Outer Space: Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, 63rd session, 1038th meeting
General Assembly
Date: 3 February 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/asset/k14/k147ldte7n
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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Brazil [3:59]:

Dear colleagues, it's my pleasure to address you on behalf of the Brazilian Space Agency.


STSC · Chair [26:33]:

Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon, distinguished delegates. I now declare open the 1038th meeting of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Distinguished delegates, This afternoon, we will continue our consideration of agenda item four, the general exchange of views. We will continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of agenda item five on space for sustainable development and technology and its applications, including the United Nations programme on space applications, and pending the discussion of the working group. Then we will begin and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item six, the space debris. If time permits, we will also begin our consideration of the agenda item seven on the space system based disaster management support. I would also like to inform the delegates that the WING group of the whole will hold its first meeting today. There will be three technical presentations this afternoon. I would like to inform delegates that the schedule of technical presentations is available on the session webpage and in the daily journal. Are there any questions or comments on the proposed schedule? All right, I see none. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to continue our consideration of item four on our agenda, the general short exchange of views. Again, before I move on the list of speakers, I'd like to once again remind delegations that the statement should be limited strictly to five minutes. So now I turn to the list of speakers. The very first speaker on my list this afternoon is the list is the distinguished representative of the Kuwait. So Kuwait, you have the floor, please.


Speaker 3 [28:57]:

I don't see Kuwait.


STSC · Chair [29:06]:

Yeah, I don't see Kuwait. Okay, since Kuwait is not here yet, shall we move to Indonesia? So we start with the distinguished delegate of Indonesia. Indonesia, you ready?


Indonesia [29:24]:

Thank you, Chair. Okay. Distinguished delegates, Indonesia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the G77 and China for this agenda item. And we would like to add the following remarks in our national capacity. Indonesia supports the peaceful and responsible use of outer space in accordance with international law, including charter of the United Nations. Inclusive international cooperation, capacity building, and technology transfer remain essential to enable developing countries and emerging space-faring nations to participate meaningfully in and benefit from outer space activities. Indonesia continues to strengthen cooperation through bilateral regional and multilateral frameworks, including with the UNOSA and ASEAN mechanisms. Indonesia utilizes space applications, including satellite navigation and positioning services to support sustainable development. We also thank UNOSA and the International Committee on GNSS for their collaboration in convening the UN Indonesia workshop on global navigation satellite system in Jakarta on 17th to 21st November 2025, which strengthen outreach, training and practical use of GNSS applications. In relation to space-based disaster management support, Indonesia actively utilizes space technologies to enhance disaster resilience and contributes to regional capacity building, including through our role as regional support office for UN-SPIDER. Chair, at the national level, Indonesia advances its space capabilities through the development of national satellites and university-led small satellite initiatives to promote research and human resource development while encouraging greater participation of academia and the private sector. Indonesia is also developing Indonesian spaceport as a regional hub for commercial and collaborative space in activities to foster innovation, technology partnerships, and sustainable economic growth. We invite international partners to collaborate with us in building an inclusive and integrated space ecosystem. Chair, Indonesia supports the effective implementation of the long-term sustainability guidelines through strengthened cooperation and capacity building and actively contributes to discussions under the working group of LTS and the expert group on space situational awareness. Indonesia recognizes the rapid expansion of non-geostationary orbit constellations to enhance telecommunications connectivity. At the same time, given Indonesia's unique characteristics as an archipelagic developing country situated along the equatorial region, geostationary orbit satellites remain essential. for ensuring reliable and continuous nationwide coverage. Indonesia therefore supports preserving the geostationary orbit as a limited natural resource in line with the objectives of the LTS guidelines. In the context of dark and quiet skies, Indonesia notes the interlinkages with space debris and its increasing impact in equatorial regions. Indonesia continues implementing the LTS guidelines, including internationally recognized space debris mitigation measures to promote the long-term sustainability, safety, and responsible use of outer space. Chair, to conclude, Indonesia stands ready to work with all member states to advance peaceful and sustainable space cooperation for the benefit of all. Thank you.


STSC · Chair [33:34]:

So I thank the distinguished delegate of Indonesia for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished delegate from Mexico. Mexico, you have the floor. I think I don't see. So, because Mexico is not here yet, how I move to the next speaker is the distinguished delegate of India. India, you ready to make a statement? Thank you.


India [34:37]:

Distinguished Chair and delegates, at the outset, the Indian delegation congratulates the Chair on leading the 63rd session of STSC and assures its full cooperation for the successful conduct of the session. India reaffirms its continued support to the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs in furthering the objectives of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. We also welcome all the newly inducted members to the committee. Distinguished chairs, the year 2025 was an eventful year in India's space journey, marked by the achievements in the scientific exploration, technology development and international cooperation. We are happy to inform that India accomplished autonomous docking and undocking through a space docking experiment, also known as SPADAX mission, another milestones was India's participation in the XEM4 mission as our Gagan Yatri or in astronaut group captain Subhanshu Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to board the International Space Station conducting seven microgravity experiments the collaboration provided vital insights into the crew mission coordination and emergency response these missions serves as key for stepping stone towards India's indigenous human space flight program such as Gagan and Indian Space Station also known as Bati and station distinguished chair India also achieved major Milestones in international partnership NASA isro synthetic aperture radar mission or nisar mission jointly developed by isro and NASA was launched on July 30th 2025 represents one of the most significant Cooperative Ventures studying the land and ice deformation, ecosystems and oceanic regions. Spacecraft will provide dual frequency L and S band synthetic aperture radar data to the user community across the globe. On 2nd November, CMS-03, a satellite weighing 4000 plus kg was launched onboard LVM-3 M5, the heaviest communication satellite ever placed to the geostationary transfer orbit from the Indian soil. Subsequently, on 24 December, India's New Space India Limited successfully launched Bluebird Block 2 mission for a US-based company AST SpaceMobile, the heaviest satellite ever launched from Indian soil into the low Earth orbit on board from LVM3 M6 rocket. Distinguished Chair, in line with India's commitment to benefit sharing, transparency, and open science, the Aditya-L1 dataset of sun's atmosphere and magnetic field were also made public to researchers worldwide, strengthening global preparedness for space weather events. These datasets are accessible through India's Space Science Data Center of the Indian Space Research Organization. Further, data from X-ray polarimetry satellite was also made available to researchers supporting scientific studies of cosmic X-ray sources. AstroSat, India's multi-wavelength astronomy observatory celebrated one decade of successful operations since its launch on 20th September 2015. It has made immense scientific impact by releasing over 32 terabytes of data to the global community of more than 3,000 researchers. users across the world, an effort that has led to over 500 peer-reviewed, refereed journal publications and 45 PhDs and several scientific discoveries. Distinguished Chair, following sectoral reform, India's private sector ecosystem has grown rapidly, over 300 startups driving innovations in launch vehicles, satellites, space situation awareness, and downstream services. Indian startups are achieving notable successes, advancing private launch missions and earth observation capabilities. InSpace continues to support the private sector through regulatory facilitation and funding, including operational US$110 million venture capital fund and the US$55 million technology adoption fund for the startups and MSMEs across the country. The space sector reform announced by the government of India also enabled technology transfer agreements between public and private space entities. Our international collaborations prospered through various multilateral and bilateral engagements. Capacity building programs also continued through United Nations affiliated Center for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia Pacific, or known as CESTEP, benefiting participants from many developing countries. Distinguished Chair, we would also like to inform the committee that ISRO has successfully led the international charter, space and major disaster for six months since April 2025, reaffirming nation's commitment to use space technology for global humanitarian causes. This year, India hosted the prestigious global conference on space exploration, GLEX25, in New Delhi, organized by International Astronautical Federation. GLECS 25 attracted more than 1,500 participants from 36 countries, making it the largest IAF global conference ever. Distinguished Chair, the Indian delegation look forward for a constructive session and remains committed to the actively contributing to the discussions across the various agenda items, working groups and initiatives of the subcommittee. I thank you, distinguished Chair and delegates for your kind attention.


STSC · Chair [40:33]:

I thank the distinguished delegate from India for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the United Arab Emirates. UAE, the voice, yours.


