Outer Space: Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, 69th session, 849th meeting

Good afternoon, distinguished delegates. Please have a seat. I now declare open the 849 meeting of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Distinguished delegates, this afternoon we will continue our consideration on agenda item number five, general exchange of views. We will continue and hopefully conclude our consideration on the agenda item number six, ways and means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes. Then, time permitting, we will check, we will begin our consideration on agenda item number seven, report of the scientific and technical subcommittee on its 63rd session. We will then suspend the plenary meeting so that the working group of the wall can hold its second meeting. And following the adjournment of the working group meeting, we will then resume the plenary to proceed with technical presentations. Five technical presentations are scheduled this afternoon. Delegates are reminded that the full schedule of the technical presentation is available on the session web page. And are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule? Okay, I see none. So distinguished delegates, I would now like to continue our consideration on item number five of the agenda, general exchange of views, and I now turn to the list of the speakers. And the first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Uzbekistan.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair. I'm honored to address the 69th sessions of the committee on behalf of Uzbekistan. I congratulate you on your election as chair of the committee. Since our last statement, Uzbekistan has made significant progress in strengthening its national space sector and expanding international cooperation, peaceful uses of outer space. Mr. Chair, among our key achievements, Uzbekistan has completed its accession process to the Outer Space Treaty and adopted the law on space activities, establishing a solid legal foundation for the development of the national space sector. We have also successfully implemented the state space monitoring program at the national level and integrated space technology across key sectors of the economy, including agriculture, water management, environmental monitoring, and disaster risk reduction. In addition, Uzbekistan was honored to be selected as the host country of the International Astronautical Congress 2028 in the historic city of Samarkand. International cooperation remains a cornerstone of our activities. Uzbekistan is contributing to the development of the propulsion system for the joint East Earth Observation Satellite Project of the Organization of Turkic States. We are also developing an AI model for the future Samarkand 2028 satellite mission in partnership with SAR Vision and participating in initiatives of the UN ESCAP focused on drought and salinity monitoring through the use of space technologies. We are also pleased to note the growing success of the Space Technology Conference, which has become an important platform for regional dialogue and cooperation in the space sector. Together with Kyushu Institute of Technology, we continue developing national expertise in satellite engineering and implementing the Mirzo Ulugbek Cubesat project, which will become Uzbekistan's first national development satellite. Mr. Chair, we are pleased to announce that Uzbekistan, in cooperation with United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is preparing to host the seventh edition of the Space for Water Conference in 2027. We believe this event will strengthen international cooperation in addressing water-related challenges through space technologies, particularly in regions affected by climate change and the RLC crisis. At the same time, Uzbekistan is developing its national space strategy, which will guide the long-term development of the sector. In line with the vision and initiatives of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, I am advancing science, innovation, and high technologies, key Priorities include strengthening national space capabilities, launching the first national astronaut of Uzbekistan, deploying a constellation of very high resolution earth observation satellites, expanding international cooperation, acceding to remaining United Nations space treaties. and fostering a sustainable national space ecosystem that supports scientific research, innovation and socioeconomic development. Uzbekistan remains committed to the peaceful and responsible use of outer space and supports international efforts to keep space safe, secure and accessible for future generations. Mr. Chair, we look forward to welcoming the global space community to Uzbekistan for the Space for Water Conference in 2027 and to Samarkand for International Astronautical Congress in 2028. We believe these events will provide valuable opportunities to strengthen international partnerships, promote knowledge exchange, and advance the peaceful exploration and use of outer space for the benefit of present and future generations. Thank you.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Uzbekistan for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Slovakia.

Mr. Chair, Slovakia would like to congratulate you on the election as the COP20 chair. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the director of UN OOSA and her dedicated team as well as the chair for organizing this session and facilitating constructive discussions. Slovakia aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union and its member states. In our national capacity, allow me to add the following remarks. Slovakia appreciates the initiatives and activities carried out within the framework of COPUOS and its subcommittees aimed at ensuring the safe, peaceful and responsible conduct of space activities. In this context, Slovakia recognizes the importance of strengthening collective efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of outer space as a shared responsibility and a prerequisite for continued exploration, innovation and development. Slovakia supports initiatives aimed at promoting the sustainable use of outer space. We are also co-sponsor of the initiative and CRP on the protection of dark and quiet skies for science and society. And we also signed the zero debris charter in 2024. At the national level, the act on the regulation of space activities entered into force on the 1st of February, 2025. It established the first comprehensive national framework for the regulation of space activities and the creation of the national registry of space objects. Space activities in Slovakia are further guided by the Slovak Space Strategy 2030+ Space as a Catalyst for Growth. This strategy establishes a long-term vision for the development of Slovakia's space sector, focusing on research and education, services for the state administration, and the population development of the space industry, security and defense and the popularization of space activities. We are also encouraged by the growing involvement of young people in space activities. In January 2025, the Slovak student team faced from the Slovak University of Technology ranked among the top five student teams in Europe within the European Space Agency's Fly Your Satellite Design Booster Program. This project aims to develop the first Slovak student-built satellite in cooperation with ESA and represents an important investment in the next generation of Slovak space engineers and scientists. Also in March 2025, the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic organized the Slovak Space Forum, bringing together representatives of government, institutions, academia, industry, ESA and USPA. And moreover, in April 2025, the realization of the Stefanik project comments. This project brings together Slovak research institutions, universities, and industry partners to develop Slovakia's first. fully manufactured modular satellite this project represents an important step in strengthening National capabilities in space Technologies and supporting further development of Slovakia's space ecosystem Mr. chair Slovakia reaffirms its commitment to the peaceful safe and sustainable use of outer space and looks forward to continued cooperation with in copious for the benefit of present and future Generations thank you for your attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of Slovakia for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Ecuador.

Thank you, Chair. Allow me on behalf of the delegation of Ecuador to congratulate you on your election to chair this period of sessions of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Likewise, we express our thanks to the Board, the Director of UNOSA, and to the Secretariat for the organization and management of our work this session. My delegation aligns itself with the statements made by the Group of 77 plus China and GRULAC. In a national capacity, we have the following comments. Mr. Chair, Ecuador reiterates its strong commitment to the use and exploration of outer space exclusively for peaceful purposes, to benefit all of humanity and in line with the principles of international law and the UN treaties on outer space. We consider that outer space constitutes a strategic area to promote sustainable development, strengthen international cooperation, and generate innovative solutions in the face of global challenges such as climate change, disaster risk management, food security, natural resource management, and the development of scientific and technological capacity. Thus, Ecuador recognizes the important role played by space applications in improving quality of life and contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Satellite telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation and other space technologies are fundamental tools to support decision making based on well founded decisions and strengthen the resilience of our societies. Mr. Chair, Ecuador considers that access to outer space and the benefits that derive from its applications should be carried out in a way that is equitable, inclusive and non discriminatory. Developing countries must have real opportunities to participate actively in space activity. and they must benefit from the scientific and technological advances generated by the international community. Thus, we reiterate the importance of strengthening international cooperation mechanisms, knowledge transfer, exchange of experience and capacity development, such that space activities can continue being a tool to close gaps and promote sustainable development. Likewise, We recognize that there is a need to continue fostering initiatives that promote long-term sustainability of space activity, as well as responsible use of outer space, and strengthening of multilateral mechanisms in order to preserve outer space for present and future generations. Mr. Chair, my country attaches particular importance to the debates related to the future of space governance at the international level, and we are observing with great interest the preparations for UNISPACE IV. This process represents an opportunity to reflect on progress made and to define actions that will strengthen international cooperation and broaden access to benefits of space activity. Likewise, Ecuador would like to highlight its strategic vision as an equatorial state. Our privileged geographical location gives us an important position in terms of segments of geostationary orbit that positions our country as a natural, efficient, and competitive location to launch space vehicles. In this context, Ecuador invites the international community to launch its cooperation initiatives that aim at infrastructure development. in a way that allows all to take advantage of the various comparative advantages and benefit regional space development. Finally, we reiterate our commitment to the objectives of the Space 2030 Agenda, strengthening international cooperation and building outer space that is sustainable, accessible and aims to benefit all of humanity. Thank you.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Ecuador for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Venezuela.

