Kentucky Space Futures to host free space law workshop in Lexington

Kentucky Space Futures will bring a free public workshop on space law and governance to downtown Lexington on Sept. 11, featuring Michelle Hanlon and former NASA counsel Ken Human. The event is designed to explore how Kentucky can help shape the rules for a growing space economy, with only 75 seats available.

Why it matters: - Space law is moving from theory to practical policy as commercial activity in orbit and on the Moon expands. - Kentucky Space Futures is using the workshop to position Kentucky universities, students, businesses and attorneys to take part in that work. - The event is the first in a planned series of public programs aimed at making Kentucky a destination for space business, research and talent.

What happened: - Kentucky Space Futures will host The Future of Space Law and Governance on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center in Lexington. - The free workshop runs from 8:30 to 11:45 a.m. and is open to the public. - Seating is capped at 75, and registration is required. - Michelle Hanlon, executive director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi and co-founder of For All Moonkind, will lead the session. - Kenneth R. “Ken” Human, a longtime NASA attorney and former NASA chief counsel, will join the open discussion.

The details: - The workshop will focus on questions that are becoming more urgent as more activity moves into space. - Topics include who owns a patent for an invention made in space. - Topics also include ownership rights for materials mined on the Moon. - Kentucky Space Futures was launched in early 2026 by Humanity in Deep Space, the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development / KY Innovation. - The initiative’s goal is to strengthen Kentucky’s place in the global space ecosystem. - Kris Kimel, co-founder and chairman of Space Tango and co-founder of Kentucky Space Futures, said Kentucky has already played a role in space exploration through an experiment built in the state for a mission that took humans farther from Earth than before. - Kimel said Kentucky is already part of the space story and should be part of what gets built next. - The event will be held at 141 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507. - Media members are welcome to attend. - Hanlon, Human and Kimel are available for interviews before and after the event. - More information is available at Kentucky Space Futures.

Between the lines: - The workshop is as much an economic-development move as an educational event. - Kentucky Space Futures is tying space law to state-level workforce, research and business development. - The choice of speakers signals an effort to connect academic expertise with real-world NASA experience.

What's next: - Kentucky Space Futures says the Sept. 11 session will be followed by additional public events. - The group is expected to continue promoting Kentucky as a hub for space entrepreneurship, business and research. - Organizers are asking attendees to register in advance because seating is limited.

The bottom line: - Kentucky is trying to claim a bigger role in the rules and business of space, starting with a free workshop in Lexington.