United Arab Emirates [40:53]:

Mr. Chairperson, the UAE is pleased to attend the 63rd session of the STSC. We wish to convey our thanks and appreciation to UNOSA for their unrelenting efforts in strengthening international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. Equally, we extend our sincere thanks to Ms. Ulpia Elena Botezatu for her able leadership of the subcommittee and congratulate Dr. Korn Apafante upon his election to the chairmanship of the subcommittee and wish him all success. We seize this opportunity to welcome the new Member States, Cote d'Ivoire, Gambia, Honduras, Maldives, Malta and Zimbabwe. Mr Chairperson, My country continues the development of its national space program through a focus on scientific exploration, technical development, and capacity building. In this vein, we are currently working on several space missions, including the Emirates mission to the asteroid belt, currently is going through its critical design review phase, which constitutes an important step towards scientific exploration of outer space. On the exploration of the moon, Rashid 2 rover mission will be launched for over 10 years with the purpose of landing on the far side of the moon to conduct scientific geological studies on the moon surface. We continue the development of satellites, including the successful launching of the Arab satellite 813. which is the first joint Arab project for monitoring the Earth and conducting studies of environmental and climatic systems. It will contribute towards capacity building in nano satellites and space system engineering in addition to innovation, research and education. Space constitutes today a pillar of sustainable development, strategically speaking. Therefore, it is utilized in support of climate observation, management of natural resources, amongst others. Therefore, we have launched a Phi-1 satellite, a standard platform, in collaboration between UNOSA and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center through the first payload hosting initiative. Last year, the hosted a special pavilion on space during the Dubai Air Show, which demonstrated initiatives, programs at the international and national space-related levels, partnerships, innovations, etc. In April of the current year, the UAE will be hosting the International Charter Space and Major Disasters, which will include members of the charter, operational coordinators and will focus on enhanced readiness in addition to preparedness for disaster response and recovery we reaffirm the importance of LTC and we support current efforts in the reduction of space debris and space situational awareness in addition to space activity safety. We encourage the sharing of best practices in this field. The UAE Chair wishes to convey its sincere thanks to Member States for their support to the establishment of the expert group on SSA. We are fully confident in your efforts and support, which will complement current efforts, including the LTC guidelines. To conclude, we are more than ready to work alongside all member states in upholding the technical and scientific purposes of this subcommittee for the benefit of all of humankind. Thank you, Chair.


STSC · Chair [45:08]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the United Arab Emirates for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Ukraine. Ukraine, you have the floor.


Ukraine [45:29]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Distinguished delegates, the delegation of Ukraine would like to express its sincere appreciation to Mrs. Buttazzato and her team for their dedicated leadership and effective stewardship of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee over the past two years. We warmly welcome Mr. Appafant as chair of the Subcommittee and wish him every success in guiding our work through the complex scientific and technological challenges facing the space community today. You may count on Ukraine's full support and constructive engagement. We also welcome the Director of UNOOSA, Ms. Artie Holamaini, and thank her and her team for their continued efforts in promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. Distinguished delegates, Ukraine aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier by the European Union under this agenda item. In my national capacity, I would like to add the following remarks. Ukraine remains firmly committed to multilateral cooperation within COPUOS and its subcommittees, which continue to serve as indispensable platforms for advancing science, technology, and the peaceful uses of outer space for the benefit of all humankind. Ukraine supports the convening of the fourth United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Exploration and Uses of Outer Space, UNISPACE-4, in 2027. We see this conference as an important opportunity to take stock of emerging scientific and technological developments, including space traffic coordination, space debris mitigation, and the responsible use of space resources. while reinforcing the central role of COPUOS in shaping global space governance. At the same time, we cannot ignore the profound impact of Russia's ongoing full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, conducted in blatant violation of the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law. This war continues to inflict serious damage on Ukraine's scientific, technological, and educational ecosystems, including our space sector. Nevertheless, Ukraine's space sector has not been brought to a standstill. Despite extremely difficult circumstances, we continue to develop international cooperation and deepen integration with global space partners. A strategic priority for Ukraine is its gradual integration into the European space ecosystem. In October 2025, an implementing arrangement between the State Space Agency of Ukraine and the European Space Agency was signed to foster innovation, strengthen the competitiveness of Ukraine's space industry, and broaden Ukraine's involvement in European space programs. In this context, Ukraine views this cooperation as a significant step toward deeper integration and close institutional alignment with the European Space Agency. Within the framework of Ukraine's participation in the Copernicus components of the EU space program, the uninterrupted operation of Ukraine's regional data processing center has been ensured and the use of Copernicus data and application based information for earth observation purposes in the interest of the state has been continued. In April, specialists of the National Space Facilities Control and Test Center successfully completed the transition to the new Copernicus data ecosystem, thereby ensuring stable and reliable access to data from the Sentinel satellite family. Ukrainian space enterprises have also contributed to the Vega program, supporting successful launch activities and we remain committed to further industrial and scientific cooperation with European and international partners. Ukraine is likewise actively engaged in multilateral initiatives, including participation in the Artemis Accords. We welcome the growing number of signatories and see this framework as an important platform for promoting transparency, interoperability, and responsible behavior in lunar and deep space activities. Mr. Chair, Ukraine consistently supports the work of UN affiliated centers for space science and technology education, which play an important role in capacity building and knowledge sharing, particularly for developing countries. At the same time, we continue to maintain our stronger position to granting UN affiliation to the so-called regional center for space science and technology education hosted in the Russian Federation. As such affiliation presupposes respect for the principles and values of the United Nations, including adherence to the UN Charter. Distinguished delegates, Ukraine remains committed to constructive engagement within this subcommittee and to advancing technical cooperation aimed at the safe and sustainable use of outer space. believe that scientific dialogue grounded in international law and mutual trust remains essential in addressing emerging challenges in space activities despite four years of Russia's war of aggression International Solidarity remains essential aggression must not be normalized nor rewarded with institutional legitimacy in closing Ukraine expresses its sincere appreciation to all nations standing with us in our struggle for freedom, independence and dignity. I thank you, Mr. Chair.


STSC · Chair [51:14]:

So I thank the distinguished delegate from Ukraine for his statement. The next speaker is the distinguished delegate from Mexico. Mexico, you have the floor.


Mexico [51:33]:

Thank you very much, Chair. First of all, Mexico wishes to sincerely congratulate you upon your election to chair the work of this subcommittee and to wish you the best of success in your functions. We would also like to express our gratitude for the work of the outgoing chair, Madam Olipia Elena Bottisato Vromenia, for her outstanding work at the helm of this forum over the past two sessions. The work of COPUOS and its two subcommittees must remain at the heart of outer space activities governance. Science, technology and the space economy continue to develop and our challenge is to coordinate to ensure that the future of space is in service of and in the benefit for all of humankind. Given the current constraints that the Committee Secretariat is dealing with as a result of the liquidity crisis in the United Nations system, we recognize the commitment and the efforts made by the entire UN OOSA team in order to keep giving results. With scant resources and against a backdrop of great uncertainty, they are working closely with us, the Member States, in order to help progress towards our lofty objectives. The relevance of this forum is reaffirmed inter alia following the recent adherence to its membership. And as such, we welcome the new members, Cote d'Ivoire, Gambia, Honduras, Maldives, Malta, and Zimbabwe. As a country, Mexico is firmly convinced of the importance of multilateralism as an essential tool for cooperation, dialogue, and for forging agreements that will help bring us closer to a better world for all. The participation of new members is always a positive signal and a new opportunity to ensure that our work reflects the interests and needs of more and more societies. This very morning, in the context of the UN OOSA Kibo Cube program, in coordination with the Japanese Space Exploration Agency, JAXA, we were able to witness the live transmission of the deployment of various CubeSats from the International Space Station, including CubeSat Jiba-1, which was developed by Mexican students at the Autonomous Popular University of Puebla. This space science achievement in my country was made possible because of the support provided by the Access to Space for All UNOSA programme. Therefore, it is essential to recall that COPUOS is not only crucial to ensure space governance for the benefit of humankind, but also so that countries with great space capacity are able to open up the doors of space to those countries with emerging capacity. Space technology and activities will be key in order to attain the Sustainable Development Goals and therein lies the need to ensure that the benefits of space reach everyone. Space technologies will make it possible to tackle outstanding challenges such as food security, natural disaster risk mitigation, medicine, preservation and monitoring of natural resources and biodiversity among many more. Humankind needs space and space technologies and in order to access these technologies and their benefits, we need to ensure that space is used in a sustainable and responsible fashion, preserving it for future generations. Here we acknowledge that the guidelines for the long-term sustainability of activities in outer space will be crucial in order to meet this goal. In Mexico, the legislative process for the implementation of these guidelines as part of our national legal order is currently underway. We also wish to underscore the relevance of dark and quiet skies as natural and cultural heritage of humankind, emphasizing that the protection of dark and quiet skies is of benefit both to science as well as to local communities and for current and future education. In the same vein, the initiative regarding the distribution of space benefits for development is in keeping with the vision that has guided the efforts of this forum and which is couched in the principles of the Outer Space Treaty, namely that the exploration and use of outer space must be in the benefit and interest of all countries, regardless of their level of economic or scientific development, and must reach humankind as a whole. Finally, Mexico is pleased to inform you that on the 20th of February in the city of Queretaro in my country, the first General Assembly of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency will take place. This agency is known as ALCE. This encounter will bring together the representatives of its 11 member states, as well as representatives of the international aerospace sector, representatives of academia and other stakeholders. in order to commemorate the establishment of this regional multilateral mechanism, which will serve to bolster our capacity in the sphere of satellite communication, as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation. Thank you, Chair.


STSC · Chair [56:49]:

So I thank the distinguished representative of Mexico for her statement. We will now continue our consideration of agenda item four, on the general exchange of views tomorrow morning. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of agenda item five, space for sustainable development, technologies and its applications, including the United Nations programme on space applications. I now turn to the list of speakers. The first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of India.