Good afternoon. Chair, on behalf of the delegation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, allow me to commend you upon your election as chair of the committee and to warmly commend the group of personalities who are joining you in chairing the work of the 66th session. Chair, Venezuela aligns itself with the statement of the G77 and China and the GRULAC statement. In particular, we would like to state that in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and international space treaties that were signed and ratified by our republic, our national government continues to promote progress in the use in the peaceful uses of outer space. Through its space policies, we seek to strengthen our national technological autonomy. In this context, the Ministry of Popular Power for Science and Technology, working together with the Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities, has undertaken a number of initiatives geared towards strengthening space sector institutions in Venezuela and to foster growth in this area. In this regard, my delegation is pleased to report on the first international space congress in Venezuela entitled New Challenges of Space Technology for a Shared Future, which was held in October 2025 and was attended by distinguished colleagues of the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Federative Republic of Brazil, and distinguished members of regional bodies such as the Organization of Space Cooperation for Asia Pacific, OPSO, and the Regional Center for Education in Space and Technology for Asia and the Pacific affiliated to the United Nations. We would like to highlight that this was a successful encounter based on an exchange of knowledge and addressing the challenges that we face in the area of space technology in order to build a shared future where international cooperation underpins development of countries. Chair, our delegation welcomes the convening of the first General Assembly of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency, ALCE, which is a landmark event. launching a new era for regional integration and cooperation in the space sector. Furthermore, we wish to congratulate Mr. Oscar Gonzalez for his designation as the Secretary General of the agency, and we trust that this represents a firm step forward guiding this agency. In 2026, we continue the scientific days that have been organized by the National Space Agency working together with the National Aquatic Space Institute, focusing on environmental preservation using space technology, including the in-field validation of data from monitoring sargassum off the Venezuelan coast, as well as an experimental study on the spectral signature of macroplastics at sea. We equally carried out research on Bird Island in order to update our digital elevation model and generated three-dimensional comprehensive modeling by merging bathymetric and geophysical data, essential in order to protect this territory and optimize geometric quality of the images of our Sucre satellite. For more than nine years now, the Sucre satellite VRSS-2 has contributed roughly one million images to our national space archive. Through this important resource, our national space agency has worked together with many national and international institutions and has promoted development in key areas such as urban planning, agriculture, health, energy, food security and the sustainable management of natural resources. As a member of the International Charter of Space and Major Disasters, the Charter, the National Space Agency has assisted countries affected by natural disasters by providing more than 10 products of added value. Regarding the mandate of this subcommittee, our delegation is of the view that there is a need to ensure ongoing coordination with the legal, the scientific and technical subcommittee in order to develop international standards to address new problematic areas, including the prohibition of any form of militarisation of outer space, the non-emplacement of any forms of weapons, the prevention of monopolies in the exploration and use of space, as well as the study of all possible modalities that will enable an equitable distribution of the benefits of space activities inter alia. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Venezuela. for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Kenya.

Mr. Chair, on behalf of the Republic of Kenya, allow me to begin by congratulating you on your election. You can count on the full support and cooperation of my delegation. We also extend our sincere appreciation to UNOSA and the Secretariat for their excellent preparation of this session and for their continued dedication to the work of this Committee. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, Kenya aligns itself with the statements delivered by the Group of 77 and China. I would like to make the following remarks in my national capacity. Mr. Chair, Kenya underscores the central role of international space law, including the five United Nations treaties governing outer space activities, in establishing the framework for the peaceful, safe and responsible exploration and use of outer space. We call for the continued efforts to strengthen universal adherence to these instruments and to address emerging legal and policy challenges arising from the new space actors, commercial activities and rapidly evolving technologies. In this spirit, I'm honored to announce that Kenya will host the regional space law technical advisory mission for the African region, taking place from 10th to 13th November 2026 at the Luigi Broglio Malindi Space Center, organized by UNOSA in collaboration with Italian Space Agency. This timely initiative is vital to building regional capacity and deepening our collective understanding of space law and policy across Africa. Mr. Chair, Kenya supports the committee's efforts to ensure that outer space remains safe, secure, stable, and sustainable for present and future generations. We commend the work of the working group on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and support ongoing efforts to develop and implement practical guidelines that address the growing challenges posed by orbital congestion, space debris, space situational awareness and space traffic management. Kenya welcomes the mid-term review of the Space 2030 agenda and notes the progress made in using space technologies to support sustainable development, innovation and cooperation. While achievements such as the expanded satellite applications and stronger partnerships are encouraging, gaps in expertise, regulation and equitable access remain particularly challenging for developing countries. Kenya calls for continued capacity building, enhanced international cooperation and inclusive policies to ensure that the benefits of space are shared by all and support the achievements of the sustainable development goals. Mr. Chair, Kenya remains committed to leveraging space technologies and geospatial data to address pressing national challenges, including climate change, disaster management, food security, water resource management, environmental protection. In this regard, I am pleased to share that Kenya last week hosted the Global Data Festival and the Kenya Space Expo and Conference 2026. This joint event provided an excellent platform to explore how space technologies and data systems can accelerate sustainable development and strengthen resilience. The insights shared underscored the transformative potential of the Earth observation, satellite communications, artificial intelligence and digital innovation in addressing today's developing challenges. In this context, Kenya also calls for renewed global commitment to shared space derived data and tools to support sustainable development, particularly for countries that lack direct access to such capabilities. As I conclude, I wish to reaffirm Kenya's commitment to the peaceful use of outer space for the benefit of all mankind. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kenya for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Kazakhstan.

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to congratulate you on your election as the chair of this session. Kazakhstan consistently upholds the principles of peaceful use of outer space and firmly believes that space must serve all of humanity without exception. We support all relevant UN initiatives aimed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of space activities, preventing an arms race in outer space, and guaranteeing equal access for all states to the benefits of space technology. Our activities cover earth observation, satellite communications, and geoinformation platforms, so on. Starting with communications, the CASL system provides 100% national TV broadcasting coverage and stable data transmission for telecom operators and government agencies. Moving to astronomical infrastructure at the Astana Observatory, we are developing a regional center for space situational awareness to track near-Earth objects and support space safety. Alongside this, Kazakhstan has established the International Asta Hub, an open platform for international telescopes and joint research. We welcome all interested countries to participate. On the regional cooperation front, in 2025, Kazakhstan initiated the KULF U Nano Satellite Project under the organization of Turkish states. The satellite is now in final assembly. This year, we mark the 65th anniversary of the first human space flight from Baikonur and the 80th anniversary of Kazakhstan's first cosmonaut, Dr. Aivazov. Most significantly, on April 30, the first test launch of the Sunkar launch vehicle developed jointly with Russia was successfully conducted, marking an important step in our national space industry. Distinguished delegates, Kazakhstan regards outer space as a domain of trust and peaceful cooperation. We support the work of and stand ready to actively contribute to the development of international norms and principles of responsible behavior in outer space. Finally, from the 7th to 9th September 2026, Astana will host the Space Days of Kazakhstan Forum. We warmly invite all delegations to join us. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kazakhstan for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Poland.

