Outer Space: Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, 63rd session, 1049th meeting

Good morning, distinguished delegates. I now declare open the 1049th meeting of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Distinguished delegates, this morning we will continue and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item four on the general exchange of views And we will continue and hopefully conclude our consideration agenda item 16 on the dark and white skies. We will continue our consideration agenda item five on the space for sustainable development, technology and its applications, including the United Nations program on the space applications. Agenda item 12 on the future role and method of work of the committee. and the agenda item 17 on the draft provisional agenda for the 64th session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee with the view to endorsing the report of the working group of the whole and we hopefully conclude our consideration of item five and 17. We will continue our consideration of agenda item 11 on the long term sustainability of outer space activities with a view to endorsing the report of the Brain Group on the long-term sustainability of outdoor spaces activities. And we hopefully conclude our consideration of this item. We will then continue our consideration of agenda item 12 on the future role and method of work of the committee to invite the co-chairs of the action team to report on the results of its meeting held during this session. We will continue consideration of agenda item 14 on use of nuclear power sources in the outer space with a view to endorsing the report of the WING Group on the use of nuclear power sources in outer space and will hopefully conclude our consideration of this item. There will be five technical presentations this morning. Delegates are reminded that the full schedule of the technical presentations is available on the session webpage and in the Daily Journal. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule? I see none. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to continue and hopefully conclude our consideration of item four of our agenda, or the general exchange of views. I now turn the very first speaker this morning. The very first speaker on my list is the distinguished observer for University Space Engineering Consortium Global or UNISEC Global. UNISEC Global, the floor is yours.

Mr. Chair and the distinguished delegates, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to make a presentation on the recent activities of our international energy use global, the global university space engineering consortium as an international energy dedicated to capacity building in the space field. You says global made several contributions in 2025. Allow me to highlight a few key examples. First, our annual capacity building program, the CanSat and CubeSat Leader Training Program, 14 CLTP, was held in Japan with participants from 12 countries. Since the launch in 2011, The program has trained participants from over 60 countries, regions worldwide. CLTP is a hands-on training program using the Heptasat kit. Model CubeSat Heptasat training can also be delivered in shorter formats. As an example, we conducted a one-day Heptasat training in Sydney, Australia as part of the Kibo Cube Academy on-site workshop organized by UN OOSA and JAXA with support from the University of New South Wales in October. Sorry. Second, we launched the NanoSatellite IoT Constellation Mission Program. This is an international collaboration to establish store and forward satellite networking systems with participating countries contribution contributing nano microsatellite or local monitoring sensors we are currently preparing the trial phase of communications third unsec Global held in annual meeting in Tokyo in early November 2025 At this meeting, we adopted an important document, the UNISAC Global Tokyo Declaration 2025. That declaration expresses our commitment to harnessing nano and micro satellites in a manner consistent with space flight safety, the long-term sustainability of our outer space. of outer space activities and other internationally shared principles. We also intended to disseminate this commitment widely to stakeholders and communities around the world. Based on the declaration, UNISAC Japan adopted a statement outlining how to contribute consulted to the long term sustainability of outer space activities by operationalizing these principles through technical and educational measures. More detailed elements of this statement will be shared in a technical presentation during this conference. Fourth, UNISAC Global submitted a position paper on its contribution to LTS working group last November. This paper presents our overreaching approach to promoting LTS through education, capacity building, and responsible nano and microsatellite operations. In addition to addressing The two documents I have mentioned, the paper highlights the positive impact of the integrated activities of UNICEF Global, Japan, UNICEF Global and UNICEF Japan on LTS. It also offers recommendations to the LTS working group, including the importance of education and young people as key actors. the encouragement of university level revisions as LTS related capacity building activities and the facilitation of corporate educational networks across regions. In conclusion, we reaffirm our strong willingness to collaborate with the LTS working group and the broader international community Together, we seek to advance the long-term sustainability of our space activities for the benefit of all humankind, guided by the principle that no one should be left behind in space. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

