Outer Space
Emerging Trends and Future Areas for Consideration
The evolving nature of space activities including by new actors entering the space sector or involving new and novel missions was raised by interviewees. In this regard the role of registration and providing notifications to UNOOSA under other formal information exchange mechanisms (such as Article XI of the Outer Space Treaty) were viewed as increasingly important.
Foreword
The registration of space objects has been a key treaty-based obligation to promote transparency since the dawn of the space age. It helps us answer the basic question of ‘who owns what in space?’. In this regard UNOOSA has a specialised mandate to maintain the UN Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space which we maintain on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General.
Methodology
The study was based on information gathered from written responses to a questionnaire circulated to all Permanent Missions of the United Nations in Vienna and from interviews held with national competent authorities responsible for the governance of space activities and/or space object registration.
Executive Summary
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) with the generous support from the United Kingdom launched a new initiative in December 2022 entitled: The Registration Project: Supporting Implementation of Treaty Obligations related to the Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
Submission of Information to the United Nations Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space
While the core registration information furnished to the Secretary-General has remained unchanged reflecting the requirements of the Convention as well as national mechanisms; the increasing complexity of outer space activities has resulted in an expansion of additional information provided by States of registry on their space objects.
Capacity-Building
The last area of enquiry with the participants in the study was the need for capacity-building and national activities that can facilitate greater awareness and understanding of registration obligations.
Registration of Objects Launched Into Outer Space
The study examines the national approaches taken to implement the registration-related provisions of the United Nations Treaties Principles Guidelines and applicable resolutions. In doing so the Registration Project aims to create a baseline understanding of national approaches to registration empower new emerging or established space-faring nations to register satellites with the UN enhance international expertise and share knowledge good practices and lessons learned from national approaches. This study can inform future capacity-building activities or topics to be discussed within expert meetings of National Focal Points on Registration.
The Space4Water project
The Space4Water project is a multi-stakeholder platform for interdisciplinary knowledge exchange making information on space solutions and technologies for water-related topics accessible. It is a capacity-building platform and a portal for expert communities including those from developing countries.
The Space4water Project: Building Bridges for Knowledge Exchange
Today humanity faces a plethora of challenges related to water. As an effect of drought some regions’ populations see their water reserves gradually but surely emptying. Around 40 per cent of the world’s population is affected by water scarcity. Elsewhere people suffer from flash floods rising sea levels or extreme weather. Rising sea levels affect agriculture livelihoods biodiversity and coastal habitats that are home to 900 million people. The next step in fully tapping the potential of space assets to improve life on Earth is to democratize access to these transformative tools and scale their application to benefit communities worldwide. In a world riddled with inequalities we cannot let the space sector become yet another field of persistent gaps among and within countries. To advance access to space solutions for addressing water challenges the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) launched a dedicated Space4Water project at the beginning of the Water Action Decade in 2018. The Project with its three pillars of conference series web portal and community building addresses knowledge exchange between scientific communities policymakers intergovernmental organizations the private sector civil society and the public. Through these efforts we are strengthening communities amplifying the voices of Indigenous communities connecting them with professionals with the technical background to address their issues and sharing a vast range of learning opportunities at different knowledge levels.
Why Space4Water
Space technologies and satellite remote sensing technology in particular have demonstrated proven capabilities in meeting the challenges of water resource management as rapid population growth and development pressures continue to impose additional stresses on valuable resources. Water scarcity is a major global challenge.