international space law resources.

- Step into the portal for information about and pointers to space treaties, regulations, legal developments and global governmental agencies, along with links to space companies, national and international space organizations, news and media, upcoming events, commerce and more.

- Spacelawstation features the Web's only directory of private practice space lawyers. And for all well-rounded galactic citizens, the Station also dodges space debris to collect noteworthy general law and business links.

- Watch this orbital slot as Spacelawstation grows. We regularly update links and resources. And of course, since this is the e-space age, cool new interactive features and gizmos are always in the works.

- Naturally, Spacelawstation welcomes user input and contributions. Send us your space law articles and documents for posting. And feel free to pop off at any time with suggestions, comments, requests, questions, space lawyer jokes, astronuat jokes, Web editor jokes, and anything else. Or leave a message at the captain's quarters, 516-721-2535. She always listens and usually calls back.

- Hitch your wagon to a digital star. And remember: space is a terrible thing to waste.

- Per ardua ad astra, everyone.

 

International Space Station

Join Spacelawstation.com as we dock with the United States and international partners on board the ISS in orbit.

Background and Updates

  • 2002 International Space Station Status Reports - by NASA, "updated weekly or as events warrant"
  • NASA International Space Station -- NASA'a main public page for the station
  • International Space Station Fact Sheet
  • Space Station User's Guide - by SpaceRef.com
  • International Space Station - Kennedy Space Center's site
  • Space Station Science Operation News - from Marshall Space Flight Center
  • ISS News and Rumors - updates on delays, malfunctions, snafus, etc.
  • Boeing 's ISS Web Page - ISS prime contractor
  • NASDA Space Station Home Page - Japanese space agency's site
  • Stationed in the Stars - coverage from NOVA Online (PBS)
  • ESA International Space Station - European Space Agency's site
  • CSA International Space Station - Canadian Space Agency's site
  • International Space Station - Discovery.com's showcase
  • City in Space - space station news and features from CNN
  • SpaceChronicle: International Space Station - coverage by HoustonChronicle.com
  • How Space Stations Work - ideally speaking that is, by Howstuffworks.com
  • ISS Congress - a project of the Space Frontier Foundation "to encourage and facilitate discussion about how the International Space Station (ISS) is to be managed after its construction is complete."

Rules for Crews

Principles Regarding Processes and Criteria for Selection, Assignment, Training and Certification of ISS (Expedition and Visiting) Crewmembers - "ISS Crew Criteria Document" applies to professional astronauts and cosmonauts as well as Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, Lance Bass and tourists who follow... (No-no's for station fliers and visitors include drug or alcohol abuse, criminal backgrounds, and "notoriously disgraceful conduct." The document sets forth general medical, psychological, and language criteria, but does not detail training or medical requirements.)
Code of Conduct for the International Space Station Crew - 14 CFR Part 1214 (Federal Register: December 21, 2000 Vol. 65, No. 246). Do's and don'ts for astronauts.

 

Today's News Headlines from SPACE.com

Expedition Seven Crew Doing Well After Month in Orbit
By Jim Banke
Senior Producer,
Cape Canaveral Bureau
posted: 05:00 pm ET
29 May 2003
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- One month into their planned six-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the two-man Expedition Seven crew say they are doing fine.

"Life here is good," astronaut Ed Lu said Thursday during an interview broadcast on NASA TV. "We are having a really good time, we're doing a lot work and I think we're being productive."

Lu and cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, the current station skipper, were launched into orbit April 25 aboard a Soyuz TMA spacecraft. They docked to the ISS two days later and relieved the Expedition Six crew, who returned to Earth on May 3.

Expedition Seven was to be a three-person crew delivered via a NASA space shuttle, but the Feb. 1 Columbia disaster forced a change in plans.

With the shuttle fleet and its large cargo carrying capability grounded for the foreseeable future, NASA and its international partners decided to go with two-person crews to act as outpost caretakers, relying in the meantime on the Russian Soyuz as a crew transfer vehicle.

So far the two-person scheme seems to be working out.

"It can sometimes get a little busier and sometimes it's good to have that third set of hands doing stuff," Lu said, noting that mission managers are doing their best to keep the work load to a minimum. "Things are going pretty good."

The pair are scheduled to remain in space until relieved by the Expedition Eight crew in late October, after which they will return to Earth in the same Soyuz TMA spacecraft they flew into space with.

Both men said they were comfortable that their spacecraft would perform well, despite the troubles the Expedition Six crew had when they re-entered and landed several hundred miles short of the intended target.

Lu said they are following the progress of the Soyuz investigation, as well as the work of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

"We're keeping up with the developments up here," Lu said. "We get regular reports on what they're finding out, and obviously we're going to need some time before we fly the shuttle again."

In other station news, the complex will fire its maneuvering thrusts at 12:50 p.m. EDT (1650 GMT) Friday to raise the outpost's orbit by 1.09 miles (1.77 kilometers) in order to avoid a small communications satellite. The two spacecraft are in very different orbits but their paths are intersecting close enough to require NASA to take the precaution of adjusting the station's trajectory.