I thank the observer for UNISAC. for his presentation. For the next presentation on my list is the distinguished observer for all moon kind. For all moon kind, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Thank you, Chair, distinguished delegates and representatives. It is a great honor and privilege for me to submit this statement on behalf of For All Mankind. I again convey our gratitude to Director Artie Holomine and our deep appreciation for the entire USA team for their always incredible work in organizing and managing these meetings. Distinguished delegates and representatives, we stand on a threshold unlike any other in the history of space activity. The work of this subcommittee has moved beyond orbital activities and satellites focused on Earth-based processes. Humanity has turned its face and its future toward the Moon. It now falls to this subcommittee to shape how we proceed as our human presence in space, on the lunar surface and beyond, increases and becomes sustained. National space agencies across the world representing established space powers, emerging actors, and new participants alike, together with commercial and academic entities, are preparing an unprecedented range of lunar missions. These activities are unfolding in parallel with increasing frequency and proximity. In this environment, early practices will shape long-term norms. How missions are planned, coordinated, and conducted today will establish expectations that are difficult to reverse. This is why foresight now is so important. We see this most clearly on the lunar surface. Every landing disturbs the moon. Plume effects, surface interaction, and cumulative impacts are not abstract concerns. They are predictable consequences of success. As operations increase in frequency and proximity, interaction becomes inevitable, not only among active missions, but between past, present, and future human activity. Historic lunar sites make this reality visible. The site of Apollo 11, humanity's first step on another world, the impact site of Luna 2, the first human-made object to reach another celestial body, and more recent missions like Chang'e-4 and Chandrayaan-3, which continue to expand our collective understanding of the lunar environment. These are not symbols of national achievement alone. They are shared reference points in humanity's outward journey. Few would argue, regardless of nationality or era, that these sites are not worth safeguarding through responsible conduct. And that is precisely why heritage offers this subcommittee such a powerful starting point to commence discussion of lunar conduct. The Outer Space Treaty does not permit safeguarding through ownership, enclosure, or exclusion. As a result, heritage in outer space can only be protected through behavior, through how activities are planned, coordinated, and carried out in proximity to what already exists. This is not a limitation. It is a design choice embedded in the space law regime. And it is exactly the kind of challenge this subcommittee was created to address. As frameworks for lunar and cis-lunar activities are constructed, for Al-Munkin respectfully urges that the protection of human heritage be considered from the outset, not as an afterthought, but as a foundational reference point. Heritage is the easiest place to agree. It is fixed, fragile, and already present. And because it is inert and non-operational, it allows us to think clearly about proximity, cumulative effects, and how activities are carried out around what already exists. If we can learn to manage interaction with what is silent and still, we will build the habits and expectations needed to manage interaction with one another. Distinguished delegates, this subcommittee was created for moments like this, when science reveals constraints, when activity accelerates, and when foresight can shape conduct before practices harden. You have the expertise, the legitimacy, and dare we say, the responsibility to ensure that emerging frameworks for space activities are built intentionally, grounded in physical realities and shared values like the protection of historic heritage sites. For All Mankind stands ready to support this work and would be pleased to lend our expertise, research, and experience to assist this subcommittee and its associated processes as these discussions move forward. Distinguished delegates, we do not stand on an empty starting line as we move forward to the moon and beyond. We stand among the first traces of ourselves beyond Earth. The question before us is not whether our decisions are consequential. They are. But whether we will make them deliberately. This subcommittee has the power to ensure that humanity's next steps outward are remembered not only for how far we went, but for how wisely we choose to proceed. I thank you for your kind attention.