Honorable Chair, distinguished delegates, at the outset on behalf of the Polish delegation, let me congratulate you, Mr. Chair, and all the members of the Bureau on your election and wish you a constructive and successful session. We would like to thank Ms. Arty Holamine, the Director of the UNOSA, and the entire Secretariat for the effective management of the session despite, as we know, limited resources. Let me also warmly welcome our new members of the Committee. Mr. Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, my delegation aligns itself with the statement made on behalf of the European Union, including strong and unequivocal condemnation of Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and wishes to add the following remarks in our national capacity. Over the ongoing annual cycle of COPUOS and its subcommittees work, Poland has undertaken several actions significant for the development of the Polish space sector, space technologies and space. Poland has substantially increased its contributions to the optional programmes of the European Space Agency for the years 2026-2028. Thanks to the European cooperation, the flagship CAMILLA programme, country awareness mission in land analysis, is under implementation. I would like to underline that 90% of the technologies and subsystems used in the Kamila program are developed domestically in Poland. At the same time, Poland steadily develops its satellite capabilities by launching only this year four new additional observation satellites with space aperture radar capacity in March and May this year. Also through cooperation with ESA, the Polish technological and scientific mission to the International Space Station, IGNIS, was successfully accomplished in July 2025. A follow-up to the mission was the nationwide technological and scientific tour under the title IGNIS Poland reaches for the stars. organized by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and the Polish Space Agency. About 13,000 students and pupils had the chance to meet the Polish astronaut, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, gain practical knowledge, learn about the behind the scenes of the space mission, and career development opportunities in the space industry. Poland is also engaged in cooperation within the framework of the Artemis Accords. Polish companies participate in the development of lunar technologies by supplying components for missions related to the Artemis programs, in particular radiation detectors and space sensor technologies. In February this year, Poland adopted the Act on Space Activities. During the legislative process, due regard was given to guidelines developed within the framework of COPUOS. Pursuant to the Act, operators shall consider the need for the long-term sustainable use of outer space for peaceful purposes. and for minimizing the negative impact of space activities on the natural environment of the Earth or outer space. More information in this regard will be given in the technical presentation with the title Poland's Act on Space Activities Contributing to the Peaceful, Safe and Sustainable Use of Outer Space to be delivered tomorrow. Finally, I wish to express full support of my country to the organization of the UNISPACE-4 conference in 2027 with a wide multi-stakeholders participation. I would like also to take this opportunity to warmly invite you to the 78th International Astronautical Congress on the theme One Space, Shared Future, which will be held in Poznan, Poland, from 27 September to 1 October 2027. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Poland for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Jordan.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Jordanian delegation aligns itself to the Group of 77 and China and would like to congratulate you, Mr. Chair, on your election for this session and express our gratitude to UNISA for all its effort in bolstering international cooperation and building capabilities in the space technology and sciences and their peaceful uses. Mr. Chairman, we underline the fact that external or outer space should continue to be accessible to all countries and used exclusively for peaceful purposes and for sustainable development. We accord special attention to capacity building, transfer of knowledge and technology related to the space to developing countries because we consider that these are elements that would promote fair access to the outer space activities. Thus, we continue to buttress regional and international efforts and cooperation in terms of education and training and research related to space. And here we would like to note the regional center for space and technology education for Western Asia, which is one of the regional centers that cooperates with the UNISA and it under it takes a very central role in promoting skills, education and training related to space science and technology in the Arab region. We underline that space technology applications and satellite applications have become very important for sustainable development, including natural resources management, countering climate change, disaster management and food and water security. We underlined the need to promote international governance of outer space to ensure responsible and sustainable use of space and to deal with challenges, including debris. We also confirm our support for all efforts related to exploration and peaceful use and sustainable use of outer space, including the multinational multilateral initiatives that would lead to more transparency, cooperation and responsibility of space activities. We have joined Artemis agreements because we deeply believe in international cooperation when it comes to exploration of outer space for peaceful purposes. We reiterate our commitment to this committee and to international cooperation in order for all countries to benefit, including and particularly developing countries, to benefit from the peaceful benefits of outer space. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Jordan for the statement. Distinguished delegates, we will continue our consideration of agenda item five, general exchange of views, tomorrow morning. We will now continue and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item number six, ways and means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes. And the first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.

Thank you, Chair. Good afternoon, dear colleagues. Once again, we'd like to draw your attention to the situation regarding the non-granting by Austrian authorities of an entry visa for this session to the head of our delegation, Special Representative and Minister of External Affairs of Russia on matters of international cooperation, the area of research and use of space for peaceful purposes, Sergei Belusko. This purely political motivation means that such decision cause damage to the professional work of this committee and the Vienna International Forum as a whole, and we urge rejection of such an approach in the name of constructive dialogue in this multilateral forum. Mr. Chair, the Russian Federation consistently expresses itself against the militarization of space and categorically rejects attempts to turn it into an arena for armed confrontation. Of particular concern are plans to develop and possibly place in space strike systems which constitutes a direct threat to global strategic stability and contradicts the spirit and letter of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. In these conditions, it's extremely important to keep space free of any type of weapon. placing of weapons and the development of doctrines of military use of force in space could lead to unpredictable consequences all the way up to the beginning of a new armed arms race in space with the use of space resources we consider the time has come to take Collective measures to ensure transparency and strengthen trust these include conscious and voluntary rejection by each state of the use of force and the threat of force against space objects and above all unconditional rejection of placing in space arms of any kind. We believe it's counterproductive to have unilateral and purely declarative initiatives aimed at substituting real steps in the area of preventing an arms race in outer space including proposals on strengthening in the form of codes of responsible conduct in space, the commitments voluntarily undertaken by states regarding the rejection of destructive direct ascent anti-satellite missile testing. At the same time, we'd like to draw attention to the very dangerous trend of the use by a number of states of large scale constellations of small satellites and accompanying land-based infrastructure registered as civilian systems. to enable military actions of foreign armed forces and interfere in internal affairs of states. We are convinced of the unacceptability of such reckless policies which threaten common efforts of states of the global community in ensuring purely peaceful use of space technology to achieve goals of accelerated socioeconomic development for the well-being of the people of all countries. Highlighting this problem is the purpose of the renewed draft resolution of the General Assembly, Space Science and Technology for Promoting Peace. Today we had our first round of consultations on that document. We heard words of support and other proposals. The consultations on this document will continue. In addition, we've developed a short statement based on this resolution, which have been read out here on behalf of the states that are interested in doing so. This draft statement will also be available on the website of this session. Distinguished Chair, the Russian Federation shares the concerns of the global community regarding the continued process of man-made pollution of near-Earth space. And yes, we repeatedly encountered threats of collisions between the International Space Station and automatic spacecraft and space debris objects. We will continue to actively and fruitfully participate in establishing an international order to organize traffic in near earth space and the conditions of it being polluted to demand pollution under which emerging risks for space flight and the population of earth will be reduced to a safe minimum. Of key significance is oversight of space activity objects with three main components monitoring over national objects monitoring foreign and unidentified objects located in protected areas and areas of joint use of near-earth space and classification of spacecraft according to controllability criteria the Russian Federation stresses that no one state is capable of acting alone to create a global system to manage space traffic as that state wouldn't be able to obtain exhaustive information about the situation in space. In order to do this, it's necessary to have mechanism for mutually beneficial exchange of data between information and analytical national and regional centers in real time, functioning in coordination with global structures. A promising Russian system for coordination and management of space traffic will be based on the resources of the automated system to prevent dangerous situations in near-Earth space. It will ensure safe conditions for spacecraft operation and preventing collisions with other space objects during launch, when in orbit, and during withdrawal from orbit after service. This will allow for the management of a large number of spacecraft from megaconstellations. In future, we plan to create an open information platform to exchange information about space objects and dangerous events in near-Earth space, as well as planned launches of spacecraft and orbit maneuvers, as well as joint analysis of complex in-flight or emergency situations and accompaniment of uncontrolled descent from orbit of large spacecraft. The Russian Federation aims to participate in constructive dialogue on the full specter of issues on the international space agenda with a focus on maintaining space for peaceful purposes. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. Please generally keep in mind the time limit for the intervention. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Australia.

Thank you, Chair, distinguished delegates. Over the past two decades, space-based technologies have become indispensable to modern life and global economic prosperity, providing critical services to address global challenges. At the same time, the space environment is becoming increasingly crowded and contested. All States must work collectively to establish effective measures to ensure the safety, security and sustainability of outer space. In a period of geopolitical tension, continued cooperation through existing multilateral frameworks is essential to ensure space remains peaceful and accessible to all. Chair, we recognize the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space as a central United Nations platform for issues related to the peaceful use of outer space. Its work forms part of a broad international framework complemented by UN disarmament bodies, particularly the General Assembly's First Committee, which plays a vital role in advancing initiatives that encourage responsible behaviour, reduce tensions and prevent miscalculation. Australia supports discussions in the open-ended working group on the prevention of an arms race in outer space in all its aspects. Australia strongly advocates for a behaviour-based, non-binding space security framework, which offers flexibility in response to rapidly evolving dual-use technologies while fostering trust and mutual understanding among space actors. The guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities could serve as a model for such a framework. Chair, it is important that these discussions continue to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on space security. Australia continues to work with regional partners to this end. In November 2025, Australia co-chaired the ASEAN Regional Forum workshop on peace and security in outer space with Philippines and Singapore. The workshop brought together ARF participants and international experts to deepen regional understanding, contextualize global discussions within the Indo-Pacific and build capacity on practical measures for peaceful and sustainable space use. Discussions emphasized the importance of a pragmatic, incremental approach grounded in cooperation, transparency and confidence building. The workshop also underscored the need for stronger links across multilateral system. Geneva-based disarmament discussions and Vienna-based work on space safety and sustainability should be complementary and not pursued in silos. In this regard, COPUOS, supported by the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs, plays a critical role in advancing cooperation, information sharing and best practices. Joint sessions of the UNGA First and Fourth Committees focused on outer space have played a useful role in building links and breaking down silos, and we welcome future such sessions. Australia welcomes continued dialogue on these issues and looks forward to the active participation in the upcoming meetings of the UN open-ended Working Group. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Australia for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Japan.

