Chris Johnson
PhD candidate / self funded
- Name
- Mr. C.D. Johnson LLM
- Telephone
- 071 5272727
- c.d.johnson@law.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0001-5580-2930
Chris Johnson is an external PhD candidate at the Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University. Title research: The International Legal Order for the Moon.
Christopher Johnson is the Space Law Advisor at the Secure World Foundation, and a Professor of Law (Adjunct) at the Georgetown University Law Center, where he co-teaches the Space Law Seminar. Mr. Johnson is also a Field Editor at the Journal of Space Safety Engineering (JSSE), on the Board of Editors of the journal Air and Space Law, on the Academic Review Board of the Cambridge International Law Journal, and serves on the US Board of Directors of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC). He was also a Core Expert and Rule Drafter in the MILAMOS project, and an observer at the Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group. He is also a Faculty Member at the International Space University (ISU) and a Member of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL).
Mr. Johnson holds a Bachelor's of Art degree from Michigan State University, a Juris Doctor from New York Law School, and an Advanced Masters in Law in Air and Space Law from Leiden University’s International Institute of Air and Space Law (IIASL). He also has professional certificates from New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice, the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL), the Hague Academy of International Law, and the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL).
Mr. Johnson has written widely on space law and policy issues, and represents the Secure World Foundation at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).
PhD candidate / self funded
- Faculty of Law
- Institute of Public Law
- Institute of Air and Space Law
- Johnson C.D. (2025), Security, policy, and legal challenges of planetary defense. In: , Oxford research encyclopedia of planetary science. Oxford Research Encyclopedias. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Johnson C.D. (2020), The law of outer space: a self-contained regime?. In: Achilleas P. & Hobe S. (Eds.), Fifty years of space law = Cinquante ans de droit de l’espace. Centre for Studies and Research in International Law and International Relations no. 21. Leiden/Boston: Brill-Nijhoff. 127-160.
- Melograna C. & Johnson C.D. (2023), Commercial Space Activities in the US: an overview of the current policy and regulatory framework. In: Smith L.J., Baumann I. & Wintermuth S.-G. (Eds.), Routledge handbook of commercial space law. London: Routledge. 42-63.
- Rotola Giuliana Artigas Moreno Carmen Blagojevich Tamara Dalal Roohi Dong Adam Falle Andrew Hook Charlotte Johnson Christopher Kaley-Isley Jonathan Kioko Mukulu Khan Rayan Martin Anne-Sophie Martin Christopher Moro Aguilar Rafael Nichols Tiffany Ostapenko Oleksandra Simon-Butler Andrew Thiele Sarah Valdivia Lefort Marieta Williams Andrew Yakushina Yana Boley Aaron (2026), Astronomy and satellite constellations: an international lens, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 20(Symposium S385): 164-170.
- Kaley-Isley Jonathan Blagojevich Tamara Johnson Christopher D. (2026), General principles of international environmental and space law applicable to the protection of dark and quiet skies, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 20(Astronomy and Satellite Constellations: Pathways Forward): 180-186.
- Martinez P. & Johnson C.D. (2025), Is space a Global Common?: How declining international acceptance of the commons narrative applied to space limits its utility in the development of global space governance, Frontiers in Space Technologies 6: 1723792.
- Masson-Zwaan T.L. & Johnson C.D. (2024), Echostar-7: the US imposes first-ever fine for failure to comply with deorbiting plan, Air and Space Law 49(2): 243-248.
- Johnson C.D. & Frazier K. 20 November 2024, Chris Johnson on Space Law (or Lack Thereof). Lawfare Daily. Lawfare [podcast].
- Masson-Zwaan T.L. & Johnson C.D. (2023), Special Iisue on space sustainability, safety, and security, Air and Space Law 48(special issue): 1-4.
- Johnson C. (2022), International law governing outer space activities. In: Failat Y.A. & Ferreira-Snyman A. (Eds.), Outer space law: legal policy and practice. London: Globe Law & Business. 13-30.
- Johnson C.D. (2018), The Outer Space Treaty. In: Read P. (Ed.), Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Planetary Science. Oxford Research Encyclopedias. Oxford: Oxford University Press.