Student Spotlight: Amos Taylor – Charting a path in sky Country and space law

Amos Taylor, an Aboriginal law student at UNSW Law & Justice, is on a mission to protect Indigenous rights and interests within the evolving legal landscapes of air and space—what he calls sky Country, a realm deeply rooted in Aboriginal knowledge systems.

Amos was recently supported by UNSW to attend the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) – known within the industry as the ‘Space Olympics’ – held on Gadigal Country at the ICC in Sydney, NSW. 

From film to the final frontier

Amos’s path to space law began with a passion for science-fiction films and a pivotal moment in a film studies class, where he first heard the term “space lawyer.” 

“My interests in science-fiction films had unknowingly prepared me for a legal career that itself is related to space and science-fiction,” he said. “My film studies tutor, Carmel Finegan, once casually mentioned that she’d met a space lawyer. That moment in 2023 was when I knew—I was going to become an Aboriginal space lawyer.”

That spark led him to explore the legal frameworks governing airspace and outer space, and how they intersect with Aboriginal knowledge systems of science, astronomy and law. 

“My Aboriginal ancestors have informed me over time, including sky Country, that this is my cultural obligation, to which I have recently accepted,” he says.

Amos describes sky Country as stretching from just above the treetops to the stars—an expanse that Western law separates into air law and space law. Amos is particularly focused on the gaps in legal recognition within airspace and the legacy of doctrines like aer nullius, which mirror the dispossession embedded in terra and aqua nullius.

A landmark experience at the IAC

At the IAC, Amos witnessed a historic moment when the Australian Space Agency publicly acknowledged Indigenous custodianship of the sky. He connected with leading figures in space law and advocacy, including members of Azimuth Advisory and Australia’s first astronaut trained under the national flag.

He also met his mentor, Professor Deen Sanders OAM, who leads Indigenous engagement in space law and encouraged Amos to expand his interests to include radio spectrum—a growing area of international legal debate.

“Uncle Deen is incredible,” Amos says. “I am so grateful to have a solid Aboriginal sky Country legal mentor that has real world meaningful cultural authority in Australia and around the world regarding First Nation’s ongoing connections to space.”

Support and community

Amos’s journey has been supported by UNSW’s Indigenous Legal Education team, Nura Gili and the AGSM Indigenous Programs Team. He credits his lecturers and mentors for recognising and nurturing his unique path, especially those who have celebrated his vision of law through the lens of sky Country.

“Dr. Nofar Sheffi was my lecturer for Legal Experimentalism in 2023 and immediately understood my journey regarding sky Country,” he says. “Nofar has been mentoring me for the past two years, guiding me through my journey beyond university. Her unwavering support, genuine care and constant celebration of my achievements have profoundly changed my life.”

Looking ahead

Amos is preparing to travel to the UK as part of the Aurora Education Foundation UK Study Tour, visiting Oxford and Cambridge. He hopes to pursue postgraduate studies in air and space law.

His long-term goal? To unify Indigenous rights across all layers of sky Country—land, water, air and space—and represent Australia in future international forums, including those that may one day govern multi-planetary exploration.

Advice for future Indigenous students

“Listen to what Country is telling you. Follow the signs the Universe is showing you. The moment you stumble across your life’s meaning is unmistakable. Once you find that purpose, the Universe opens up and gives you the answers to the Blak timeline—the past, present and future occurring all at once.

“I look forward to becoming Australia’s first Aboriginal sky lawyer. This path has been revealed to me by my Ancestors and Country over time, and I feel deeply grateful to have experienced this moment of knowing, being and doing while studying law at UNSW.”