Dr. Tanja Masson-Zwaan is Assistant Professor and Deputy Director of the International Institute of Air and Space Law at Leiden University, and President Emerita of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL). She is a Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).
She co-authored ‘Introduction to Space Law’ (5th ed., Kluwer 2025) and chairs the Board of Editors of Kluwer’s journal Air and Space Law. Her PhD dissertation ‘Widening the Horizons of Outer Space Law’ was published in the Meijers Series of Leiden Law School.
Tanja advises the Dutch Government and other institutions on space law issues and was co-founder of the Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group. The Dutch Government appointed her as an arbitrator for space-related disputes at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Tanja teaches at universities worldwide and was appointed Adjunct Professor at Wuhan University (China) and as Global Faculty at International Space University (ISU). She serves on various organisations’ (Advisory) Boards, including Open Lunar Foundation, the Interplanetary Initiative of Arizona State University, and the Space Sustainability Rating.
She is an elected full member of professional associations such as IISL, the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the International Law Association (ILA). She was a Member of the Founding Boards of the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL) and of Women in Aerospace-Europe, and is an Honorary Board Member of Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC).
Tanja received several awards and is a Member of Honour of the Netherlands Space Society (NVR). In 2020 she received a Royal decoration as ‘Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau’ for her work in space law.