João Nuno Frazão

[EN]

Law degree from the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon (2013). Master’s degree in Law (International Law) from NOVA School of Law / NOVA University Lisbon (2015). PhD in Law (International Law) from NOVA School of Law / NOVA University Lisbon (2025). Founding member and co-coordinator of SPARC – Space Law Research Centre / Centro de Investigação de Direito Espacial at NOVA School of Law (since 2018). Member of the ESCL – European Centre for Space Law. Lawyer qualified in Portugal, admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association in 2016.

João attended the “ECSL Summer Course on Space Law and Policy” (2014) and was the Assistant Faculty Advisor of the NOVA School of Law team at the European Rounds of the “Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition” (2018). He is a former member of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) Legal Team (2018-2020). João is a member of the National Point of Contact (NPoC) Portugal for the ECSL.

Theses & Dissertations

FRAZÃO, João Nuno, A Europa e o espaço: contributo para uma cooperação espacial pan-europeia, PhD Thesis (International Law), NOVA School of Law (November 2025)

FRAZÃO, João Nuno, A regulação da Atividade Espacial: Questão Emergente da Responsabilidade Civil no Transporte Turístico Aeroespacial, Master’s Dissertation in the specialty of Forensic-Legal Sciences, NOVA School of Law (February 2015)

Articles & Other Publications

– FRAZÃO, João Nuno, “Space and sanctions: another lens to observe international cooperation in this decade (and those to follow)”, in SPARC blog, January 2026, at https://sparc.cedis.fd.unl.pt/space-and-sanctions-another-lens-to-observe-international-cooperation-in-this-decade-and-those-to-follow/

– FRAZÃO, João Nuno, “O espaço, a defesa nacional e a Força Aérea Portuguesa: breve reflexão política, estratégica e jurídico-normativa” (“Space, national defense and the Portuguese Air Force: a few political, strategic and legal considerations”) in Mais Alto(Portuguese Air Force Magazine), LXV, no. 473, 2025 (in Portuguese)

– PEREIRA COUTINHO, Francisco and FRAZÃO, João Nuno, “Portugal and the militarisation of Outer Space” in Law of Armed Conflict Manuals – A Portuguese Perspective, Lisboa, Almedina, 2025 

– MARQUES DE AZEVEDO, João and FRAZÃO, João Nuno, “Portugal Above the Clouds: Commentaries on the Strategic, Political and Legal Evolution of Space Activities in Portugal” in European Review of International Studies, Vol. 23, 2023, no. 3, April 2024, at https://brill.com/view/journals/eris/10/3/article-p401_007.xml?ebody=metrics-117270

– PEREIRA COUTINHO, Francisco and FRAZÃO, João Nuno, “Espaço e Direito Internacional” (“Space and International Law”) in Informação Geoespacial na Administração Pública: fundamentos, desafios e oportunidades de aplicação, Lisboa, INA Editora, 2024 (in Portuguese)

– FRAZÃO, João Nuno, “The conflict in Ukraine and space: legal aspects and the consequences for international cooperation” in SPARC blog, March 2022, at https://sparc.cedis.fd.unl.pt/the-conflict-in-ukraine-and-space-legal-aspects-and-the-consequences-for-international-cooperation/

– FRAZÃO, João Nuno, et al., Building Blocks for the Development of an International Framework on Space Resource Activities (Portuguese translation), November 2022, at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/law/institute-of-public-law/institute-of-air-space-law/the-hague-space-resources-governance-working-group

– FRAZÃO, João Nuno, “A União Europeia e o futuro: os programas espaciais ao serviço dos cidadãos europeus” in AwareEU Blog – European Awareness, April 2018 (in Portuguese)

– FRAZÃO, João Nuno, “O que é a governamentalidade? Do panóptico ao sinóptico e da biopolítica à psicopolítica: conceito, evolução e a sua relação com o Direito” (“What is governmentality? From the panopticon to the synopticon and from biopolitics to psychopolitics: concept, evolution and its relationship with Law”) in Revista de Direito Público, Lisboa, Year IX, no. 17, Lisboa, Almedina, November 2017

Events

João has been involved in around 50 events (courses, webinars, workshops, etc.). For more information, please visit https://novaresearch.unl.pt/en/persons/joao-nuno-frazao/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/joao-nuno-frazao/