India [57:38]:

Chair and distinguished delegates, space technology has been a powerful enabler for sustainable development in India. It has provided a variety of vital inputs for holistic and rapid development of the country in general and vast rural areas in particular. India's space technology has been a pioneer in this field by delivering number of projects and implementing the outcomes by addressing the sustainable resource management and socioeconomic needs. Chair, India has various national level programs for mapping and monitoring of natural resources like wetlands, biodiversity, coral reef, forest cover, snow cover glaciers, and water bodies using space inputs. During 2025, the 19th cycle of annual national level mapping of land use land cover has been carried out at 1:250,000 scale and the LULC changes and its impact of environment are quantified. The outcomes of these activities are provided as inputs to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Chair, satellite imagery has helped in monitoring and managing natural resources such as water, forests and agricultural land. The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar mission would provide valuable inputs for sustainable development initiatives involving security for food, water, environment, etc., and also for the disaster resilience. India prioritizes the research and innovations in space application for ensuring food security, which comes under SDG 2, Zero Hunger. India has successfully demonstrated operational implementation of monitoring and production forecasting for 10 major agriculture crops using space inputs. The space inputs are also used for village level crop yield estimation to bring Indian farmers under crop insurance scheme of the government. Work is underway to bring down the spatial scale of assessment to farm level using remote sensing and advanced processing tools to provide comprehensive forest inventory India is regularly carrying out the biennial forest mapping using satellite data. Space technology supports the programs for afforestation, aiming to protect, restore, and enhance India's rich forest cover and response to climate change. Chair, India has promoted utilization of space technology input in planning, implementation, and monitoring of world's largest rural employment guarantee program. India has developed Yuktadhara, a geospatial technology based planning tool to ensure equitable and scientific orientation in planning the rural employment works. Space technology has been used for mapping, monitoring more than 64 million assets and activities generated under the scheme. High resolution earth observation data and positioning solutions derived from the global navigation satellite system are utilized for monitoring the changes brought by the implementation of natural resource management activities under the Rural Employment Guarantee Program. Chair, India acknowledges the role of upskilling and capacity building of human resources to fully leverage the potential of space application in sustainable development through the UN-affiliated Center for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific. Over the last 30 years, 73 postgraduate and 102 specialized short courses are conducted benefiting more than 4,300 participants from 65 plus countries. Chair, India is committed towards effectively utilizing space applications and geospatial tools for managing the natural resource of the country and thus enabling the informed decision making for the benefit of the global community. India stands up front in sharing the knowledge and technological experience to encourage the utilization of space technology and its application for sustainable development in various sectors. Thank you, Chair and distinguished delegates.


STSC · Chair [1:01:40]:

So I thank the distinguished delegate of India for his presentation. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea. Korea, you have the floor, please.


Republic of Korea [1:01:56]:

Thank you, Chair. The Republic of Korea is deeply committed to the Space 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, embracing them as pillars of its national space policy. We believe space is no longer just a scientific frontier, but is a central solution for global challenges like climate change and a primary driver of sustainable future. Driven by the principle that the benefits of space technology must be shared equally with all humankind and leaving no one behind, the Republic of Korea is strengthening international solidarity for the peaceful, inclusive use of outer space. In particular, achieving SDG5 gender equality is an essential prerequisite for building an inclusive space ecosystem. For space activities to make a tangible progress in achieving the SDGs, women's equal participation across the entire space sector must be ensured. In this spirit, the Republic of Korea is translating this principle into concrete actions, combining domestic efforts with constructive engagement with the international community. The Korean government has been supporting the landmark study on gender equality in the space sector carried out under the UNOSA Space for Women project. This work is particularly meaningful as it represents the first global assessment to comprehensively examine the status of women across the space sector worldwide. Phase one of the study quantitatively measured women's representation across public sector space organizations globally. Building on this foundation, phase two examined women's real life experiences in greater depth and broadened the scope to include the private sector. We are pleased to note the publication of the phase two report in September, 2025, and we express our appreciation to UNICEF for its continued leadership in advancing this work. We look forward to further progress and achievements as phase three moves forward this year. In parallel, we are actively facilitating regional discussions on this issue. According to the finding of the landmark study, the Asia Pacific countries have the lowest portion of women in space sector compared to other regions, underscoring the need for continuous regional attention and cooperation. Against this backdrop, we hosted a side event titled Breaking Barriers Together, Women in the Asia Space Sector on the Margins of APRSAF held in Cebu, the Philippines in November 2025. The event provided an opportunity to share the regional situation and to exchange views on common challenges across the Asia Pacific. We would like to once again express our sincere gratitude to UNOSA and our partners including the Philippines, Japan and Thailand for their valuable contributions. Building on these efforts, the Republic of Korea is currently undertaking a region-wide survey to better understand the perceptions of gender barriers in the space sector. Though we have requested the cooperation of COPUOS member states in the Asia-Pacific region to participate in the survey, participation to date remains limited. Thus, we respectfully invite delegations and relevant institutions to support outreach and encourage greater participation among space professionals in your agencies, industry, and universities. Looking ahead, we plan to analyze the survey results and share the findings on the occasion of COPUOS meeting in June 2026. The survey methodology and outcomes will also contribute to the phase three of the landmark study. In closing, the Republic of Korea reaffirm its commitment to continue cooperation with UNOOSA and all member states to advance gender equality in the space sector and to support sustainable development. Thank you.


STSC · Chair [1:05:14]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Korea for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Nigeria, Nigeria, you have the floor.


Nigeria [1:05:28]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates. Nigeria continues to apply space science and technology as a strategic tool for sustainable development, climate resilience, and socioeconomic planning in line with the peaceful uses of outer space. Within the framework of disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, Nigeria is using satellite data and mine area vehicles and geospatial analytics for flood vulnerability mapping, early warning and impact assessment across flood prone areas in the country. These activities are supporting national land use planning, anticipatory humanitarian action, and the development of policy instruments such as the national flood insurance policy and the presidential anticipatory action framework. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, as part of a concerted effort at reducing emission from human activities, Nigeria conducted a space-based assessment of emission hotspots within the federal capital city, Abuja. Furthermore, Nigeria operationalized a greenhouse gas measurement and data retrieval system for real-time monitoring of atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane, contributing to national climate commitments and global climate research. Nigeria is collaborating with the United Nations Environmental Program, UNEP, within the UNEP's International Methane Emission Observatory to harness methane data in Nigeria from four sectors, including waste, oil and gas, agriculture, and urban areas. Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates, to achieve food security, Nigeria is collaborating with its international partners for multilateral programs such as the NASA Harvest Initiative, and the development of Nigerian Crop Watch Program. Furthermore, Nigeria is finalizing the processes for implementing the European Union Climate Smart Agriculture for Development, AGRI-CAD project in the country. We are grateful to the European Union for this project. It is worth mentioning that Nigeria is also grateful to its technical partners, including the United States Artemis Program, China, India, Japan, and Brazil. Nigeria is investing in research and capacity development in artificial intelligence and robotics to support future satellite operations and space systems. Our focus areas include the autonomous satellite operations, artificial intelligence-enabled image analysis, space cybersecurity, signal optimization, onboard data processing, space situational awareness, and responsible use of emerging technologies to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability. In the past year, Nigeria recorded significant milestone in advancing its indigenous satellite development capabilities. We successfully deployed Nigeria's first indigenous telemetry receiving station. In addition, we advance in-house design and prototyping of nano satellite systems, supporting future Earth observation missions for various space application project. In conclusion, between late May and June, 2025, a devastating flood struck Mokwa, a key hub for agriculture and logistics in the country. The floods resulted in extensive damage to critical infrastructures, such as roads and bridges, severely impacting the regional economy. As a result, Nigeria expressed interest in collaborating with UNOSA and the Government of Japan to enhance disaster forecasting and response capabilities. Nigeria is grateful to UNOSA and the Government of Japan for obliging its request. I thank you.


STSC · Chair [1:09:53]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Nigeria for his statement. Excuse me. So the next speaker on my list is the observer for Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, or APSCO. So APSCO, you have the floor.


