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The United Nations

and Outer Space:

Bringing the Benefits of Space to Humanity

European United Nations Associations Meeting, 9 April 2013

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UN and Outer Space: Early Years

4 October 1957: Beginning of the space era with the launch of Sputnik-I

Danger of extending the arms race into outer space

The question arose: Who will define and set the rules for activities of States in outer space?

Prospects that space benefits could be derived for all humanity

The purposes and principles of the United Nations should also apply to activities in outer space

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UN and Outer Space: Early Years

1958: Resolution by the UN General

Assembly 1348(XIII):

– Outer space to be used for peaceful

purposes only and to be exploited to the

benefit of mankind

– Established an ad-hoc Committee on the

Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

(COPUOS) as an appropriate body for

international cooperation

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UN and Outer Space: Early Years

1959: UN General Assembly resolution 1472

(XIV) reaffirmed the role of COPUOS and

mandated the Committee to:

– Review international co-operation

– Study space-related activities that could be

undertaken under United Nations auspices

– Encourage and assist with national space

research programmes

– Study legal problems which may arise from

the exploration of outer space;

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Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

1961: Establishment of two Subcommittees

– Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (STSC)

– Legal Subcommittee (LSC)

Membership to date:74 member States and 32 organizations with permanent observer status

Reports to the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly

Adopts an annual resolution on “International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space”

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- The only Committee of the General Assembly that deals with international cooperation

in the peaceful uses of outer space. COPUOS serves as a unique platform for

maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes at the international level.

- COPUOS and UNOOSA organized three major

United Nationsconferences on the exploration and

peaceful uses of outer space, all held in Vienna in 1968,

1982 and 1999 (UNISPACE).

- The third conference (UNISPACE III) outlined a wide

variety of actions to:

►Protect the global environment and manage natural resources;

►Increase the use of space applications for human security, development and welfare;

►Protect the space environment;

► Increase developing countries’ access to space science and its benefits.

COMMITTEE ON THE PEACEFUL USES

OF OUTER SPACE (COPUOS)

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COPUOS Membership

74 member States and 32 international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations with permanent observer status

The 74 member States of COPUOS are:

African states: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia

Asian states: Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Korea (Republic of), , Saudi Arabia, Syrian AR, Thailand, Viet Nam

Eastern European states: Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Ukraine

Latin American and Caribbean states: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Western European and Other states: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal,Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA

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Date Organ Duration

February Scientific and Technical Subcommittee 10 Days

March/April Legal Subcommittee 10 Days

June Main Committee 8 Days

October/

November

General Assembly (New York)

Special Political and Decolonization

Committee (Fourth Committee)

2.5 Days

COPUOS Annual Meeting Schedule, Vienna, Austria

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Recent achievements

- Establishment of the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for

Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER), (2006)

- Establishment of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite

Systems (ICG) (2006)

- Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines (2007)

- GA Resolution on enhancing the practice of States and international

intergovernmental organizations in registering space objects (2007)

- Safety Framework for the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space (2009)

Current issues - Space Agenda Today:

Space applications for developing nations

Space debris

Long-term sustainability of space activities

Near-Earth objects

Space and climate change

National space legislation

Definition and delimitation of outer space

Use of Geospatial Data for Sustainable Development

Highlights and main results of COPUOS

and its two Subcommittees

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SPACE AGENDA TODAY

GREENING SPACE:

Mitigating Space Debris ►Space debris includes defunct satellites, discarded

sections of rockets and parts of satellites that have exploded.

Most numerous of all are tiny particles such as paint chips

and liquid droplets.

►In 2007, COPUOS achieved a major result by adopting its own Space Debris

Mitigation Guidelines. There is general agreement among States that the

implementation of these voluntary guidelines for the mitigation of space debris

at the national level would increase mutual understanding on acceptable

activities in space, thus enhancing stability in space and decreasing the

likelihood of friction and conflict.

