TITLE:
The Legal Framework and Institutional Mechanisms of Space Data Sharing under APSCO
AUTHORS:
Sabghat Ullah
KEYWORDS:
Regional Space Cooperation, Legal Framework, Data Governance, Capacity Building
JOURNAL NAME:
Beijing Law Review,
Vol.17 No.2,
June
18,
2026
ABSTRACT: Space data sharing is playing an important role in regional space cooperation. Data sharing contributes to many of the developmental needs and also assists countries in fighting against natural disasters, environmental and climate change, agriculture and food security, and other natural challenges. To access and exchange satellite data in the Asia-Pacific region, the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) provides a platform for its member states. The article analyzes how APSCO organizes and manages this process. The paper first explains the APSCO legal instruments, including the APSCO Convention, the multilateral agreements of APSCO, and the rules regarding data sharing. This shows how member states benefit from space-based information. The paper further explores the institutional structure of APSCO with a focus on the Data Sharing Service Platform (DSSP). The legal issues and challenges in space data sharing under the APSCO framework are highlighted in the paper. The main issues among them are data ownership, privacy, legal incompatibility, and cybersecurity. If these issues are left unresolved, they may undermine mutual trust, and it can weaken long-term cooperation within the APSCO framework. The paper concludes by proposing ways to improve the APSCO data sharing framework to ensure cooperation in the region can increase fairly and effectively.