I thank the distinguished observer for all moon kinds for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished observer for LUNAS Policy Platform, LPP. LPP, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On behalf of the Lunar Policy Platform, LPP, I am delighted to congratulate you on your election as Chair of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and would like to assure you of our full support. We also wish to thank Dr. Ulpia Botezatu from Romania for her able leadership in guiding the Subcommittee over the past two years. We also would like to congratulate and sincerely thank the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs for successfully organizing the 63rd annual session of this crucial subcommittee despite the many challenges raised by the liquidity crisis. The Lunar Policy Platform, LPP, is an expert, neutral, global, non-governmental organization specialized in lunar policy. Our mission at LPP is to help create and maintain a conducive policy environment enabling the peaceful, safe and sustainable exploration and use of the Moon for the benefit of all humanity. Our work covers the entire value chain of policy, development, implementation and education. Recognizing the leading role of COPUOS as the multilateral body in charge of space governance, all our work is designed to complement and inform the intergovernmental discussions taking place within the committee as deemed relevant and appropriate by the member states. Last year, with many thanks to our trusted partner and former incubator, the Open Lunar Foundation, we produced three groundbreaking reports advancing lunar policymaking worldwide. Recognizing the crucial role of transparency, we developed a lunar information sharing one-on-one to clarify common ground between all actors on core elements of lunar information sharing and foster the development of guiding principles and streamline practices. Mindful of the importance of the Moon for all humanity, we developed a guide to lunar science and ethics to identify key scientific, cultural, and ethical interests in lunar activities, gather views on how to pay due regard to them, and provide foundational principles and procedures for a balanced approach. To match the rapid evolution of lunar policy, we recently released the 2025 edition of our Lunar Policy Snapshot, a unique document capturing key lunar developments, outlining stakeholder views, analyzing the policy ecosystem, and forecasting key implications for the future. All our documents are published on our online website in perpetual open access. And all delegates interested in printed copies of the 2025 Lunar Policy Snapshot are warmly invited to visit us at the LPP desk to collect them. In the area of policy education, we partner with research institutions and space agencies worldwide for capacity building and awareness raising. Together with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, KARI, and with the support of the Korea Aerospace Administration, KASA, we co-hosted an online series of expert seminars to raise awareness and develop a better understanding of key issues for safe and sustainable lunar activities. The series featured nearly 300 participants from over 30 countries, fostering capacity building worldwide. Together with the Royal Astronomical Society and in partnership with the UK Space Agency, we hosted the first lunar community building workshop in London. This intimate event featured 50 participants across the UK space sector and fostered open discussions to identify synergies and promote cooperation. After becoming fully independent and establishing our two legal entities, in 2026, we're scaling up our impact in collaboration with new partners worldwide. In policy development, we're pleased to announce the beginning of our annual policy consultations on lunar nuclear reactors. These consultations are intended to complement and inform ongoing discussions within the working group on use of nuclear power sources in outer space. Further information can be found in CRP 18 in our statement under item 14. In policy implementation, we are working with international research institutions to conduct case studies on data sharing protocols for resource prospecting and scientific knowledge sharing for informed policy making, building upon our 2025 policy reports. In policy education, we are collaborating with partners across four continents to organizing powerful events both online and in person, including at the 65th session of the Legal Subcommittee and the 69th session of the Committee, as well as at global conferences like ASCEND and the IAC. Our first event this year will be a space law and policy symposium on space resource activities co-organized together with the Center for Space Resources and Innovation of the University of Tokyo, taking place in Tokyo on March 9th. Finally, we are delighted to provide our expertise in support of global efforts for consideration of an international lunar decade in collaboration with the delegations of Romania and Thailand. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

I thank the distinguished observer for LPP for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished observer for World Space Week Association, or WSWA. WSWA, you have the floor, please. Since the speaker is not here.

No.

Okay. Come on.

I'm sorry. I think it's, uh, it's, it'll be in prerecorded, right?

Yeah.

Okay.

Thank you, distinguished chair, your excellencies, distinguished delegates. It is an honor to address this committee on behalf of the World Space Week Association. We extend our sincere thanks to the chair, the secretariat, and the director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs for their continued leadership and support. World Space Week 2025 held from the 4th to the 10th of October, under the theme Living in Space, and with Robert Lightfoot, President of Lockheed Martin Space, serving as Honorary Chair, has once again reaffirmed its position as the largest space event on Earth. Activities took place in over 100 nations for the very first time, reflecting the truly global nature of World Space Week and the growing public interest in humanity's future in space. Based on events registered through the official World Space Week calendar, the association confirmed over 16,000 events worldwide. In addition, government submissions, media reporting, and partner communications indicate that overall participation reached up to 50,000 events globally. In this context, Saudi Arabia stands out as a remarkable global example. through coordinated national leadership by the Saudi Space Agency and the Ministry of Education. World Space Week was celebrated across approximately 36,000 schools alongside activities in 31 universities, libraries, and public venues, including coffee shops. Saudi Arabia's innovative use of a dedicated mobile application combined with extensive engagement through both traditional and social media enabled unprecedented national reach and public participation. This integrated approach offers a compelling model for other member states to work with their ministries of education to scale space awareness and STEM education during World Space Week each year. Across the world, creativity was evident throughout World Space Week, from student-led space habitat design challenges to expert-driven discussions on living and working beyond Earth. supported by global educational resources coordinated through www.worldspaceweek.org. The top ten participating countries in 2025 included Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Ireland, Romania, Jordan, Iran, India, Mexico, Croatia and Turkey, underscoring broad geographic diversity. Looking ahead, the theme for World Space Week 2026 is the rocket revolution. This theme will highlight transformative advances in launch technologies that are reshaping access to space, enabling new missions, commercial opportunities and broader participation in the space economy. We warmly invite Member States, space agencies, academic institutions and industry partners to actively participate in World Space Week 2026 by organizing events that engage their communities and showcase national contributions to space development. Finally, we express our sincere appreciation to our board, national coordinators, event organizers, and sponsors, including Lockheed Martin, United Launch Alliance, Airbus, Viasat, General Dynamics, L3Harris, Texas Instruments, and others whose continued support enables the global reach and impact of World Space Week. Thank you, distinguished chair and esteemed delegates. Together, we continue to build bridges between space and society through the UN declared World Space Week. Thank you.