Chair, distinguished delegates, as space activities continue to diversify, Japan reaffirms the importance of upholding the rule of law, enhancing transparency in outer space activities, and promoting the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes and for the benefits of all peoples. Chair, rapid changes in the space environment and related technologies make implementation of guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities more urgent than ever. Growing space debris threatens the space systems that underpin our daily lives and economies. Japan is strengthening its efforts to mitigate or remediate space debris through domestic initiatives such as commercial removal of every demonstration or shared it to and by supporting private R&D program. Chair, Japan places great importance on international cooperation that promotes mutual understanding, enhances transparency, and builds confidence among nations. To this end, Japan has undertaken several noteworthy initiatives. First, the UNOSA JAXA Kibo Cube program supports the deployment of CubeSats from the ISS Kibo module, broadening access to space and building capacity in new space-faring nations. The selected countries for the ninth round of the program were announced at the side event yesterday, co-hosted by Japan and UNOSA. Second, through the Asia Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum APRSAF guided by the Nagoya vision as advised are revised as a memorable 13th APRSAF held in Perth, Australia. Japan advances sustainable space activities, strengthens capabilities including in the area of law and policy and promotes both governmental commercial space activities across Asia Pacific. Thailand and Japan were co-hosts of the 32nd APR staff in Bangkok from 27th to 13th October 2026. And we warmly invite all interested stakeholders to participate. Third, as the implementing agency of Japan's ODA, JICA supports socio-economic development and human capacity in developing countries through space technologies and observation data, working through various international frameworks to contribute substantively to the SDGs. The contributions made by the private sector are also remarkable. Japan's companies, including startups, are making significant efforts to solving social issues in developing countries. Japan's government will support these efforts in collaboration with UNOSA. And Chair, Japan will remain committed to upholding the rule of law in outer space, advancing space debris mitigation and remediation, promoting the effective implementation of LTS guidelines, and for practical international cooperation. Japan is ready to work with all member countries to ensure the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space for benefits of all. Thank you so much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Japan for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Colombia.

Mr. President.

Mr. Chair. Columbia reiterates its concern regarding recent actions that depart from the spirit of cooperation and multilateralism focused on peaceful and consensus-based resolution of conflicts. Therefore, we call for maintaining the spirit of cooperation and multilateralism to support the well-being and coexistence of all human beings, and to maintain our focus on seeking progress and resolving the needs and challenges humanity is affected by. It is imperative that all efforts be made to ensure that outer space not be used to deploy any type of weapon in space. In the same way, it's important to mention that orbital space that is congested, unsafe, or inaccessible undermines the ability of all states to benefit from space activities, disproportionately affecting countries with emerging space capacities. In this regard, Colombia recalls that the Outer Space Treaty states that exploration and use of outer space must be done exclusively for peaceful purposes and to benefit all of humanity. In addition, Colombia considers that constant monitoring of orbital space, including trajectories, potential collisions, and anomalous behavior of space objects allow for mitigating risks and preventing incidents that could lead to tensions between states. Therefore, we recognize that space situational awareness is a critical capacity to ensure operational security of space activities. In this regard, Columbia appreciates multilateral efforts to build integrated and open orbital initiatives and we consider it fundamental that countries both with advanced capacities and countries with emerging capacities participate actively in this global exercise of collaborative space oversight. Colombia encourages all states to strengthen transparency in their space activities including timely notification on launches, sharing of information on missions, and registry of space objects in accordance with the Convention on Registration. Likewise, we highlight the progress made in the different working groups of the subcommittees, in the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultations, ATLAC, and the other mechanisms that focus on coordinating and cooperating to resolve current problems and ensure long-term sustainability of space activity. Now that we have a closer view of exploration, exploitation and use of outer space, we need the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, UNOSA, to also be strengthened, and the role of this committee must respond effectively to the new challenges that we face. Thus, the results of UNISPACE-4 should also focus on objectives that will provide sustainable, fair and equitable solutions. It is only through global governance that is based on trust, technical cooperation and respect will it be possible to ensure that outer space continues to be a place for peace, development and cooperation between nations. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Colombia for the statement and the next speakers on my list is the distinguished representative of Chile.

Mr. President.

Chair, Chile restates its commitment to the international legal framework applied to outer space, in particular to the five United Nations treaties, which provide a bedrock for the peaceful use of space. In this context, We welcome the fact that COPUOS addresses challenges related to the safe, sustainable and responsible use of outer space, based on a broad perspective including not only the prevention of risks and incidents, but equally the sustainability of the orbital environment, responsible conduct of States and operators, and international cooperation. This vision is of particular relevance in view of the growing congestion of low Earth orbit as a result of the increase in satellites, mega constellations, and space debris. This congestion not only heightens the risks of collision and fragmentation, but can equally affect astronomical observation. Protecting our dark and quiet skies is indispensable given the essential contribution that astronomy makes to our study of the universe. Chile contributes directly to these efforts through the astronomical capacity installed in our territory, including more than 17 research complexes, which we preserve with our space capacity. An example of this is a satellite that was designed and built by our country, by the Chilean Air Force working together with Italy and the Sapienza University in Rome. The aim here is to identify and monitor areas that are affected by light pollution in areas of astronomical geographic interest in Chile. The information obtained allows us to support the implementation of regulatory measures as well as mitigation actions, thus contributing to the protection of our skies. Here we deem it necessary to progress from general principles to verifiable operational practices. which should not be understood as mere optional recommendations, but rather as standards for due conduct applicable to both public and private operators. The principle of transparency enshrined in Article 9 of the Outer Space Treaty is a key component of space sustainability. Insufficient information on space activities weakens traceability, attribution of liability, and trust among states. Space safety equally requires equity in terms of access to space. The gap among states cannot lead to these countries being excluded from emerging space programmes. In December 2025, Chile established its National Space Centre with enabling infrastructure, which will serve to strengthen national capacity. The development of the centre should equally provide technical assistance and draw on international partnerships. To that end, we hope that this will be addressed at UNISPACE-4, and we restate our readiness to contribute to the Committee's work in this area. The aim is to ensure that the growth in space activities strengthens rather than weakens the conditions that enable the peaceful, safe, sustainable and equitable use of outer space. Thank you.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Chile for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea.

Mr. Chair, preserving outer space for peaceful purposes is a shared responsibility of the entire international community. The Republic of Korea holds firmly to the view that the UN treaties on outer space, beginning with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, constitute the cornerstone of the international legal regime governing outer space. We have consistently supported the consensus-based decision-making tradition of COPUOS and the Vienna spirit. A clear distinction should be maintained between the concept of peaceful uses of outer space and prevention of an arms race in outer space, while respecting the role of COPUOS as the primary multilateral forum for promoting the peaceful uses of outer space. We will actively cooperate with the international community to ensure that UN COPUOS and other UN mechanisms relating to outer space function in a complementary and mutually reinforcing manner. Mr. Chair, Transparency and confidence building measures in space activities serve as the foundation for the long-term sustainability of the outer space environment and for the safe conduct of space activities. The Republic of Korea has been actively participating in the international community's confidence building efforts, including through the faithful implementation of the United Nations registration system for space objects and exchange of information on space activities. As the responsible space-faring nation that successfully launched Nuri launch vehicle last year, the Korean government remains steadfast in its journey to strengthen international frameworks and reduce space threats by developing norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviors in outer space. We also participate constructively in international discussions aimed at enhancing the safety, security, and sustainability of the space environments, including the mitigation of space debris and space traffic management. Mr. Chair, the establishment of the Korea Aerospace Administration marks a significant step in strengthening the Republic of Korea's national space governance and achieving tangible results in the peaceful development of space, including the operation of the Danuri lunar orbiter and the development of the Korean positioning system. The Korean government will conduct all of its space activities for peaceful purposes in accordance with the Outer Space Treaty and relevant international law. In closing, the Republic of Korea reaffirms its unwavering support for the universalization and faithful implementation of the international legal regime governing outer space, beginning with the Outer Space Treaty. We also reiterate our support for the consensus-based decision-making principle of COPUOS and for the principle of the peaceful uses of outer space. We look forward to the active cooperation of all Member States. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Brazil.