APSCO · Observer [1:10:16]:

Mr. Chairman, APSCO fully aligns with the objective of this agenda item. and reaffirms its strong support for the United Nations program on space applications. We believe that space technology must be translated into local late actionable solutions for sustainable development. The core part of ABSCO's mission is to encourage and support our member states in developing their own earth observation and geospatial applications tailored to their national priorities and sustainable development needs. From 2018 to 2024, ASCO has supported 14 collaborative research projects. Seven of these were directly related to climate change and were implemented based on the specific interest of six member states. These projects cover space carbon stock assessment, environmental and disaster monitoring, global water circulation, disaster risk assessment, and air pollution monitoring. Each project has provided valuable insights and tools to address climate-related challenges at the national level while fostering regional expertise. Looking ahead from 2025, We are launching nine new projects, one led by each member state. Eight of these fall under the second batch of the data sharing service platform application. United under shared theme challenges the climate change and agriculture. These initiatives are designed to support tailored national responses, whether in crop monitoring, drought forecasting, or soil resilience. while promoting regional knowledge, exchange, and best practices. Furthermore, the joint project titled Development of Tele-Epidemiological Decision Support System Using Geospatial Technologies, led by Pakistan, is now under feasibility study and will soon move to implementation. This project aims to strengthen health preparedness in the face of environmental change. demonstrating how space data can protect public health. To make these projects possible, ASCO provides open access to satellite data throughout data sharing service platform supported by partners including CNSA, EOSDC, and CRSEDA. In the last five years, member states have downloaded more than 5,600 satellite scenes with over 280 images activated specifically for emergency disaster response, enabling real-time resilience. We are also expanding our technical infrastructure to ensure data access is sustained and enhanced. Through the Fengyun Meteorological Satellite Project, we have helped establish ground receiving facility in seven member states, delivering near real-time data for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and disaster preparedness. Mr. Chairman, ASCO approach rests on a simple principle, ownership drives sustainability. By empowering member states to define their own applications, and by providing the data, training, and platform to realize them, we ensure that space technology serves local development agendas, while contributing to global frameworks like SDGs, the Paris Agreement and Sendai Framework. Yet, technology and data alone are not enough. ASCO firmly believes that investment in human capability is what turns potential into lasting progress. Our focus goes beyond building capacity. We aim to enhance the skills, innovation and leadership within each member state. ensuring that local experts can own, adapt, and advance space applications for long-term sustainability. Moving forward, ASCO remains committed to deepening cooperation with UN program on space applications, UNOSA, and other regional centers. We stand ready to share our model for member-driven capability center development and to explore new partnerships that can amplify human potential for greater impact. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.


STSC · Chair [1:15:21]:

I thank the distinguished observer for ESCO for his presentation. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished observer for the International. you have the floor.


Observer [1:15:40]:

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, Chair and distinguished delegates. Today I will be presenting a very unique partnership between Cannes and the government of Maharashtra, India to establish the world's first global mid TRL technology readiness level innovation acceleration and skilling institute contributing to space enable sustainable development. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my colleague, Dr. Pascale Erfurth, and her pivotal role in helping to shape this initiative. I'm also grateful to my partner at the Inspire for Tomorrow Foundation, Ms. Simulata Thepipo, for her continued collaboration and leadership. I would also further like to acknowledge the director of UNOSA, Ms. Aarti Holamaini, for her support and engagement. Chair, on behalf of Cannes, it is my privilege to share this historic initiative that speaks directly to the future we are collectively building, one whose innovation moves faster, talent moves freely, and technology delivers sustainable impact at global scale. Recently announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, in partnership with the government of Maharashtra, India, Our initiative establishes the world's first global mid-TRL innovation acceleration and skilling institute focused on space, aerospace, energy, and deep technology, and explicitly aligned with the objective of the space-enabled sustainable development. This institute will be located near the New Mumbai International Airport within a 250-acre purpose-built innovation ecosystem. complemented by a 25 acres education and commercialized zone adjacent to the airport. This is not simply a campus, it is an integrated ecosystem connecting research, testing, qualification, manufacturing readiness and workforce development. In this context, the honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, has emphasized the state's readiness and pride in partnering with Canis International to establish this institute in Mumbai, India's commercial capital, as part of Maharashtra's ambition to scale its innovation ecosystem globally. Chair, around the world, extraordinary ideas are being created. Yet, too many fail to reach society, not because they lack merit, but because they stall in the mid-TRL value update between laboratory success and certified deployment. This institute is designed to close this gap. By concentrating on technology readiness level four to six, it provides a structured pathway from validation to qualification and early production. Applied R&D, rapid prototyping, mission integration and flight or field test trials take place side by side, ensuring that innovation advances with speed, discipline and purpose. This operating model brings together space and aerosystem clusters integrated with mission integration and test and qualification facilities. These are complemented by deep technology domains, including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, secure communication, advanced materials and manufacturing. The result is a resilient platform where global stakeholders can collaborate efficiently across discipline and borders. To translate prototypes into certified market-ready solution, this institute is establishing six sector-specific special purpose vehicles, including aerospace, satellites, fly-by-wireless, advanced materials, sensors, and energy systems. Each follows a repeatable accelerate to qualification framework, supporting IP transition, certification, supplier network development, and pilot production through shared infrastructure. Chair, human and intellectual capital is the core of this initiative. The institute is conceived as a global skilling engine for space and deep technology economy. Co-developed with OEMs, tier one suppliers and regulators, its programs combine academic foundations with immersive onsite experience across laboratories, assembly integration facilities and test environment. Participants earn a master's degree supported by stackable micro-credential mapped directly to technology and manufacturing readiness milestones and aligned with real industry roles to strengthen the global supply chain while building a deployable ready workforce. The defining strength of this initiative is the distributed global architecture, India-based nodes beginning in Mumbai will connect with international nodes initially in UAE and Canada, followed by other regions with international nodes. These partnerships are formalized through MOUs covering governance, intellectual property, performance, creating a shared and trusted global vision. In partnership with Inspire for Tomorrow Foundation, the Institute also advances the objective of the UN Pact of the Future, embedding inclusion, sustainability, and international cooperation at the core. Chair, the initiative is an invitation to member states, industry leaders and institutions to help shape a globally connected innovation ecosystem where technologies transition faster, talent scale globally and space-enabled solutions deliver real impact on Earth. On February 5th, I will present further technical details on scope and implementation. Thank you very much.


STSC · Chair [1:21:11]:

So I thank the distinguished observer for his for his statement. So now we will expand our consideration of agenda item five on the space for sustainable development on technology and its applications, including the United Nations program on the space applications, pending the consideration of the item by the working group of the whole. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to begin and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item six on the space debris. The very first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of India on behalf of G77 and China. Please, the floor is yours.


India · G77 + China [1:22:06]:

Thank you, Chair. The following statement on behalf of the G77 also applies to the following items of our agenda. Agenda item 11, long-term sustainability of outer space activities. Agenda item 13, space and global health. Agenda item 16, dark and quiet skies, astronomy and large constellations, addressing emerging issues and challenges. Mr. Chair, regarding space debris, the group is of the view that the issue of preventing and mitigating its creation is of utmost importance. and should continue to be treated as a priority with a view to prevent collisions. The Group underscores the need for developing countries to have access to technologies, equipment and methodologies for the measurement, monitoring and characterization of space debris and other space objects, and calls for increased cooperation in addressing space debris. The group takes note of the relevant non-legally binding and voluntary measures such as the space debris mitigation guidelines and the LTS guidelines, while emphasizing that implementation of the latter guidelines would be in accordance with member states' respective needs, conditions and capabilities, and invites advanced space-faring countries and other actors, especially those deploying mega constellations, to pay due regard to their implementation. Regarding the constructive efforts made by all to achieve the adoption of the voluntary guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities during the 62nd session of COPUOS, the Group reiterates the importance of preserving the delicate balance in reviewing and implementing these guidelines and its work plan, through taking into consideration the priorities and concerns of all Member States, in particular developing countries. The group and its member states remain committed to contribute constructively to the meetings of the LTS working group and its work, including through addressing issues such as space traffic and space debris that disproportionately affect developing countries. The group underscores that the deployment of mega constellations, if not carried out sustainably and equitably, may pose a risk of congestion of low earth orbit. which would be a significant disadvantage in the use and exploration of space by developing countries. Therefore, the group reiterates that the principle of equitable access to outer space, and in particular the low Earth orbit, needs to be observed more than ever, and calls for practical and more effective measures to ensure its implementation and responsibility of all space actors, as per Article 6 of the Outer Space Treaty. The group also welcomes the establishment and the commencement of discussions of the expert group on space situational awareness of the working group on long-term sustainability of outer space activities. The group looks forward to the expert group's exchange of views and sharing of SSA awareness data, SSA data and expertise on issues of space safety and sustainability. The Group reiterates the importance of international cooperation on SSA with a view to support capacity building for Member States, particularly developing countries, who have emerging space programmes or capabilities. The Group encourages more efforts contributing towards space applications for the prevention and control of diseases and global health issues, bearing in mind the resolution, Space and Global Health, adopted by the UN General Assembly in its 77th session. Lastly, the group welcomes the agenda item related to dark and quiet skies, astronomy and large constellations and looks forward to deliberations that would further enhance our understanding in addressing emerging issues and challenges, including the impact of light pollution and electromagnetic/radio interference, interferences and large constellations for science and the well-being of society.

I thank you, Mr. Chair.


STSC · Chair [1:26:24]:

I thank the distinguished representative of India and on behalf of G77 and China for his statements. The next speaker is the distinguished representative of Pakistan. Pakistan, the floor is yours.