Photo: Over 22,000 man-made objects are being tracked in Earth orbit. Fewer than 2,000 of these are operational. The ring

around the Earth is the satellite orbit used for satellite television and other purposes. Image: Artist’s impression ©ESA

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SPACE AGENDA TODAY

THREATS FROM ASTEROIDS:

Near-Earth Objects ►Near-Earth objects (NEOs) are asteroids,

comets and large meteoroids whose orbit

intersects the Earth’s orbit and may therefore

pose a danger of collision.

► NEOs with a diameter of over 1 km hit

the Earth a few times in a million years. ►COPUOS works on establishing international

procedures and decision-making mechanisms for

dealing with a potential NEO threat.

► In 2013, the Working Group on NEOs

finalized recommendations for an international

response to a NEO threat.

Photo: Japan’s Hayabusa space probe travelled to the Itokawa asteroid and in 2010 returned the first

samples of an asteroid to Earth. Photo ©JAXA

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SPACE AGENDA TODAY

Long-term sustainability of outer space activities: Space applications such as earth observation,

communications, navigation, timing and positioning

provide strong support for the implementation of the

actions called for in the United Nations development

agenda.

Space environment where satellites operate

must be protected.

Expert Working Group:

- Sustainable Space Utilization supporting Sustainable

Development on Earth

- Space Debris, Space Operations and Tools

- Space Weather

- Regulatory Regimes and Guidance for Actors In the Space Arena

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SPACE AND LAW

One of the biggest achievements of COPUOS was the development of

five UN Treaties and five sets of Principles on Outer Space

► Outer Space Treaty, 1967 (101 States parties / 26 additional signatures)

► Rescue Agreement, 1968 (91/24)

► Liability Convention, 1972 (88/24)

► Registration Convention, 1975 (55/4)

► Moon Agreement, 1979 (13/4)

► Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Uses

of Outer Space (1963)

► Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth Satellites for International Direct Television Broadcasting (1982)

► Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space (1986)

► Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space (1992)

► Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for the Benefit and in the Interests of All States, Taking into Particular Account the Needs of Developing Countries (1996)

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United Nations Register on Objects

Launched into Outer Space

Established in 1962, the Register is the central repository of official information provided by States on space objects in accordance with the Registration Convention or, on a voluntary basis, under General Assembly resolution 1721 B of 1961.

The Register contains information received from Member States and also complementary information collected from external sources on all functional objects launched into outer space since 1957

Space debris and non-functional objects are not included

Search could be performed using different parameters (name, international designator, launching State, date of launch, orbital status, etc.)

Provides links between space objects and their relevant documents of registration. This way, every user can download and print any registration document

All information contained in the Register is publicly available via the UNOOSA website:

www.unoosa.org

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Statistics 93.5% of all functional space objects have been registered with the United

Nations

Of all “space nations”, nearly 60% have provided the UN with information on their space objects.

Since 1957, over 40,000 space objects have been tracked in Earth orbit or beyond.

Over 6,600 are “functional”, (satellites, probes, manned spacecraft and space station components). Remaining are spend rocket boosters, shrouds and detached components or other residual non-functional components resulting from the launch, operation or termination of the space object. These types of objects are collectively known as “non-functional”.

Presently, approximately 3,700 functional (or previously functional space objects) remain in Earth orbit or beyond.

UNOOSA works with States of registry to ensure registration information provided is accurate and harmonized.

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SPACE AND DEVELOPMENT

Three major United Nations conferences on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space, held in Vienna in 1968, 1982 and 1999 (UNISPACE) outlined a wide variety of actions.

United Nations Programme on Space Applications, implemented by UNOOSA, was established in 1971 on the recommendation of UNISPACE I

UNISPACE III adopted “The Space Millennium: Vienna Declaration on Space and Human Development” in 1999 and emphasized a variety of actions to:

►Protect the global environment and manage natural resources; ►Increase the use of space applications for human security, development and welfare; ►Protect the space environment; ► Increase developing countries’ access to space science and its benefits; ► Enhance training and educational opportunities, especially for young people.