Thank you, Chair. Mr. Chair, at a time of significant tensions on the global stage and given the central role that space activities and applications play in our societies, it is essential to reaffirm our collective commitment to the use of outer space exclusively for peaceful purposes. There are many compelling reasons to uphold this principle. The promotion of peace is first a moral imperative. It is also a rule of international law. But even if these two reasons were not persuasive enough, peace in outer space is also an operational necessity. The use of force always carries risks that are difficult to predict and even harder to contain. In outer space, those risks are multiplied. The consequences of irresponsible behavior would not remain confined to a few states, operators, or missions. They could affect communications, navigation, financial systems, environmental monitoring, energy and health services around the world and could ultimately impair the future usability of outer space itself. For this reason, Brazil calls on all States to make every effort to preserve our common commitment to the peaceful uses of outer space. This is a non-negotiable, unequivocal principle, which encompasses a clear rejection of the use of force, of the placement of weapons and of the testing of any type of weapon in outer space. Mr. Chair, transparency, confidence building, and coordination measures are essential to strengthen trust among States, prevent misunderstanding and reduce the risk of escalation. In this regard, the work carried out in COPUOS, its subcommittees and its working groups should be valued and reinforced, as they contribute to greater mutual understanding and, therefore, make outer space safer and more secure to all. Similarly, when legal gaps or technological developments create uncertainty, The multilateral process under COPUOS supports inclusive coordination and allows states to address emerging challenges through dialogue, technical work and cooperation, rather than through unilateral action, demonstration of force or confrontation. In conclusion, allow me to reiterate Brazil's strong support to the commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on a legally binding treaty on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, or PAROS. Brazil also supports the negotiations on a treaty on the prevention on the placement of weapons in outer space and of the threat of use of force against outer space objects. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Brazil for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Netherlands.

Mr. Chair, Distinguished delegates, the Kingdom of the Netherlands remains firmly committed to preserving outer space for peaceful purposes in accordance with international law and with due regard for the long-term sustainability, safety and security of the space environment. The increasing use of outer space creates significant opportunities for innovation, economic development and climate action. At the same time, the growing number of space activities increases challenges associated with space debris and the safe operation of space systems. This poses risks to critical services, space infrastructure and future access to space. The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union and would like to highlight four priorities in its national capacity. First, international cooperation and norm development. The Netherlands strongly supports responsible conduct in outer space. As a party to all five UN space treaties and a signatory of the Artemis Accords, we continue to support the work of COPUOS and the implementation of the long-term sustainability guidelines. Second, effective legal and regulatory frameworks. The mitigation of space debris is reflected in our national regulatory framework for authorization of space activities. as well as post-mission disposal and end-of-life planning. As this framework is being updated, we seek to remain aligned with international best practices and evolving global standards. Third, operational capabilities and situational awareness. The Netherlands contributes to space surveillance and tracking through the EU SST partnership and continues to invest in national SSA capabilities. We consider space situational awareness to be a fundamental prerequisite for future space traffic management arrangements. Enhanced information sharing and operational coordination between space actors on an international level will be essential to support safe and sustainable space activities. Fourth, sustainability and international partnership. The Netherlands supports a comprehensive approach to debris prevention, mitigation and remediation. We also promote open access to relevant data and capacity building efforts that enable all countries to benefit from a safe and sustainable space environment. In this context, we welcome initiatives aimed at strengthening operational cooperation in orbit. The Netherlands therefore supports the European Commission's initiative on in-space operations and services as an important contribution to the safe, sustainable and responsible use of outer space. Mr. Chair, outer space is a shared environment. Preserving its safety, sustainability, and accessibility for future generations requires international cooperation, mutual responsibility, and a continued commitment to responsible behavior. The Netherlands remains committed to working closely with partners within the United Nations, the European Union, and beyond to promote the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of the Netherlands for the statement and the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of France.

Thank you, Chair. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, from the very beginnings of our space programme more than 60 years ago, France has been constantly committed to ensuring free and peaceful use and exploration of outer space for the well-being and in the interest of all peoples and in full respect for international law the French delegation considers that full and entire implementation of the outer space treaty the UN charter and the main treaties negotiated here in this committee constitutes the first and indispensable precondition to maintain the peaceful nature of uses of outer space France Here we would like to reiterate the fundamental importance of the universalization and the improved implementation of space law, which is the shared legislative nucleus for all States. At the same time, space safety and space security now more than ever are priority and complementary objectives. We recall that peaceful use of outer space means abstaining from aggressive rhetoric and behavior, whether on the ground or in space. Peaceful use of space is as transparent as possible, and it matches words with actions. It takes into account the activities of others in outer space, allowing for coordination and fostering international cooperation. France continues to strongly encourage all space-faring nations to support and implement the 21 guidelines on the long-term sustainability of space activity as approved by the UN General Assembly. These guidelines give us a clear direction to build the conditions for long-term trust based on shared understandings and lasting and pragmatic solutions that will benefit everyone and frame our activities. It is now up to us to apply them and to enrich them. Mr. Chair, behavior that weakens international law, in particular the law applicable to space, beginning with the Outer Space Treaty and the UN Charter, as well as the rise of rivalries instead of a cooperative spirit faced with the challenges of the future, undermine our collective efforts to ensure peaceful use of space. My delegation would like to reiterate our commitment to the preservation of consensus and the centrality of this committee. The draft resolution presented on a number of occasions by the Russian Federation to the Fourth Commission of the United Nations General Assembly in the absence of any consensus in Vienna is not a step in that direction. We recall that when we work collectively to strengthen international cooperation when it comes to peaceful use of space, it is indispensable to ensure that we do not duplicate resolutions and existing work and that we concentrate our efforts on the issues that fall under the work of this committee. Thank you for your attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of France for the statement. Distinguished delegates, we will continue and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item 6, ways and means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes tomorrow morning. We will now suspend the plenary meeting so that the working group of the wall can hold its second meeting. And following the adjournment of the working group meeting, we will then resume the plenary to proceed with technical presentation. I now invite Mr. Prakash Chavan, the chair of the working group of the wall, to the podium, and the meeting is suspended.

Good afternoon to you all, distinguished delegates. I now call to order the second meeting of the working group of

ein schalten.

Distinguished delegates, I will now turn to proceed with technical presentations. We have five technical presentations. Before I move on to the technical presentations, I should like to advise all the presenters that should they wish to have interactions through questions and answers after their presentation, they may wish to finish their presentations a few minutes earlier than the allotted time of 10 minutes. The first presentation on my list is on the progress of the study on coordination item for international on orbit servicing by the representative of Japan.

