

Satellites
Allen & Overy offers a global legal service that provides advice on satellite financing, space and satellite regulation and launch and in-orbit insurance, as well as disputes, corporate and commercial issues.
Our space, transportation, technology, regulatory, financing, corporate, cybersecurity and dispute resolution teams provide a seamless and integrated legal service to help you navigate the dynamic and rapidly evolving space and satellite sector, from the traditional Geo-stationary satellite model to medium earth orbit (MEO) opportunities through to cutting edge low earth orbit (LEO) constellations and high-altitude aeronautical platform stations.
We guide you through each step from seed capital investment, procurement, regulatory, financing and insurances phases to get your space or satellite project off the ground and into orbit.
Specifically, we advise on:
- Full breath of space and satellite financings – including corporate financings and capital markets debt for existing space and satellite companies to highly structured export credit agency, multi-lateral development agency, junior, mezzanine and equity financings for all space projects;
- Satellite construction and launch service contracts – including the structuring, procurement and negotiation of these commercial contracts for the manufacture, launch and service of satellites, ground stations, transponder leases and other space equipment;
- Restructuring – including work outs, consensual deferrals and restructurings to amend structures and sculpt debt profile as well as multi-jurisdictional restructuring and insolvency proceedings;
- Regulatory – guiding you through the international regulation of spectrum rights, satellites and the space industry, including the US FCC, Outer Space Treaties, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) regulatory framework, export controls and sanctions;
- Corporate and M&A - reorganisations, IPOs, acquisitions and disposals in the space and satellite industry;
- Dispute resolution – multi-jurisdictional disputes, litigation, arbitration and mediation involving the space industry, satellite launch and insurance and space debris;
- Intellectual Property – copyright, trademark, patents, trade secrets, foreign investment controls and ITC section 337 investigations; and
- Insurance – advice on launch and in-orbit insurance for space assets.
Explore our sectors
News and insights

News: 01 December 2023
Allen & Overy (“A&O”) has advised Forevision Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Foresight Research Pte. Ltd. (“Foresight”), in connection with its acquisition of a controlling stake in Block Bond…

Publications: 03 October 2023
The new space race: Managing disputes risks in a lawless and limitless environment
The dynamics of the new space race significantly increase disputes risks as space becomes more congested and the competition to get ahead intensifies.

Publications: 03 October 2023
Mining and manufacturing in outer space: The new frontier in disputes risks
Exploiting natural resources, manufacturing products and growing food in space are now well within the realms of possibility. Identifying, assessing and mitigating disputes risks arising from these…

Publications: 03 October 2023
Future disputes risks: How ready is business for the challenges that lie ahead?
Disputes risks are an ever-present part of doing business. Indeed, for some, these risks are built into their business model. They like to move fast and accept they may break some things. Disputes are…