Lawyer reviewing a launch services agreement at a desk with space mission charts and city lights behind a glass wall
Contract drafting for the space frontier

Contracts that hold up beyond Earth.

Stellar Draft writes and reviews agreements for launch providers, satellite operators, and aerospace startups that need clean risk allocation, clear remedies, and language that still works when the regulation changes mid-mission. Why settle for generic clauses when your project lives in orbital conditions?

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Precision first. Negotiation-ready from the start.

Contracts Built for Orbital Realities

Standard commercial templates can be brittle when a mission slips, a payload changes hands, or new agency guidance lands after signature. We draft with that friction in mind. What’s the point of neat wording if it breaks under launch pressure?

Our drafting philosophy is simple: make the bargain visible, make the liabilities measurable, and make the execution path easy to follow. That means we look at the commercial deal and the operational chain together, because a launch contract rarely lives alone. A satellite deployment may touch procurement, insurance, licensing, data rights, and a dozen timing assumptions. Miss one, and the paperwork starts arguing with the mission plan.

  • Clause sets built around risk allocation, future amendments, and mission-critical milestones.
  • Drafting that anticipates regulatory drift without burying the commercial deal.
  • Clear language for technical teams, investors, and counterparties in different time zones.

Agreements We Draft & Review

From a first prototype to an operating constellation, every stage needs a different contract shape. We build the paperwork around the way your business actually moves, not the way a generic form expects it to. Curious what that looks like in practice?

Launch services agreements

We define launch windows, remedies for delay, force majeure boundaries, technical responsibility, and the exact moment risk transfers. That detail keeps disputes from drifting after ignition.

Satellite deployment & hosted payload contracts

Deployment terms need to protect the payload, the bus, and the mission timeline. We draft custody, access, integration, and interface obligations with the hardware in mind.

Joint venture & investment agreements

Space startups need investor confidence without losing engineering flexibility. We structure governance, milestones, dilution protections, and decision rights so the cap table stays readable.

Vendor & supply chain contracts

Components, lead times, substitutions, warranties, and acceptance testing all belong in the same frame. We help you lock down the supply chain before a missing part creates a launch bottleneck.

Licensing for space technology

Technology transfers, field-of-use restrictions, confidentiality, and improvement rights need careful handling. We protect your IP while keeping the deal commercially workable.

Our Drafting Process

The best contract process feels calm, even when the stakes are high. Ours is structured, quick to navigate, and built to leave a paper trail you can trust. Want the deal to move without becoming a black box?

1

Initial scope and risk consultation

We start by mapping the commercial goal, the technical context, and the risks that keep your team awake. That first conversation usually changes the shape of the draft in useful ways.

2

First draft with clause-by-clause rationale

Every draft comes with practical reasoning, not mystery language. Your team can see why each clause sits where it does and what problem it’s designed to solve.

3

Negotiation support and redlining

We help you push back where it matters and concede where it doesn’t. That balance often saves days of back-and-forth and keeps the commercial terms intact.

4

Final execution and archival support

Once the language is final, we help close the loop with execution copies, signature coordination, and clean archival practices. No loose ends. No lost versions.

Common Questions on Space Contracts

If a contract is supposed to reduce uncertainty, why do so many feel harder to read than the mission brief? These are the questions we hear most often from launch, satellite, and aerospace teams.

How long does drafting a launch agreement typically take?

That depends on complexity, counterparties, and how mature the commercial terms already are. A straightforward review may move quickly, while a multi-party launch arrangement with insurance and technical schedules can take longer. We’ll give you a realistic timeline after the first scope call.

Do you work with international aerospace partners?

Yes. Cross-border work is common in this sector, so we think about jurisdiction, governing law, export control sensitivity, and enforcement from the outset. If the deal spans more than one country, the contract should say so clearly.

Can you review contracts drafted by opposing counsel?

Absolutely. That’s often where we add the most value. We’ll identify pressure points, explain the commercial impact of each risk, and suggest edits that keep the negotiation moving without giving away the store.

What if the regulation changes after we sign?

We plan for that. Well-drafted contracts can include amendment pathways, compliance triggers, and review points that make future changes easier to absorb. In a fast-moving sector, that flexibility is worth its weight in fuel.

Need a contract that’s ready for launch?

Call +1 305 885 1917 or email [email protected]. We’re based at 257 Cornelia Street, New York, New York 11221, USA, and we work with teams that need practical drafting, clear review notes, and a steady hand under deadline.

257 Cornelia Street, New York, NY 11221 Start the conversation

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