Japan is honored to take the floor at the 69th session of the Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space. My name is Higuchi Shinichi and I'm Director in Charge of International Affairs of National Space Policy Secretariat at the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. Today, I'd like to share the progress of the study on coordination items for international on orbit servicing. At the 68th session of UN COPUOS in June 2025, then Minister Kiuchi reaffirmed Japan's commitment to the sustainable and stable use of outer space. The minister highlighted Japan's efforts to address space debris, which is a global challenge, through developing technology as well as formulating and implementing domestic laws and guidelines. The minister also announced that Japan would actively contribute to international discussions on addressing space debris. As part of this effort, Japan is examining coordination among stakeholders involved in international or cross-border on-orbit servicing, including active debris removal missions, and will share the outcomes of this work with the international community. This slide shows an overview of Japan's on orbit servicing guidelines or OS guidelines establishing in 2021 under the Japan Space Activities Act. The guidelines provide licensing requirements for all of servicing activities, including active debris removal to perform OS in safe, secure and transparent manners. Given the unique nature of OS missions, Japan focuses on three key elements. Protection of rights, transparency and safety. First, operators must obtain consent from the legitimate rights holder and respect relevant procedures of the state of registry or license. Second, transparency is promoted through the disclosure of key mission information and reporting on anomalies or emergencies. Third, operators must demonstrate safe conduct of rendezvous, proximity operations, docking, capture and contingency procedures. Importantly, these guidelines have already been applied to actual missions, including Adras J and HDTV X1 examined and licensed under the Space Activities Act. I exchange the overview with study group on coordination items for international on orbit servicing. We call it SIOS. So was established following Minister statement at and copies and it aims to identify key possible areas for coordination among stakeholders for international servicing, for example, refuel repair, active debris removal. So consists of legal and technical experts in Japan. and three meeting of Sios was held in financial year 2025 while obtaining International inputs and reported progress at STSC LSC and several symposiums Sios will continue the study and report at copious and international event Before examining potential areas where coordination may arise, the study first established a simplified model case of an international on-orbit servicing mission. The objective was to identify principal actors and their relationships that could be relevant to the discussion, but not capture every possible mission scenario. Based on this model, The study focused on the servicer, the client, and the respective states associated with the servicer spacecraft and the client object. The study also adopted a set of working definitions for key concepts and actors covered by the study. These definitions provided a common basis for the analysis and for subsequent discussions in this study. For analytical purposes, the study structured a typical on-orbit servicing mission into four operational phases. Phase-wise, pre-launch and launch of the service spacecraft, Phase two is rendezvous, proximity operations, and final approach to the client object. Phase three is capture of the client object and servicing. Phase four is post-servicing. This phase approach was adopted to facilitate the identification of issues that may arise at different stages of a mission and to examine whether different actors may need to exchange information or coordinate their actions. These operational phases are in line with Japan's OS guidelines. Based on the analytical framework, introduced earlier, the study examined each operational phase and explored where interactions among different actors may arise. This table summarizes examples drawn from the Japanese OS guidelines together with some possible areas where greater alignment of approaches among states may be beneficial, such as approach for authorization in phase one and approach for information sharing and disclosure and approach for safety measures in all phases. It is important to note, however, these observations may primarily and remain subject to further discussion. The discussion remains ongoing. Japan will continue studying these points through domestic discussions with experts and continuing exchanges with international experts. As practical experience accumulates, Japan will continue to share observations or findings and contribute to international discussions, including those at UN COP26. Thank you very much.

Thank you for your presentation. And we have one and a half minutes. Do we have any question to the representative of Japan? I see none. Thank you. The second presentation on my list is on the economic impact of space debris by the representative of Saudi Arabia.

Thank you. Good afternoon, distinguished delegates. My name is Mashallah Shememry. I'm the managing director for the Center for Space Futures. The center is a global platform established by the Saudi Space Agency in collaboration with the World Economic Forum to help advance the future of the space economy through policy, technology, insights, and cross-sector collaboration. Today, I will share findings from our joint report, Clear Orbit, Secure Future, which examines the economic impact of space debris. The purpose of this presentation is not only to share the findings, but also to invite member states to engage with us, test the recommendations, and help move this work forward toward practical implementation. Space infrastructure has become essential to modern life on Earth. It supports communication, navigation, earth observation, disaster response, finance, agriculture, and security. But the orbital environment that enables these services is becoming more congested, more fragile, and more costly to operate in. Space debris is no longer only a technical issue. It is now an economic, operational, and governance challenge. That is why this topic matters not only to satellite operators, but also to member states responsible for policy, licensing, safety, and long-term sustainability. Member states should care because space systems are now critical infrastructure. When satellite services are disrupted, the consequences can extend beyond the space sector and affect economies, public services, emergency response, and national capabilities. At the same time, orbital congestion and debris accumulation are intensifying in key low Earth orbit bands. This study was developed to provide a common evidence base. First, the physical modeling projects how the debris environment evolves from 2025 to 2040 under business as usual. Then the analysis translates the environment into operational risk and finally into economic losses from anomalies, failures and avoidance maneuvers between 2025 and 2035. To understand the economic impact, we first need we first needed to understand how the debris environment evolves. The model shows. The debris risk is not spread evenly across low Earth orbit. It is concentrated in specific altitude bands, particularly around 775, 840, and 1,000 kilometers, where derelict objects and fragment clouds overlap. This matters because these are not just empty numbers on a chart. They represent orbital regions where the density and persistence of debris creates higher collision risk for current and future missions. The challenge is especially serious because much of the operational risk comes from smaller non trackable fragments. These fragments may be too small to reliably monitor, but they can still degrade spacecraft performance or even end emission above approximately 700 kilometers. It is important to note the debris can remain in orbit for centuries. This means today's behavior. can create a long-term operating constraints for future generations of space activities. Once the model identifies where debris risk is concentrated, the next step is to understand how that risk becomes economic cost. The study focuses on three main pathways. These are anomalies from small debris, mission-ending impacts, and collision avoidance maneuvers. The first pathway is anomalies caused by small non-trackable debris. These events may not destroy a satellite, but they can interrupt service, degrade performance, and require diagnostic and recovery efforts. Because these incidents can occur repeatedly across many satellites, they become the largest cost driver in the analysis. The second pathway is mission-ending impact, where debris causes total satellite loss. That creates replacement cost, launch costs, service losses and potential insurance exposure. The third pathway is the growing burden of avoidance maneuvers, which consumes fuel, shortens lifetime and increases operational complexity. When these risks are translated into economic terms, the result is clear. Under business as usual, debris could impose between 25.8 and 42.3 billion US dollars in projected losses between 2025 and 2035. Notably, this estimate does not assume a major catastrophic event or cascading collision scenario. I want to emphasize that this is a business as usual case. The largest share of the cost comes from anomalies caused by small debris estimated at 14.2 to $30.7 billion. Mission ending impacts, which adds approximately $11.1 billion, while avoidance maneuvers add around $560 million. The maneuver figure is smaller, but it still reflects a growing operational burden that accumulates over time. The main point is that the economic burden is not driven only by dramatic collision. It is also driven by repeated disruptions, degraded performance, and operational costs that compound across constellations and years of service. In that sense, debris becomes a persistent economic drag on the space economy. The projected losses are not inevitable. Targeted action today can help prevent exponential costs tomorrow, but the action needs to be coordinated across multiple areas. The report highlights four practical areas where progress is needed. First, we need stronger monitoring and data sharing. This includes expanding tracking coverage in high risk orbital zones, improving data accuracy and strengthening interoperability between systems. Better information is the foundation for better risk management. Second, mitigation standards need to be strengthened and implemented more consistently. This includes end of life disposal, passivation, design for demise considerations and verification mechanisms. Third, active debris removal needs to move from demonstration towards scalable and cost effective approaches, especially for large debris in critical orbits. Finally, global governance remains essential. No single actor can solve this challenge alone, and no single national system can fully manage a shared orbital environment. More coherent norms, transparency, responsibility, coordination, and shared implementation lessons will be central to reducing the cost of inaction. This is where we would like to invite member states to engage with us. First, as you can see from the presentation, there's a QR code you can scan right now with your phones. We invite you to read the paper that we published and review the assumptions, methodologies, findings, and recommendations. We want the analysis to be useful, but we also want it to be tested and challenged by those working on implementation. Second, we invite Member States to assess how the recommendation applies to national context. This includes licensing systems, regulatory frameworks, operational realities, and implementation capacities. Different countries will face different challenges, and that feedback is important for making the recommendations more practical. Third, we welcome feedback on what is feasible, what is missing, and where further work is needed. Our goal is not to prescribe a single model. It is to help move from shared principles towards practical, testable implementation that can support a safer and more sustainable orbital environment. With that, I encourage you to engage with us by scanning this QR code, which gives you our contact to share your ideas and feedback. So finally, I will close by encouraging you to access the full report, engage with us using this QR code, which allows you to reach out directly to the Center for Space Futures to provide your feedback. We are especially interested in your views on implementation barriers, data gaps, and how these recommendations could best could be tested in different national or regional contexts. The cost of inaction is measurable. The risk is shared and the response must be coordinated. Thank you and we look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

Thank you for your presentation. Are there any questions to the representative? the third presentation on my list is on the leveraging satellite data and Gen. AI for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction contributions of Japanese private space technology to sustainable development in emerging economies by the representative of Japan.