Pakistan [1:26:47]:

Thanks, Mr. Chair. The proliferation of space debris is a direct consequence of the continued and expanding use of outer space. These debris fragments pose serious risks to active satellites and spacecraft, potentially resulting in damage or catastrophic failures. Publicly available data indicates that more than 30,000 objects are currently tracked in orbit while the number of active satellites has now surpassed 10,000 this rapid growth particularly in low Earth orbit has led to a significant increase in close approaches and collision avoidance Maneuvers underscoring the growing complexity of space safe space operations Mr chair Pakistan considers that the effective mitigation of these risks require enhanced international cooperation. In this regard, the importance of enhanced information sharing related to conjunction assessment, collision avoidance and space objects catalogues is emphasized. Such collaborative approaches contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the space environment and support the development of effective strategies to mitigate collision risks. Mr. Chair, space situational awareness and space traffic management and coordination are key enablers for safe and responsible space operations. Timely accessible to reliable orbital data, harmonized technical standards, and well-trained operators are particularly critical for emerging space-faring nations managing essential space assets. International cooperation in these areas should remain inclusive, practical, and non-binding. while fully respecting national policies and data protection requirements. Mr. Chairman, Pakistan supports key initiatives and emerging technologies aimed at debris mitigation and remediation. These initiatives demonstrate innovative approaches to detecting, monitoring, and removing space debris. thereby contributing to the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. Mr. Chairman, Pakistan supports global efforts to improve the quality and interoperability of conjunction warnings, promote best practices for satellite passivation and end-of-life disposal. and strengthen capacity building initiatives, including operator training and scenario-based exercises. Dialogue on feasible cost-effective solutions for debris mitigation is also encouraged. Mr. Chairman, at the national level, Pakistan continues to strengthen its operational practices to protect its space assets and aligned with international guidelines. Pakistan views regional and international cooperation as essential for improving situational awareness, closing coverage gaps, and enhancing collective safety in increasingly congested orbital regimes. It stands ready to contribute actively by participating in technical and policy discussions sharing experiences and lessons learned in line with National regulations and supporting Regional and capacity building initiatives that Advance responsible responsible space operations I thank you Mr chair


STSC · Chair [1:31:23]:

sir thank you distinguished representative of Pakistan on your statements. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the United States.


United States of America [1:31:40]:

Thank you, Chair. The year 2025 observed a total of 315 launches conducted worldwide, placing more than 4,200 spacecraft into Earth orbit. The landscape of the space environment, especially in low earth orbit, has dramatically changed in recent years, underlining the importance of addressing orbital debris to sustain the safe operations of current and future space missions. The UN COPUOS Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines and best practices developed by other organizations, especially the mitigation guidelines developed by the Interagency Space Debris Coordination Committee, or IADC, remain central to the efforts to mitigate risks posed by orbital debris to space missions and the environment. The United States would like to once again emphasize the importance of those guidelines and call on all to follow those guidelines to limit the generation of orbital debris, thereby preserving the near-Earth space environment for future generations. Concerns about orbital debris are not limited to the near-Earth space environment. Missions to the Moon and Mars are a top priority for the United States and our partners. As we prepare for this next phase of human exploration, we proactively investigate ways to limit the generation of orbital debris from jettison to disposal, leveraging lessons learned from the near-Earth space environment and collaborating with international organizations to preserve the orbits around the Moon and beyond. We look forward to having additional discussions and collaboration with the STSC community on this important topic at this and future sessions. President Trump's December 2025 executive order on space emphasizes developing and deploying advanced capabilities and approaches to enable the next century of space achievements by, among other ways, enabling the sustainability of space operations through effective and responsible approaches to space traffic management and orbital debris mitigation and remediation. Chair, the United States, through its Department of War, provides the US Space Catalog, which contains both active satellites and trackable debris, as well as collision warning information, which has been made public to all space users at no cost for more than a decade. The US Department of Commerce seeks to enhance United States space object cataloging and data sharing efforts as it prepares to assume the civil space traffic coordination functions from the Department of War in the future. These efforts to provide both continuous service and data sharing improvements underscore the US commitment to assisting affected mission operators to avoid collisions with cataloged objects and also avoid the creation of more debris through inadvertent collisions. Chair, NASA has led orbital debris measurement, modeling, prediction, and mitigation initiatives across the spectrum of large and small debris for more than 40 years. We continue to collect radar, optical, and in-situ measurement data to monitor the ever-changing orbital debris environment and to improve object tracking and conjunction assessment capabilities. The collected data is used for developing and updating modeling tools for mission support. These tools are used for assessing risks and designing protection against orbital debris by hundreds of operators, governments, industry, academia, and research groups around the world. These examples show the strength of our contributions to better understand and manage risks from orbital debris. The United States is committed to continuing our leadership and efforts to collaborate with the international community to address orbital debris and ensure safe and continual access to space from the near Earth space environment to cislunar space and beyond. Thank you, Chair.


STSC · Chair [1:36:25]:

Thank you, the distinguished representative of the United States for your statements. The next speaker is the distinguished of Slovakia. Slovakia, the floor is yours.


Slovakia [1:36:40]:

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, allow me to present the recent accomplishments of the Slovak Republic to the work related to the agenda item six, space debris. The focus of space debris research in Slovakia is dedicated to physical characterization of space debris objects to assess their impact on the space, atmospheric, and ground environment. In May 2024, the Slovak Republic signed the initiative of ESA Zero Debris Charter and strengthened its commitment to the long-term sustainability of human activities in space. Research and development of technologies related to space debris, as well as for the space traffic management, are advancing in Slovakia thanks to the subscription of Slovakia to the Space Safety Programme of the European Space Agency. Several different European Space Agency contracts have been awarded to the Slovak industrial and academic entities in the last year, many of which were related to the space safety topic. The Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, continues to perform optical observations of space debris with its optical telescope equipped with the 70 centimeter parabolic mirror telescope. The telescope is used for observations of space debris objects situated in low Earth orbit regime through geosynchronous orbits up to cis-lunar region to improve the information about objects dynamical and physical properties for space safety applications. Observations are conducted in the framework of activities of European Space Agency in collaboration with the private as well with the partners from abroad. During the year 2025, the Comenius University conducted experimental observations of satellites and space debris using custom-made spectrograph constructed in collaboration with the National Institute for Astrophysics, Italy. This has been the first time when such experiment took place in Slovakia. This extension of scientific methodology to characterize artificial space objects will further support the analysis of these objects, reflectance properties, and will help to assess their potential negative impact on the surrounding environment. This also concerns analysis how such objects can affect the brightness of the night sky and consequently impact the quality of the astronomical observations, topic which is addressed in the conference room paper prepared by the group of friends for dark and quiet skies. Comenius University Bratislava also continues to operate more than two dozen of meteor all-sky cameras distributed around the world. namely in Europe, North and South America, Australia and Africa. These cameras continue to detect by chance the satellites and rocket upper stages reentering the atmosphere, providing valuable scientific data. Two cases of reentering large compact objects have been detected with the network last year. In one case, detecting were also emission spectra of upper stage and its change over time. Since 2025, Slovak industry and academia have been participating in the design of the Spectral Markers experiment as part of the ESA Draco mission. Draco is a satellite to be designed to demise in the atmosphere while being closely monitored by scientists to better understand the physics and mechanisms of reentry process. Draco mission is led by Spanish industry and contains consortium partners from multiple ESA member states. Finally, I would like to highlight that in 2024, Space Strategy of the Slovak Republic 2030+ Space as a Catalyst for Growth was approved by the government of the Slovak Republic. The strategy was prepared due to the need to highlight the strategic significance of importance of space activities in the Slovak Republic and to outline the vision and goals of their development. Moreover, Slovak Act 378/2024 on the regulation of space activities states that the operator shall be obliged to take and comply with the appropriate measures to limit the production of space debris depending on the technical condition of space object, taking into account international guidelines for the limitation of space debris. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, thank you for your attention.


STSC · Chair [1:41:08]:

Thanks. the distinguished delegate of Slovakia on his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of France, France for its youth.


France [1:41:28]:

Thank you, Chairperson, distinguished delegates. We are all aware of the risk that the very possibility of conducting outer space activities may be compromised in the future. Rocket launches, low and geostationary orbit satellite operations and crude space flight are all essential to the social and economic development of states, but they're impossible without functioning space systems. This is why space debris is a key issue for France. Our priority must continue to be space debris mitigation. The UN space debris mitigation guidelines adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007 offered the international community clear policy guidance aimed at pragmatic and effective mitigation. Regarding space debris remediation measures, these must undergo a process of deliberations to create a framework for the development and use. France encourages research into and cost-benefit analysis of active debris removal technologies. Our commitment to this issue takes the form of active participation in all fora elaborating standards and guidelines on space debris mitigation. CNES was one of the first space agencies to join the Interagency Space Debris Coordination Center, IADC, in 1996 and contributes actively to its work. The 2025 IADC report on the status of the space debris environment points to orbital overpopulation and should serve as a warning of the need for international harmonization and collective implementation of existing frameworks. To this end, we support updating the space debris mitigation guidelines with reference to the IDC space debris mitigation guidelines. Knes is engaged in the long-term modeling of the orbital population and protecting satellites against small debris fragments of less than one centimeter. We're also engaged in research into reducing satellite vulnerability. As regards international standardization, Knes is actively contributing to updating ISO standard 24113, on space debris mitigation. In 2024, France updated its national technical standards to adapt to the emergence of new systems and upgrade our regulatory framework so as to limit space debris production. It's planned to step up space debris mitigation requirements alongside existing measures such as non-generation of debris during nominal operations. accidental disintegration risk reduction and requirements for passivation and liberation of protected orbits at mission completion. It also introduces restricted access to orbits with high populations of space debris for non-manoeuvring objects, reduced residual duration in orbit at end of service and measures to increase success probability of passivation and deorbiting operations. The regulatory effort comes alongside an innovative technological program called Tech for Space Care led by CNES. Its purpose is to provide industry and space operators with technological solutions to allow them to meet their regulatory obligations and to be compliant with the space debris mitigation guidelines and recommendations. France also organizes international workshops on space debris to mobilize the technical and scientific communities. Chairpersons, I reiterate France's commitment to space debris mitigation. Above and beyond our own national law on space operations, I note the major step forward for safe, sustainable and resilient space activities presented by the UN, the EU's draft space law. France sees UNISPACE-4 as an opportunity to raise our ambitions for space debris mitigation in the framework of our international agenda. Thank you.