This "evasive action" will mark the sixth time since November 1998 that the station has had to move out of the way of potentially damaging objects of one kind or another. The last time was on May 15, 2002.

This is slightly less than the number of evasive maneuvers originally predicted for the ISS program, said NASA spokesman Kyle Herring. That number was two times per year.

Meanwhile, mission managers have declared that the microgravity science glove box inside the Destiny laboratory module is now fully functioning again and science experiments can resume within the container.

The device hasn't been properly working since it was delivered into orbit during the December 2002 shuttle mission. Troubleshooting by the station crews and the delivery of spare parts by a Russian spacecraft resulted in the success.

A so-called "smart fluid" experiment is scheduled next week in which researchers will study the way a new kind of vibration dampening substance works in the near weightlessness of Earth orbit.


Launch Info

Shuttle Launch Schedule

Upcoming Space Shuttle Launches  -  NASA Kennedy Space Center

Call 321-867-4636 for recorded launch information.
All times listed are Eastern Time. Target launch and landing dates are based on Kennedy Space Center assessments. Note: Official launch dates are set at the Flight Readiness Review, held approximately two weeks prior to the targeted liftoff date. However, launch dates and times are subject to change up to the time of launch due to weather, technical issues or other reasons.

 

Today's 2003 News Headlines from SPACE.com

 

  • Antarctic Astronomy: Exoplanet Hunt Moves Way Down Under
  • A Hat, by Hubble
  • Tech Today: Flight of the Navigator
  • Dream Machine: Quantum Step to Mars Set for 2005
  • SPACE.com Exclusive: Mars Agenda Needs Work, Report Concludes
  • Europe's SMART-1 Lunar Probe Ignites Ion Engine
  • The Sky Isn't Falling, But Pieces Sure Are
  • SPACE.com: More News Headlines
  • The Reality of Antimatter
  • NASA Chief Says Station Can Operate With Small Crews

 

What's Hot in 2003

 

(Got a hot space law or biz announcement, cool new link or other noteworthy item? Send it here for posting.)

Upcoming Events

  • Space Law Conference 2003 - "Asia: A Regional Force in Space" (previously scheduled for April 6-8, Beijing, China, POSTPONED due to SARS: new dates to be announced) - presented by the International Institute of Space Law
  • Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, 46th Session - June 11-20, meeting, United Nations Office at Vienna, Vienna International Center, Austria
  • Commercial Remote Sensing: Applications, Policy Issues and Workforce Development - Sept 8-12; Barcelona, Spain
  • 46th Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space (IISL) - at the 54th International Astronautical Congress, Sept 29 - Oct 3, Bremen, Germany
  • International Space Symposium: "Where Space Means Business" - Oct 28-30; The Space Foundation, Washington D.C.

 

Recent Events

If you missed these, check the sites for transcripts or recaps ...

  • Space Law Symposium - May 6; Sydney, Australia, hosted by the School of Law, University of Western Sydney
  • The Legal Applications of Geospatial Data and Information - April 16; The National Remote Sensing and Space Law Center, University of Mississippi School of Law
  • 19th National Space Symposium - April 7-10; The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO; hosted by the Space Foundation
  • March Storm 2003 - March 8-12; ProSpace, Washington, D.C.
  • Satellite 2003 - Feb 26-28; organized by Via Satellite magazine, Washington, D.C.
  • Space at the Crossroads - Feb 19; presented by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Space News, the Space Foundation and the Satellite Industry Association, Washington, D.C.

 

Documents

  • European Space Policy - Green Paper - adopted by the European Commission on January 21, 2003.
  • Market Opportunities in Space: The Near-Term Roadmap - Dec 2002 (released Feb. 2003), Dept. of Commerce
  • Suborbital Reusable Launch Vehicles and Applicable Markets - Oct 2002, Dept. of Commerce
  • Report of the Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization - assessment of the organization and management of space activities in support of U.S. national security, Jan 2001

 

Other Stuff

  • Columbia Accident Investigation Board - official site
  • Journal of Space Law will resume publication in the second half of 2003, according to the U. of Mississippi
  • The Space Review - a new e-zine, launched Feb 2003 (from spacetoday.net)
  • Where is the International Space Station? - look up, it's there; update every minute
  • Space Fact - fascinating facts about spaceflight

 

More Background on SpaceBizStation.com

SpaceBizStation.com, also known as SpaceLawStation.com, is a unique digital resource hub dedicated to the intersection of space law, business, and policy. Launched at the dawn of the 21st century, this website carved a niche for itself as a central portal for space lawyers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, academics, and enthusiasts seeking comprehensive information about the legal and commercial aspects of outer space. This article provides an in-depth exploration of SpaceBizStation.com, covering its ownership, history, goals, content, audience, reputation, and broader cultural significance.

Ownership and Founding

SpaceBizStation.com was created and piloted by Jesse Londin, a New York-based lawyer, journalist, and web producer. Londin’s vision was to establish a launch pad for anyone interested in U.S. and international space law resources, including treaties, regulations, legal developments, and governmental agencies. The site’s tone—both informative and playfully retrofuturistic—reflects Londin’s dual expertise in law and media, as well as a passion for space exploration.