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, good evening. My name is Naruo Kanemoto, CEO of Space Shift, a private space company based in Tokyo, Japan. It is a great honor to address this committee today. I would like to share how satellite data combined with generative AI can support climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. and how Japanese private space technology can contribute to sustainable development in emerging economies in line with the Space 2030 agenda and sustainable development goals. SpaceShift was founded in 2009 and its headquarters in Tokyo. We are a team of about 30 full-time employees. Our mission is simple, to solve the social issues on Earth through the combination of space and AI. We develop software for satellite data analysis, provide analytical services, and offer consulting for the wider space businesses. Our co-creation program, SatEbiz, brings partners together to build new businesses on top of satellite data. Where do we sit in the space value chain? The number of the Earth observation satellite is growing very rapidly, but raw satellite data on its own is just big data. The real challenges and the real opportunity is to transform that big data into valuable, actionable information. Across the chain, from launch and satellite operation, through data analytics and the platform, to the end user, SpaceShift focuses on data analytics. We specialize in AI analysis of synthetic aperture radar, SAR data, because SAR can see through clouds and at night. It is especially powerful for disaster monitoring in any weather, any time, anywhere on Earth. Our analytics cover a wide range of fields, as you can see. Our solutions span over monitoring, forest, the maritime activity, agriculture, and the disaster response. For cities, we automatically detect new and demolished buildings and measure ground displacement. For forest, we estimate tree numbers and biomass volume. At sea, we detect ships and monitor ports. In agriculture, we track crop growth and identify abandoned farmland. And for disaster, we map flooded area, estimate flood depth, and detect landslide. All of these are powered by the same core capability, turning satellite imagery into clear, decision-ready information. To make this easy to use, we have packaged our analytics into a product family called SatEye. There are six packages, each turned to a different industry, city for development and infrastructure planning, ocean for shipping and marine conservation, earth for every phase of disaster prevention and response, environment for forest monitoring and ESG management, agriculture for wide area farmland monitoring and time for tracking long-term surface change. These packages are ready to use, connect through simple APIs, compatible with any satellite, optical, SAR, or hyperspectral. And they are generative AI ready, which I will return to at the end. Let me now turn to international cooperation, which is at the heart of this committee work. Last August, SpaceShip took part in the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, TICAD 9, held in Yokohama at the signing ceremony held in the presence of the Japanese Prime Minister and African leaders. We signed two memorandum of understandings in the space sector. One with Hello Tractor uses satellite data to forecast crop ease and optimizes where and when tractors are deployed for African farmers. The other with Satellite Map America applies satellite data to monitor crop grown as feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel. Our cooperation also extended across Asia. This April, we signed a memorandum of understanding with Spatial Decisions Vietnam to commercialize satellite data analytics in Vietnam and the wider region. The partnership focus on three areas directly relevant to this committee, about monitoring through automatic detection of new and demolished building, flood and disaster detection for both real time and periodic damage assessment. and agricultural monitoring of crop growth stages. Starting from Vietnam, we plan to expand into the Southeast Asian countries. I'd like to describe one project in more detail because it shows how space technology can reach the people who need it most. In Nigeria, we are running a pilot called Microfinance Services for Farmers using satellite data on agricultural land. Many smallholder farmers cannot access financial because they have no formal credit history. Working with a local company, we added satellite data and AI analytics for crop growth monitoring and harvest prediction into a microfinance and monitoring app. This lets us evaluate farmland object... and improve credit scoring so that farmers can gain access to the financial services. But why does this matter for investment? In Africa, many high potential projects remain unfunded, not because they lack potential, but because they lack visibility and reliable data across the project lifecycle. Three barriers stand up. First, management. Remote hard to reach site make independent on-site verification is difficult. Second, intervention with infrequent field visit delays and problems are detected late. And third, transparency. Without objective standardized data, investors cannot reconcile reports against reality. Together, these visibility gap rise risk, rise cost, and ultimately discourage private investment. And this exactly the gap that the satellite data can close. The technology behind this is SAR to NDVI conversion model. Optical images give us vegetation indices, but clouds often block them. A serious problem in tropical regions, so we use SAR. which sees through the cloud and the cover into vegetation from allowing us to estimate the growth stage reliability through the season. From this, we can estimate planting and harvest timing, assess past farm performance, and predict this year's harvest volume. The predicted benefits are threefold. Better access to finance for farmers. supply chain optimization that reduces food loss and greenhouse gas emissions, and ultimately sustainable data-driven smart agriculture built together with local partners and governments. Finally, where are we heading? The first is automated land use monitoring. times three satellite data that can continuously detect new buildings, vacant lot, and abandoned farmland across the whole city. The second is combining those capability with generative AI and instead of needing those specialist skill. visual scale. Our user can simply ask a question in plan language. For example, monitor building changes in this area over the past three months. And our AI set up and runs analysis returning the information they need. This dramatically lowers the barrier to using satellite data, which is exactly what emerging economies need to benefit from space. In closing, by combining satellite data with AI and by working through international partnership, we believe private space technology can make a real contribution to climate adaptation, disaster risk reaction and sustainable development worldwide. Thank you very much for your attention.

Thank you for your presentation. The next presentation on my list is on accelerating space business by the representative of Austria.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, members of the committee. My name is Carsten Schallmann, I represent a young Austrian space company, our space. And we are completely, we are dedicated to accelerating access to space and supporting the long-term sustainability of our orbital environment. Our space was founded with a simple mission in mind to provide the fastest path to space for technology developers who need to validate their innovations and their technology in orbit. Our diverse team of 17 engineers combines young and seasoned experts from the space sector. Together, our focus is on helping emerging space technologies and space companies to reach orbit safely and sustainably. The global space economy, as you all well know, is experiencing unprecedented growth. New commercial applications, ideas, concepts are emerging almost daily and forecasts suggest that the market could soon reach values approaching one trillion US dollars. In such an environment, companies face intense competition and increasingly aggressive timelines. As a result, they accept higher levels of risk. In aerospace, we often say that failure is not an option. However, in such an environment, failures continue to occur, particularly when systems are deployed without sufficient validation. This problem is directly linked to sustainability. We call it infant mortalities when satellites fail early and prematurely. When they do, they may become inactive, incorporative objects in orbit and contribute to the growing space debris problem. For that reason, in-orbit demonstrations, or IOD, is becoming an increasingly important element in our space economy. Validating technologies under actual space conditions and on a reliable space proven satellite platform reduces risk and ultimately contributes to a more sustainable space environment. However, despite its importance of IODs, access to in-orbit demonstrations remain difficult. Current solutions are often expensive, technically complex and associated with long lead items. For many startups and innovative technology developers, those barriers delay or even kill their commercialization efforts, causing bankruptcy and therefore slowing globally the advance of space technology and of our global space economy. To address this challenge, our space has developed the so-called Green Box Service, an innovative in-orbit demonstration service designed specifically to reduce the barrier of flight testing.

How can I go back?

Our objective is straightforward. We want to make in-orbit demonstrations faster, simpler, and more affordable. Our experiences in the last years have shown and compared with traditional approaches, our Green Box service reduces the lead time 50% and more, reduces the cost 60% and brings down the overall complexity for participating companies around 80%. So how are we doing this? The GreenBox service is built around three key elements. Firstly, we developed a dedicated satellite platform designed specifically for in-orbit validation missions. Secondly, a standardized patented payload accommodation unit, a container, which protects the payload and simplifies the integration. Thirdly, our space provides a holistic service model including the satellite qualification testing, launch and operation in space. The market response up to now from our customers has been extremely encouraging and we are launching our first satellite with three customers later this year and our second satellite is already in preparation. We are very proud that this first Austrian commercial satellite was entirely developed and built in Austria and will be launched by European launch provider ESA Aerospace, built in Austria, launched by Europe. Some quick words about two of our customers, Sunbooster, it's an Austrian company specializing in photovoltaic technologies. They developed a much cheaper type of photovoltaic cells, potentially bringing down the cost of power in space, a factor of two or three hundred, which is a very important point when you have, for example, space-based data centers or other power hungry infrastructure in space on your mind. Second example is Synopsys Planet from Portugal who will be also on our first flight. The company has developed a system that can function both as a star tracker for spacecraft navigation as well as a tool for space debris detection. In particular, the latter is of ultimate importance in a congested orbit and for sustainable space. Synopsys Planet was selected and integrated into our satellite in a record low time of only five months, proving my earlier statements referring to the efficiency of the Green Box satellite service. In conclusion, the further growth of the space economy depends not only on our innovative potential and engineering capabilities, but also on the reliability and sustainability of our efforts. As more and more actors enter space, we must ensure that new technologies are probably validated before widespread deployment. Our space is supporting this so that space is usable for all of us and for a long time to come. With this, I'd like to conclude and thank you very much for your attention.