UNISPACE III also led to the establishment of:

United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER)

International Committee on GNSS (ICG)

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RIO+20

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20)

– COPUOS contribution on harnessing space-derived geospatial data for

sustainable development (A/AC.105/993)

• establishing sustainable national spatial data infrastructure;

• enhancing autonomous national capabilities in the area of space-derived

geospatial data, including the development of associated infrastructure and

institutional arrangements;

• engaging in or expanding international cooperation in the area of space-

derived geospatial data and increasing awareness of existing initiatives and

data sources;

• supporting the United Nations in its efforts to access and use geospatial

information in its mandated programmes to assist all Member States.

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RIO+20

– “The future we want” / GA resolution 66/288:

• Para 274. We recognize the importance of space-technology-based

data, in situ monitoring and reliable geospatial information for

sustainable development policymaking, programming and project

operations. In this context, we note the relevance of global mapping,

and recognize the efforts in developing global environmental observing

systems, including by the Eye on Earth network and through the

Global Earth Observation System of Systems. We recognize the need

to support developing countries in their efforts to collect environmental

data.

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POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

Millennium Development Goals expire in 2015

UN System Task Team on Post-2015 UN Development Agenda (UNTT)

– “Realizing the future we want for all: Report to the Secretary-General” (June 2012):

• Para 73. Improved scientific understanding and knowledge-sharing on climate change, natural hazards, the space environment and natural resource limits will be necessary for effective policy-making for sustainable development.

• Para 79. Improving access to geographical information and geospatial data, and building capacities to use scientific information in areas such as climate monitoring, land use planning, water management, disaster risk reduction, health and food security, will allow for more accurate environmental and social impact assessments and more informed decision-making at all levels.

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Office for Outer Space Affairs

United Nations Office at Vienna, Austria

www.unoosa.org

22 United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs 22

Office for Outer Space Affairs

Originated as a small expert unit in the UN Secretariat to service the meeting of the Committee for the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

Can be traced to the report of the 1st meeting of the Ad Hoc COPUOS:

“there was a need for a suitable centre related to the United Nations that can act as a focal point for international co-operation in the peaceful uses of outer space”, and

“the General Assembly may wish to request the Secretary-General to organize a small unit within the Secretariat for this purpose” (A/4141)

Evolved into a unit within the Department of Political and Security Council Affairs in 1962

Based in Vienna since 1992

UNOOSA is

NOT

dealing with…

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Vision

Bringing the benefits of space to humankind

Mission Statement

The core business of the Office is to promote international cooperation

in the use of outer space to achieve development goals

for the benefit of humankind

Bringing the benefits of space to humankind

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UNOOSA

27 staff members from 21 countries: Austria, Azerbaijan,

Canada, China, Costa Rica, Finland, Germany, Guatemala,

India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Romania, Russian Federation,

Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, United

Kingdom and Uzbekistan.

Areas of expertise: Aerospace Engineering, Astrophysics,

International Law, International Relations, Physics, Remote

Sensing, Satellite Communications, Space Law & Policy

Office of the Director

Mazlan Othman, Director

Committee, Policy and

Legal Affairs Section

Niklas Hedman, Chief

Space Aplications Section

Takao Doi, Expert on Space Applications

UN-SPIDER

Vienna, Bonn and

Beijing Offices

Space Applications

Programme

UNOOSA Operational priorities A. SPACE AND DIPLOMACY: Strengthening the intergovernmental process

B. SPACE AND LAW: Discharging the responsibilities of the Secretary-General

under the treaties

C. SPACE AND DEVELOPMENT: Securing global public goods:

- Global platform for space-based information for disaster management

and emergency response

- Global navigation satellite systems

Support to regional mechanisms

Capacity-building in utilizing space-based solutions in developing countries

developing countries

E. DELIVERING AS ONE: Enhancing cooperation and coordination within the UN

system

F. CELEBRATING SPACE: Increasing public awareness of space

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SPACE AND DEVELOPMENT: UN Programme on Space Applications

Established in 1971 as a result of

recommendations of 1968

UNISPACE conference

Conducts a series of world-wide

activities

– Workshops

– Symposiums

– Training Courses

Priority Areas

– Basic Space Technology

– Human Space Technology

– Natural resources management

and environmental monitoring

– Global navigation satellite

systems

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UN-AFFILIATED REGIONAL CENTRES FOR SPACE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

-Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are constellations of satellites that provide

geo-spatial positioning data to users on a continuous and worldwide basis.