The website’s alternate domain, SpaceLawStation.com, further emphasizes its commitment to legal resources, while the main SpaceBizStation.com branding highlights the commercial side of space activities. The site is not affiliated with any government agency or large corporation, but is instead a product of individual initiative and expertise.

Historical Context and Evolution

Early 2000s: The Space Law and Business Frontier

SpaceBizStation.com went live in 2000, a period marked by a surge of interest in both the commercialization of space and the legal frameworks governing it. The early 2000s saw the rise of private spaceflight initiatives, the expansion of the International Space Station (ISS), and growing debates about space tourism, satellite regulation, and international treaties.

The site quickly became a hub for curated links, original commentary, and practical resources. It was regularly updated with news, event calendars, and directories, reflecting the rapidly evolving landscape of space business and law.

Growth and Features

  • Regular Updates: The site was known for frequent updates, ensuring that its resources remained current with the latest developments in space law and commerce.

  • Expanding Modules: Over time, new sections and features were added, including directories, event calendars, and interactive tools.

  • Community Engagement: Users were encouraged to contribute articles, documents, and suggestions, fostering a collaborative environment.

Website Goals and Mission

The primary mission of SpaceBizStation.com was to serve as a launch pad for anyone interested in space law and business. Its goals included:

  • Providing comprehensive resources on space law and commerce.

  • Offering directories of space lawyers, companies, and organizations.

  • Curating news, events, and legal developments relevant to the space sector.

  • Fostering a community of professionals and enthusiasts interested in space policy and business.

Content and Features

SpaceBizStation.com offered a wide array of content and features tailored to its audience:

Resource Directories

  • Space Lawyers Directory: The only web directory dedicated to private practice space lawyers, making it a valuable tool for those seeking legal expertise in the field.

  • Space Companies and Organizations: Listings of commercial and governmental space entities, both national and international.

  • Treaties and Regulations: Comprehensive pointers to key documents governing space activities.

News and Media

  • Curated News: Regularly updated news headlines from leading space media outlets.

  • Event Calendars: Listings of upcoming conferences, symposia, and workshops in space law and business.

  • Press Coverage: The site was referenced in various legal and industry publications for its unique role as a space law portal.

Educational Materials

  • Background Documents: Access to important policy papers, market reports, and legal analyses.

  • Guides and Fact Sheets: Introductory materials for newcomers to space law and business.

Interactive and Community Features

  • User Contributions: Invitations for users to submit articles, documents, and suggestions.

  • Humor and Culture: A retrofuturistic, playful tone with space-themed jokes and cultural references.

Audience and Popularity

SpaceBizStation.com catered to a diverse audience:

  • Space Lawyers and Legal Scholars: Seeking up-to-date legal resources and directories.

  • Business Professionals: Entrepreneurs and executives in the space industry.

  • Policymakers and Government Officials: Interested in regulations and international treaties.

  • Academics and Students: Looking for educational materials and research resources.

  • Space Enthusiasts: Attracted by the site’s accessible tone and comprehensive content.

The site’s popularity stemmed from its unique blend of authoritative resources and approachable, engaging presentation.

Location and Proximity

While the website itself was digital, its creator, Jesse Londin, was based in New York City. The site’s content often referenced both U.S. and international developments, reflecting a global perspective on space law and business.

Recognition, Awards, and Press Coverage

SpaceBizStation.com was recognized within the space law and business communities for its pioneering role as a comprehensive portal. It was cited in legal journals, industry reports, and conference presentations as a go-to resource for space law information.

Menus, Navigation, and User Experience

  • Main Sections: The homepage provided clear navigation to directories, news, events, and resources.

  • Retro Design: The site’s retrofuturistic aesthetic, complete with playful graphics and space-themed language, set it apart from more conventional legal portals.

  • Interactive Elements: Features such as message boards and submission forms encouraged user engagement.

Reviews and Community Feedback

SpaceBizStation.com received positive feedback from users for its depth of information and engaging style. Community members appreciated the site’s dedication to keeping resources current and its willingness to incorporate user contributions.

Cultural and Social Significance

The site holds a special place in the history of online space law resources:

  • Pioneering Resource: One of the first comprehensive web portals dedicated to space law and business.

  • Community Building: Helped foster a sense of community among space law professionals and enthusiasts.

  • Educational Impact: Provided accessible resources that contributed to the broader understanding of space law and policy.

Notable Examples and Insights

  • ISS Coverage: The site offered detailed background and updates on the International Space Station, including status reports, fact sheets, and links to partner agencies.

  • Event Listings: Comprehensive calendars of major space law conferences and symposia.

  • Policy Documents: Access to key documents such as the European Space Policy Green Paper and U.S. Department of Commerce reports on market opportunities in space.

 

SpaceBizStation.com stands as a testament to the power of individual initiative in creating valuable online resources. Its blend of authoritative content, community engagement, and playful design made it a beloved portal for anyone interested in the legal and commercial aspects of space. While the original site is now archived, its legacy endures as a model for specialized online communities and resource hubs.

 

SpaceBizStation.com