STSC · Chair [1:45:38]:

Thank you, the distinguished representative of France for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Germany. Germany, you have the floor.


Germany [1:45:54]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, as the number of launches and spacecraft deployed into Earth orbit, mainly into the low Earth orbit region, remains at a very high level and continues to grow significantly since some years now, it is increasingly important to address issues related to space debris and sustainable space activities. This is also highlighted in the most recent issue of the IADC Space Debris Environment Report, which has been published at this session as document number A/AC.105/C.1/2026/CRP.10. Germany continues to actively address space debris issues by means of scientific research, the development of relevant technologies for mitigating and remediating space debris, and by implementing space debris mitigation measures in national space activities consistent with the UNCOPUOS Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines and the IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines. The German Space Agency at DLR currently is in the process to update its space debris mitigation requirements applicable to all space projects funded by the agency. The update strengthens the German Space Agency's commitment to the sustainable use of space by aligning the requirements to recent international guidelines and standards, as well as practices of European and international partners. New requirements address space situation awareness, rendezvous operations and on-orbit servicing missions, as well as large constellations. The German Space Situational Awareness Center, GSAC, continues to be a core contributor to the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking Initiative. To increase the national capabilities for orbit determination of space objects, the German Space Agency is procuring three satellite laser ranging stations capable of also tracking space debris that will be deployed worldwide. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, research activities on space debris issues conducted in Germany include a wide range of topics and with their research, German scientists actively contribute to the work of the Interagency Space Debris Coordination Committee, IADC. One of these research topics The assessment of hypervelocity impact induced damages to spacecraft was presented in detail in a technical presentation earlier this week on Monday. The very recently started study will, for the first time, provide measurements of anthropogenic material released during fiery reentry of spacecraft into Earth's atmosphere. These measurements will be conducted from two sides, one in Germany and one in Norway, with ground-based lidar systems and for the first time allowed to directly assess the contamination of the upper atmosphere due to reentering space objects. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, Germany stays committed to responsible and sustainable use of the Earth orbit by minimizing the impact of its space missions on the future orbital environment in order to support a sustainable use of outer space. We thank you for your kind attention.


STSC · Chair [1:49:53]:

I thank the distinguished speaker from Germany for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Thailand, Thailand Hathor.


Thailand [1:50:12]:

Thank you, Chair. Chair, distinguished delegate, allow me to congratulate you on your election as Chair. Thailand recognizes that space debris pose a serious challenge to the space safety, security, and long-term sustainability of outer space. Addressing this challenge requires effective policy frameworks, technical capabilities, and strong international cooperation. Thailand has established a national policy framework under Space Situation Awareness and Space Traffic Management Policy Committee, which guide national effort to align with international standard, strengthen the capabilities, promote awareness of space debris risk, and encourage international cooperation. In term of implementation, Thailand is strengthening national capacity in space situation awareness and space traffic management through a defined development plan to enhance infrastructure and integrate operational facilities. Thailand's coordinate SSA STM related activities include space object registration, tracking, conjunction assessment, and maintenance of two line element data. In addition, Thailand is planning the development of advanced tracking and monitoring capabilities to improve coverage, reliability, and operational efficiency. Thailand actively promotes space safety and sustainability through initiatives such as Thailand Space Expo 2025, which serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and regional cooperation. Thailand has also hosted a space traffic coordination workshop, including the event co-hosted with the Skilable Foundation to facilitate dialogue among policymakers, operators, researchers, and international partners. Thailand recognizes that space debris is a global challenge that requires collective and coordinated international action. at the Global Space Technology Convention and Exhibition 2025 in Singapore. Thailand contributed to discussion on space traffic coordination and proposed the establishment of ASEAN-level SSA and SDM task force to enhance regional capacity, support shared operational practice, and promote voluntary data sharing in line with international best practice. Thailand has also participated in international dialogues, including the Sustainability Forum organized by the Scuba Foundation in Paris in March 2026. ASEAN Space Situation Awareness and Space Traffic Management Workshop will be organized under the ASEAN SSA/STM project co-led by Philippines and Thailand and conduct the partnership with UN OOSA. The seminar workshop to be held in Manila, Philippines aim to threaten regional cooperation, capacity building and information exchange related to space debris SSA and STM. Chair, Thailand remain committed to seeking partnership with member state international organization space agency to as one cooperation in space debris research, mitigation and long-term sustainability. We start ready to contribute to global efforts and to work cooperatively to ensure that the safe and sustainable use of outer space for the benefit of all. Thank you, Chair, and distinguished delegates.


STSC · Chair [1:54:17]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Thailand for his statement. The next speaker is the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, you have the floor.


Saudi Arabia [1:54:37]:

Chairperson, distinguished delegates, building on the Kingdom's statements in previous sessions and noting significant progress in the use of space applications and scientific missions, the Kingdom reaffirms its firm commitment to the long-term sustainability of outer space activities at a time when space operations are growing in scale, density and complexity. The rapid expansion of satellite constellations calls for action beyond shared principles, demanding effective implementation, transparency, and international cooperation. Robust regulatory and registration frameworks, clear operational contact points, and systematic impact assessments are essential to ensuring the responsible and sustainable use of outer space. Strengthening space situational awareness through coordination and data sharing remains fundamental to preventing collisions and ensuring safe orbital operations. In this context, the Saudi Space Agency enhanced its operational and technical capabilities in 2025 through the activation of the Space Situational Awareness Research Hub. with strong focus on research and development risk analysis evidence-based decision support and Workforce capability development the hub contributed to specialized scientific research with International subject matter experts and completed its first peer reviewed paper accepted for publication in a Q1 ranked International Journal addressing the economic impact of space situational awareness and sustainable orbital operations chair the kingdom recognizes that sustainability cannot be achieved through mitigation alone in this context the Saudi space agency hosted the space debris conference in Riyadh on 26 and 27 January 2026 bringing together governments industry policymakers and experts to move the dialogue from principles toward implementation and measurable results on debris management and sustainable operations. As part of this effort, the agency organized the Debris Solver competition launched in June 2025 during the 68th session of COPUOS. With the participation of research and technical teams from around the world, Four international technical partners were engaged in evaluating submitted proposals and technical papers. The competition addressed four priority use cases critical to long term sustainable. This confirms our focus on international cooperation. Space debris also remains one of the most serious threats to the sustainability of space activities. The Kingdom supports adherence to global debris mitigation guidelines, advancement of active debris removal technologies, and strengthened international coordination across the full life cycle of space objects. LTS also requires inclusive participation. the engagement of emerging space-faring nations in capacity building, education, training, knowledge exchange, strengthens collective responsibility and global resilience in the space domain. To conclude, we emphasize that the sustainability of outer space is a collective responsibility. We reaffirm core principles that must be translated into action to ensure that outer space remains safe, secure and sustainable for present and future generations. Thank you, Chair.


STSC · Chair [1:58:44]:

So thank you, the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia for your statement. The next speaker is the distinguished representative of Japan. Japan, you have the floor.