Thank you for your presentation. Are there any questions to the representative of Austria? Okay. The final presentation on my list for today is on building national space capabilities for sustainable development in the Philippines by the representative of the Philippines.

Good day, distinguished delegates. The Philippine Space Agency is pleased to share updates on space science and technology applications for sustainable development. These activities reflect the Philippine Space Agency's continuing efforts to operationalize space science and technology in support of agriculture, disaster risk resilience, climate action, and capacity building. particularly in line with national development priorities and the sustainable development goals. As an archipelagic country situated in the Western Pacific, the Philippines faces unique development challenges. The country consistently ranks high in global disaster risk indices, creating significant demands for connectivity, environmental monitoring, and disaster preparedness across thousands of islands. Relying solely on traditional ground-based systems presents challenges in ensuring that national and local efforts are efficient, effective, and timely. With an average of 20 typhoons annually and frequent tectonic activity, continuous monitoring and early warning are critical for disaster preparedness and response. As climate change poses increasing risks to development in the country, space technologies have become critical tools for advancing sustainable development, strengthening resilience, and supporting inclusive growth for Filipinos. The establishment of the Philippine Space Agency in 2019 marked a significant milestone in the country's efforts to harness space for sustainable development. With the vision of bringing the benefits of space closer to the lives of Filipinos, PhilSA has pursued programs and initiatives that leverage space science technology and applications to address national priorities. Through the Space for SDGs approach, the agency contributes to advancing the sustainable development goals while fostering resilience, innovation, and inclusive growth. PHILSA's initiatives demonstrate how investments in space capabilities can generate tangible benefits across multiple sectors. Starting with developing our own upstream capabilities, PHILSA commits to building indigenous space capabilities through the MAYA, DIWATA, and MULA satellite development. These missions strengthen national capacity in satellite engineering, Earth observation, and scientific research while generating valuable data for environmental monitoring and resource management. Beyond the satellites themselves, these programs contribute to the development of a highly skilled workforce that will sustain the country's long-term space endeavors. Through the PhilSat Integrated Network of Space Enabled Options Towards Sustainability or the PINAST project, satellite data, geospatial information, and space-based applications are made more accessible to government agencies, researchers, academic institutions, and local stakeholders. The project serves as a venue for translating Earth observation data into actionable information products that support evidence-based decision-making across sectors. By promoting data sharing, capacity building, and the wider use of space technology, the PINAS project helps strengthen disaster risk reduction and management, environmental monitoring, natural resource management, and local development planning. contributing to a more sustainable and resilient communities. Space data has also been increasingly utilized to support environmental monitoring, ecosystem conservation, and disaster risk reduction and management. Through satellite-based mapping and assessment activities, FILSA contributes to the monitoring of mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reef ecosystems, coastal habitats, and other environmentally significant areas. More recently, FLSA has supported disaster and environmental monitoring efforts through the generation of ashfall extent maps following volcanic events, satellite-based flood mapping for rapid impact assessment, and the use of earth observation data to monitor air quality conditions. These information products provide timely and actionable insights for government agencies and local communities, supporting environmental protection, disaster preparedness response, and recovery efforts. International cooperation remains a cornerstone of our work. Through bilateral and multilateral initiatives, including Copernicus Philippines program and its SCOPE Digital project, FILSA continues to strengthen knowledge exchange, technical capacity, and access to space-based solutions for sustainable development. Spoke Digital supports the development of digital innovation and earth observation applications by expanding access to Copernicus data, not just in the country, but also in Southeast Asia, fostering local expertise and enabling the use of satellite information for evidence-based decision-making across government, academia, and industry. Together with partnerships with regional and international space agencies, these efforts help advance the use of space technologies to address national development priorities and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate how space-derived information can support better decisions across agriculture, disaster management, environmental protection, and national development. As an agricultural country, the Philippines benefits from space technologies that support food security and climate resilience. To advance these efforts, PhilSat develops and operationalizes satellite-derived data products for the agriculture sector. One example is the Drought Early Warning in the Philippines or the D2PH project, which generates agricultural drought forecast maps using satellite-derived rainfall, temperature, and vegetation data. The system integrates multiple earth observation datasets to monitor drought development. Rainfall products assess precipitation deficits, land surface temperature data capture heat stress, and vegetation indices monitor crop and vegetation health. These datasets are processed into indicators that characterize drought conditions across the country. Using historical satellite observations and statistical and machine learning techniques, the system identifies relationships among rainfall variability, temperature anomalies, vegetation response, and drought progression. It then forecasts the likelihood and severity of drought several months ahead, producing maps that identify areas at risk of soil moisture deficits, vegetation stress, and reduced agricultural productivity. These products provide timely information that supports proactive planning, resource allocation, and preparedness measures, helping government agencies and agricultural stakeholders mitigate the impacts of climate-related hazards. How do these efforts translate into concrete action? One example is PhilSA's ongoing support for preparations for the anticipated impacts of El Nino. The Philippines Department of Agriculture, together with the Philippine Weather Bureau and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, has been coordinating with regional offices nationwide to strengthen preparedness. In these efforts, PhilSat agricultural drought products serve as an important decision support tool. By providing timely information on the progression of drought conditions, affected areas, and the potential severity of impacts on crops, the information supports the prioritization of interventions in areas expected to experience severe drought stress. This includes informing the timing and targeting of cloud seeding operations, supporting irrigation management, and helping identify communities and stakeholders that may require targeted livelihood support and aid. Through these applications, satellite-derived drought forecasting moves beyond monitoring and becomes a practical tool for anticipatory action, enabling stakeholders to prepare for drought conditions before impacts become severe, thereby strengthening food security efforts across the country. In summary, Our experience demonstrates that investments in space are ultimately investments in sustainable development. Through Earth observation, innovation, capacity building, and international cooperation, space technologies are delivering tangible benefits to communities while supporting national efforts toward resilience, sustainability, and inclusive growth. As an emerging space actor, the Philippine Space Agency reaffirms its commitment to harnessing space science, technology, and applications for the benefit of all Filipinos. The Philippines looks forward to strengthening collaboration in advancing the use of space for the achievement of the sustainable development goals. Thank you.

Thank you for your presentation. Distinguished delegates, as it is already past 6 p.m., I will make announcement for tomorrow's program without interpretation services. I will shortly adjourn this meeting. Before doing so, I would like to inform delegates of our schedule of work tomorrow morning. We will meet promptly at 10 a.m. We'll continue our consideration of agenda item five, general exchange of views. We'll continue and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item C's, ways and means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes. We will begin and hopefully suspend our consideration of agenda item seven, Yeah, report of the scientific and technical subcommittee on the 63rd session pending the work of the working group on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. We will then suspend the plenary meeting so that the working group of the whole can hold its third meeting following the adjournment of the working group meeting, we will then resume the plenary to proceed with technical presentations. Five technical presentations are scheduled for tomorrow morning. Delegates are reminded that the full schedule of technical presentations is available on the session's webpage. I would like to inform delegates that the informal meeting of the experts group on space situational awareness will be held in conference room M2 from 9 to 10 a.m. tomorrow. This meeting will be held in a hybrid format via the teams with a virtual connection available to experts group members. The Ms. Teams link is provided in the invitation circulars dispatched on 25 May and 1 June 2026. The schedule of the consultations is available on the webpage of this session. I would now like to give the floor to the Secretariat to provide information on side effects.

Thank you very much, Mr. Vice-Chair. And just one correction, apologies for the updates that just came. The working group, the whole does not meet tomorrow. That's one point. And let me just move on to the side event announcement. Well, distinguished delegates, this evening from 6 to 8 p.m., a side event entitled Empowering the Next Generation of Space Leaders, co-organized by Bulgaria. Space Generation Advisory Council and Office for Outer Space Affairs will take place in the Mozart Room.

Tomorrow morning, there will be also two side.

Events, a side event entitled Friends of Luna, Special Sites of Scientific Interest, Status and Way Forward, organized by the Moon Village Association, COSPAR, IUA, and IAA from 9:00 to 9:55 AM in conference room M5. There will be also another side event entitled Scientific Data Sharing as Tool of International Cooperation, co-organized by Germany and Canada from.

9:00 AM in conference room M3.

Thank you, Ms. Vice Chair.

I thank the Secretariat for the information provided. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule? Okay, I see none. Distinguished delegates, This meeting is adjourned until 10 AM tomorrow morning. Thank you.