-To date, the United States’ Global Positioning System (GPS), the Russian Federation’s

Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), and elements of Europe’s Galileo and

China’s Compass/BeiDou systems have been deployed.

-Satellite navigation, positioning and timing have applications in a wide variety of fields,

such as surveying and mapping, transportation, precision agriculture, monitoring of the

environment, leisure, recreation and disaster risk reduction.

GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM

OF SYSTEMS

ICG was established in 2005 to achieve compatibility and

interoperability of GNSS systems

UNOOSA serves as the Executive Secretariat to ICG

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DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT: UN Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster

Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER)

► UN-SPIDER is UNOOSA programme, established in 2006 by GA

resolution 61/110.

► Ensures that all countries and regional and international organisations

have access to and develop the capacity to use all types of space-based

information to support the full disaster management cycle by:

–being a gateway to space information for disaster management

support;

–serving as a bridge to connect the disaster management and space

communities; and

–being a facilitator of capacity-building and institutional strengthening.

► Knowledge portal: http://www.un-spider.org/

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DELIVERING AS ONE:

Inter-agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities

The central coordination mechanism in the United Nations system for United Nations organizations to cooperate and create synergy in space-related programmes, avoid duplication in these programmes and foster new inter-agency initiatives.

UNOOSA serves as the Secretariat and coordinator of the Inter-Agency Meeting and has been organizing its annual meetings since 1975

At least 25 United Nations entities routinely use space applications tools (DPKO, ECA, ESCAP, FAO, IMO, ICAO, ISDR, ITU, OCHA, UNEP, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, WMO, WHO, UNHCR, and others).

A wide-range of topics include: education and training in space-related areas; space technology for disaster management; space for sustainable development; climate change, food security.

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Accomplishments and Future Prospects

Greater awareness of space tools for sustainable development

(food security, climate change...)

Greater understanding, acceptance and implementation of the

United Nations Space Law Treaties

Increased coherence and synergy in space-related work of United

Nations entities and international space-related entities

Growing involvement of the private sector players in established

as well as in emerging space technology applications

Advancing space exploration initiatives

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CELEBRATING SPACE WORLD SPACE WEEK, 4-10 October each year

WSW marks the anniversary of two milestones in human exploration and use of outer space:

4 October 1957: Launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I

10 October 1967: Entry into force of the Outer Space Treaty

- WSW was declared by the General Assembly in 1999 to raise aweress about the benefits of space for humankind;

- Each year during WSW, Member States and organizations organize special space events that raise awareness of how space technology influences daily life and, especially, seeks to inspire the interest of young people in all areas of space, from astronomy to human spaceflight.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT - 12 April

- Declared by the UN General Assembly in 2011 to mark 12 April 1961, the date of the first

human space flight, carried out by Yuri Gagarin.

- To celebrate each year at the international level the beginning of the space era for mankind, reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of States and peoples, as well as ensuring the realization of their aspiration to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.

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SPACE FIRSTS

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www.unoosa.org

Messages from astronauts and cosmonauts

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UN SPACE EXHIBIT

- UNOOSA mantains the

permanent United Nations

Space Exhibit at its

headquarters in Vienna.

- The Space Exhibit

showcases contributions

from Member States,

including a Moon Rock and

models of satellites and

rockets.

- Visitors may contact the

Visitors Service of the Vienna

International Centre for

guided tours.

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THANK YOU!

Office for Outer Space Affairs

United Nations Office at Vienna

Email: oosa@unoosa.org

Tel: +43-1-26060-4950

Fax: +43-1-26060-5830

Website: www.unoosa.org