Japan [1:58:58]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Chair, distinguished delegates, space is now woven into the fabric of our daily lives and stand as a shared domain upon which all humankind depends. It is its stable use and free access are not abstract ideals. They are practical necessities. Among the many challenges confronting outer space, the proliferation of space debris is the most urgent and the most unforgiving. If left unanswered, it threatens to render this vital domain unusable and to deny its benefits to future generations. The danger is well known, yet awareness alone does not prevent collision. We must now move decisively from recognition to resolve, and from resolve to action. Efforts to address space debris take several forms. Measures for mitigation, namely reducing the creation of future space debris through design, operation, and disposal are already advancing and must continue. They are necessary and in some areas effective. The greater challenge lies with remediating existing space debris. This task is often described as extraordinarily difficult. In reality, part of it are less daunting than assumed. What must change first is our mindset. The era of disposable culture in space must end. Mr. Chair, not all satellites need to be discarded at the first sign of failure or a degradation, repair, refueling, life extension and controlled reuse can return certain defunct object from the past of space debris back to the role of functioning assets. These on-orbit services carry not only technical promise but also clear commercial incentives and they are beginning to take root. Yet there remains space debris that cannot be repaired, reused or safely managed in place. Therefore, active debris removal or ADR is indispensable. Here, private sector's innovation is moving with remarkable speed and creativity. A Japanese company, Astro Scale, working in partnership with JAXA, has successfully approached and closely observed target space debris. an important milestone toward practical ADR, this progress is happening now. Governments and international community must match this momentum with equal speed and ingenuity. The copious must rather than trail but instead enable innovation by facilitating discussion and decision on rules, coordination and markets that allow these technologies to be developed, deployed responsibly and at scale. Mr. Chair, innovation does not flourish from investment alone. It requires clear and credible rules on how new technologies and services are carried out. Such clarity provides predictability which allows industry to grow. Because the exploration and use of outer space is the province of all humankind, on-orbit servicing must be conducted with the highest level of transparency. Guided by this principle, Japan has established national guidelines for on-orbit services that will contribute to discussions on international norms while ensuring real-world effectiveness. To reinforce transparency, Japan makes public the outlines of approved projects in a timely manner. Furthermore, As announced by Minister Minoru Kiuchi, then Minister of State for Space Policy in Japan during last year's COPUOS session, Japan has been advancing studies on how coordination for future international on-orbit servicing should look like. A key platform, a new study group on coordination items for international on-orbit servicing is now in motion. Experts with advanced technical and legal knowledge and insights, including those from industrial sector, are thoroughly reviewing what standard coordination matters should be addressed. These efforts are necessary and useful to address complex OOS related coordination challenges that no single discipline or nation can solve alone. Japan stands ready to share the progress made through these efforts with international community. We do so in the firm belief that space debris, by its very nature, cannot be resolved by the actions of any one country. Mr. Chair, in concluding, space debris is not a distant concern. If we fail to act for its mitigation and remediation now, it will directly impact our daily lives. The stable use of and free access to outer space must therefore be secured. Now, not later. Japan strongly hopes that the framework of COP26 will rise to this challenge and deliver results worthy of the domain we are entrusted to protect. Thank you for your kind attention and I apologize for taking many times. Thank you very much.


STSC · Chair [2:05:02]:

I thank the distinguished delegate of Japan for his statement. The next speaker, My list is the distinguished representative of Italy. Italy, the floor is yours.


Italy [2:05:18]:

Yes, thanks, Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates. Italy remains deeply committed to addressing one of the most critical challenges facing the space community today, space debris. This growing threat endangers the long-term sustainability of the space environment and the safety of present and future space activities. Through the Italian Space Agency, ASI, Italy continues to strengthen its national capabilities in space surveillance and tracking while contributing actively to international cooperation, guided by the conviction that sustainability in space can only be achieved through shared responsibility. Italy plays leading role within the European Union space surveillance and tracking framework, where it develops and operates key services for reentry and fragmentation analysis. We are also strongly engaged in ESA Space Safety Program, which addresses space debris alongside other major risks to space operations. In this context, Italy leads as a rise in orbit servicing mission implemented by an Italian company and supported by ASI and Italian government as a concrete step towards safer and more sustainable space operations. A major milestone was reached in June, 2025 with the adoption of Italy's national space law, measures relevant to the space economy. This legislation places sustainability and security at the core of space governance, making them mandatory conditions for authorizing space activities. It requires comprehensive assessments across the entire life cycle of space objects, addressing safety, environmental impacts, light and radio frequency pollution, debris mitigation and end of life management. ASI plays a central role in ensuring that these requirements are fully aligned with internationally agreed standards, including the YDC space debris mitigation guidelines and the guidelines. Italy also maintain a strong and active presence within the Interagency Space Debris Coordination Committee, IADC, where ASI experts contribute to the steering committee and the world working groups supported by national research institutions coordinated by ENAF. Italy continues to invest in research and innovation, strengthening cooperation with the National Institute for Astrophysics and the Polytechnic of Milano to advance observation techniques, artificial intelligence applications, and lunar awareness, while supporting the training of a new generation of space professionals. At the infrastructure level, Italy is completing several strategic projects funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The Fly Eye Telescope Network will soon provide global coverage for debris observation, while the new satellite and debris laser ranging station in Matera will enhance tracking capability from LEO to GEO. These assets will be integrated into a national system delivering essential SST services, including collision avoidance, range prediction, and fragmentation analysis. In parallel, Italy is preparing a national in orbit servicing demonstration mission designed to validate complex operations while maintaining the highest safety standards. Mr. Chair, Italy firmly believes that the sustainability of outer space can only be ensured through strong international cooperation combined with concrete national action. We remain committed to working with all partners to preserve outer space as a safe, sustainable and accessible domain for the benefit of all humankind. Thank you for your attention.


STSC · Chair [2:09:28]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Italy for her statement. So we will continue and hopefully conclude our consideration of the agenda item six on the space debris tomorrow morning. Distinguished delegates, we will now suspend the plenary meeting so that the working group of the whole can be hold this first meeting. Following the adjournment of the working group meeting, we will then the plenary to proceed the technical presentations. the meeting is suspend. You free to stand up to straight a bit.


Speaker 45 [2:10:58]:

Thank you, Mr. President.

Good afternoon, distinguished delegates. I would like to greet all


STSC · Chair [3:00:16]:

Hello, distinguished delegates. I would now turn to proceed with the technical presentations. We have three technical presentations for the next half an hour before we leave. Before I move on to the presentation, I would like to advise all presenters that should they wish to have the interaction through the questions and answer after the presentation, they may wish to finish the presentation a few minutes before earlier than allotted time of the 10 minutes. The first presentation of this afternoon on my list is on the Brazilian. initiative to advance space agriculture research and innovation for space exploration. This is by the representative of Brazil. Brazil, the floor is yours.


Brazil [3:01:22]:

Dear colleagues, it's my pleasure to address you on behalf of the Brazilian Space Agency. at the Scopus 2026 Scientific and Technical Subcommittee meeting. I intend to present today a summary overview of Brazil's relevant recent and ongoing technological and space applications initiative to advance the four overarching objectives of the Space 2030 agenda. Let me start with space economy and how we enhance space derived economy benefits in Brazil. Among all the applications that we developed nowadays. We have a special care for Earth observations applications for monitoring our own territory, vegetations, deforestations, fires alarms. Here you have an overview of the integrated long-term research programs and their space-based systems and applications that are focused on deforestation. to monitor the biomes we have in Brazil, especially the Amazon. But none of this is possible without our own space systems. Here you have an overview of the space systems that we are developing these days in Brazil. We have Amazonia-1B, which is a Brazilian satellite that we aim to launch in 2027 to monitor not only our own territory but as well as hydrological resources. We also have applications that we are developing in partnership with CONAI from Argentina. We are also working in international cooperation with China to develop cyber six, which is a SAR satellite that will contribute immensely to the applications that we develop here in Brazil for Earth observation. Also very important is SatVHR, which is our very first high resolution Earth observation satellite that we are developing in the Brazilian industry. And we also have initiatives regarding access to space. VS-50 is a sounding rocket that we are developing in partnership with Germany. Also, it's very important that we correlate all these efforts in applications and technological development with our industry. And if you want to know more about the state of the Brazilian industry in space, I invite you to take a look to the Brazilian Space Industry online catalog which is maintained by the Brazilian Space Agency where you can have a feeling of all the companies that are acting across key areas in space from Earth observation to launch services education and space Logistics as well finally Let me say that last year in 2025, in a joint initiative of the Brazilian Space Agency and the United Nations, we produced a space economy report providing insight into the current state of Brazil's space economy and a strategic roadmap for the Brazilian space ecosystem, covering commercialization, internationalization, and synergies with known space sectors. Regarding space society and our efforts to unlock the potential of space, in 2025 we invited the Brazilian society to contribute to the review of the national program for space activities Through a public call, we gather opinions and suggestions from experts, institutions and society to support the long-term planning of the Brazilian space program. These contributions are very important to guide us through the initiatives and investments that we do in infrastructure and applications, capacity building, access to space and space missions. We also have important events throughout the year where we invite the Brazilian society and the international community to gather together to discuss regional and global trends in space. In the first semester of this year we will be organizing in Sao Paulo the Space BR show that presents regional and global trends and opportunities for the entire space sector value chain. And in the second semester of this year, together with Secure World Foundation, we will organize the Summit for Space Sustainability that brings together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and civil society to examine shared challenges, regional perspectives and practical approaches shaping how space is used and governed in the years ahead. So let me invite you and the entire community to attend these events here in Brazil and discuss space solutions for society as well as space sustainability for a shared future. We also are making an effort to bring non-traditional stakeholders to connect with international partners in the field of space. Brazil is actively participating in the global endeavor of lunar exploration, in alignment with the Artemis Accords principles, with a strong focus on research in space agriculture. This initiative aims to adapt agricultural techniques to space conditions, contributing to mission sustainability and accelerating innovation on Earth to enhance food security amid climate change and extreme environments. This year, last year, sorry, we organized in Brazil the first international symposium on space farming, where we managed to connect experts from agriculture organizations from Brazil and from abroad with the space community to discuss space farming and advancing this important contribution for the future of the global society. Regarding space accessibility and how we improve access to space for all. Last year we had a very important milestone for Brazil, which was the Innospace, South Korean company, first commercial launch from Hamby Nano from the Brazil's Alcantara Space Center. It was on December 22nd last year. Unfortunately, after the launch, it was necessary to abort the mission, but despite the anomaly, the mission marks a historic milestone in the first commercial launch from Brazil territory, demonstrating the operational maturity of Alcantra Launch Center. All ground systems, infrastructure, operational procedures, and safety protocols performed as planned, ensuring a launch fully aligned with international standards. We also are investing in several initiatives that are also open to international cooperation. We have initiatives in our microgravity program where we offer microgravity environment in our sound rockets for international and national payloads. We also have initiatives for academic nanosatellites with universities and international partners. We are investing a lot in capacity building through our space vocational technology center for, you know, bring teachers and students to, you know, discuss and learn more about space activities. And also in partnership with CNES from France, we are bringing, planning to bring the international community to launch scientific payloads through stratospheric balloons launched from the Brazilian territory. Regarding international cooperation, space diplomacy, and how we, you know, our efforts to build partnerships and improve international cooperation, last year, leaders of space agencies of the BRICS countries met in Brasilia to strengthen international cooperation in three main topics. reducing technological asymmetries among members countries, promoting sustainability in the use of space and advancing the BRICS virtual constellation of remote sensing satellites. And we managed after the meeting to provide specific contributions from the BRICS satellites to address climate change that were shared to to the international community during the COP30. As well, if you want to learn more about the Brazilian ecosystem, I invite you to take a look to the recent edition of the Southern Space Studies. that was dedicated to the Brazilian space sector, where you can learn a little bit about our history, how we approach international cooperation and space diplomacy, together with some aspects of Brazilian space law, our new space ecosystem, and also some perspectives for space program for lunar exploration. As my final remarks, I hope I managed to give you an overview of how we are pursuing initiatives to promote technological and space applications in Brazil to advance the four overarching objectives of the Space 2030 Agenda. And thank you very much for your attention. And if you want to learn more about us and about our initiatives, please visit us at this website on your screen. Thank you very much, and I wish you all a very productive meeting.


STSC · Chair [3:11:15]:

Thank you very much. Thank you, Barthi, very much. So the next presentation will be the second one and also the last one for tonight because of the time. It will be on the progress of the study on coordination items for international on-orbit servicing by the representative of Japan. Japan, the floor is yours.


Japan · Director for International Affairs · Higuchi Shinji [3:11:42]:

Chair, distinguished delegates, Japan is honored to take the floor at the 63rd session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. Maybe this is not my size, so this is. Yes, that's the right side. So my name is Higuchi Shinji. I'm a director for international affairs of National Space Policy Secretary at the Cabinet Office. Today, I'd like to present the progress of the study on coordination items for international on-orbit servicing. Firstly, I would like to introduce the background of the study. On June 25th last year, the Minister of State for Space Policy, Mr. Kiuchi Minoru, attended the 68th session of the UN COPUOS. Mr. Kiuchi advocated for the importance of the sustainable and stable use of outer space for the international community. The minister also shared details of Japan's proactive efforts in combating space debris, including the development of new technologies and establishment of domestic laws and guidelines. Furthermore, the minister announced Japan will take an active role in the United Nations and discussions on rulemaking to address the global challenge of space debris. Specifically, Japan will clarify standard coordination items among various stakeholders such as government agencies and private companies when conducting international or no servicing or always including active debris removal. Japan will contribute to UN discussions by sharing the progress and outcomes of this efforts with the international community. Before the statement by the Minister, Japan made important national reports for rulemaking regarding on-orbit servicing. In November 2021, the National Space Policy Secretariat, or NSPS, of the Cabinet Office published the guidelines on the license to operate the spacecraft performing on-orbit servicing, or OS guidelines. OS guidelines provide guidance for interpretation and operation of licensing requirements in order to ensure safe, secure and transparent performance of all servicing. OS guidelines expect operators of spacecraft for OS, including active debris removers, to perform certain actions such as obtaining consent from the entity with authority over the client object and providing an operation and management plan to disclose certain information. Based on a Ministerial statement at UN COPUOS, Japan formed a domestic study group called the Study Group on Coordination Items for International Onshore Servicing, or SIOS, and held two meetings so far. SIOS consists of Japanese scholars, experts, and practitioners from both legal and technical fields. We are honored that Professor Setsuko Aoki, who served as chair of the legal subcommittee of UN COPUOS for the period 2020 to 2021, serves as the chair of SAOS. Japan will report the progress and outcomes of SAOS at COPUOS related meetings and/or other international events as appropriate. The purpose of the standard condition items among various, sorry. Back. Oh, can I back? Oh, yes, sorry. The purpose of our service to clarify standard condition items among various stakeholders, including government agencies and private companies when conducting international on orbit servicing. With regard to the scope of this study, on orbit service means an act by spacecraft to intentionally influence other spacecraft for the purpose of resupply, inspection, replacement, repair, modification, under augmentation or to remove either spacecraft whose mission is terminating or space debris from orbit. This can cover various activities as the OS guidelines cover. In order to conduct and the study on standard coordination items for international or servicing at Sios, we developed a simplified model case. I'd like to share an overview with this model case. In this model, we identified four main actors in international servicing. The servicer, the client, the service house country of incorporation, and finally, the client's country of incorporation. In this model case, the servicer means the owner and operator of the servicer spacecraft, which under contract with the client, provides on-orbit servicing for the client object using the servicer spacecraft. The client means the entity that owns and controls, if applicable, the client object and receives all servicing from the servicer under the contract with the servicer. Service's country of incorporation means the country where the service is incorporated and the client's country of incorporation means the country where the client is incorporated. This study assumes that each country is the launching state and the state of registry for the entities and objects, namely service spacecraft or the client object and retains jurisdiction and control over the object. At CIOS, we mainly focus on the standard coordination items among the main actors when conducting international or novice servicing. Finally, I'd like to give examples of discussion points on examples of discussion points on the standard coordination items at CIOS. Regarding the standards coordination items, firstly, between the servicers country and the client country, we discuss that coordination while respecting the jurisdiction and control over the client object of the client's country of incorporation is important. International OS in country influences a spacecraft under the jurisdiction and control of a foreign country. pragmatic approaches to comply with outer space treaty are necessary. Regarding the standard coordination items, secondary between the servicer and servicer's country, and thirdly between the client and client's country, we discussed that the servicer and the client need to comply with the regulations of their country of incorporation. regarding the standard coordination items finally between the service and the client, the study leaves space for their coordination so far as it appears more appropriate for such items to be addressed among private entities. However, the study intend to touch upon standard coordination items that are related to other items mentioned earlier. At CIOSS, we have discussed a number of standard coordination items. Although we are unable to share all these open details and discussion at this moment, but we intend to provide updates as appropriate and share the final outcome with international community once the study at CIOSS has been completed. This is the end of my presentation. Thank you very much for your kind attention.


STSC · Chair [3:21:11]:

Well, thank you very much for your presentation. So if anyone have any question, you can ask Japan after the meeting. Distinguished delegates, I will shortly adjourn the meeting. But before doing so, I would like to inform delegates of our schedule of working tomorrow morning. We will meet promptly at 10 a.m. We will continue our consideration of the agenda item for general exchange of views. Then we will continue and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item six on the space debris. We will begin and hopefully conclude the consideration of agenda item seven on the space system-based disaster management support. If time permits, we will begin our consideration of agenda item eight on the recent development in global navigation satellite system. We will have three technical presentations tomorrow morning. The delegates are reminded that the full schedule of technical presentations is available on the website, the session web page. I would like to also inform the delegates that the informal consultation of the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group, or SMPAC, will be held tomorrow. The informal consultation is scheduled to be held in the conference room M6 tomorrow from 9:30 till 6:00 PM. The informal consultation is available to join with the Ms. Teams hybrid connection available to SIMPACK members respectively. The schedule of the consultation is available on the webpage of the session. I would now like to give the floor to the secretary to provide more information about the event, please.


UNOOSA · Secretary [3:23:00]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Distinguished delegates, tomorrow morning there will be a side event entitled Harnessing Japan's Digital Twin AI Open Data in Disaster Management organized by the Office for Outer Space Affairs. And this event will take place at 9:00 AM in room M3 and also via virtual connection. All delegations are invited. The schedule of the side events is also available on the web page of the session. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


STSC · Chair [3:23:30]:

Thank you, Sri, for the information provided. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule? I don't think so, I see none either. Distinguished delegates, this meeting is adjourned until tomorrow morning, 10 a.m. Have a good night.