Thank you very much, the distinguished observer for World Space Week Association. This is the last statement in this agenda item. So now we have concluded our consideration of agenda item four on the generations of youth. Distinguished delegates, we are now like to continue and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item 16 on the dark and quiet sky. The first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Colombia. Colombia, you have the floor, please.

Buenos dias, Senor Presidente.

Columbia acknowledges the importance of keeping dark and quiet skies as a shared and essential heritage for astronomy, the environment, and the long-term sustainability of outer space. Columbia calls for priority to be granted to this subject on the global agenda and for us to work together to strike a balance between technological balance and scientific and environmental protection. Large satellite constellations lead to light pollution that have an impact on astronomy and observations and limit the action of telescopes and increase the risk of collisions. In this regard, we promote the development of regulatory frameworks to limit the impact of these constellations and to boost scientific cooperation and global awareness campaigns on the importance of protecting the space environment. International guidelines on the long-term sustainability of outer space are essential to preserve a safe, stable and accessible environment for all. Colombia fully supports the five pillars of these guidelines, regulatory framework, operational security, international cooperation and scientific development. We acknowledge each of these components as being essential to guarantee the peaceful and responsible use of space. Chair, Colombia has a light pollution monitoring group. We are concerned that this pollution is a threat to biodiversity and to the Lantacoa desert and other environmentally sensitive places. Therefore, we wish to find ways to reduce excessive illumination in outer space. In 2020, we discussed dark and silent skies for science and society, and we co-sponsor CRP22 presented at this session. This kind of initiative is essential in order to use studies and research On better understanding outer space. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Colombia for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished observer for Outer Space Institute, OSI. OSI, you have the floor, please.

Chair, distinguished delegates, the Outer Space Institute greatly appreciates the opportunity to comment on options for fostering the preservation of dark and quiet skies. Ground-based astronomical observations are a principal way that humanity explores the cosmos. Light and radio frequency pollution diminish that ability with the negative impacts on science and society. We support the productive work within COPUOS on this issue, especially by Member States in the Group of Friends, the International Astronomical Union, European Southern Observatory, Square Kilometer Array Observatory, European Astronomical Society and COSPAR, among others, and the result of related workshops co-organized by UNOSA. Such work has helped to foster dialogue between member states and across national bodies and operators, raising awareness and taking steps towards addressing how the sky is being changed by the development of outer space. Some of those steps have led to coordination agreements between satellite operators and astronomical observatories. This dialogue has further led to substantial discussion concerning the IAU's recommendation that satellites be kept dimmer than a visual magnitude of seven, with further considerations for operational altitude. Some efforts have already been made to include the magnitude seven threshold into regional rulemaking, such as the draft EU Space Act. However, uncertainty about the current feasibility for many operators to achieve the seventh magnitude target has prevented such initiatives from being fully realized. As the subcommittee understands, there are multiple elements to preserving dark and quiet skies, with the brightness of an individual satellite being only one aspect of the challenge. Other considerations include the number of satellites visible in the sky, the collective effect of those satellites, and the fraction of satellites with unintended electromagnetic radiation. Chair, there are potential ways forward that would enable operators to meet the IAU visual magnitude threshold while allowing some flexibility for them. What might this look like? We give one example for discussion. Consider a technical metric that establishes a typical peak number of satellites brighter than the seventh magnitude in an observer's local sky, one at the boundary between nautical and astronomical twilight, and two at local midnight. The transition between nautical and astronomical twilight occurs when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon. Together, these metrics serve as a key environmental indicator that can be widely adopted and easily verified, with verification provided by the operators themselves as well as the astronomical community. Now consider the same metrics but with gradation in magnitude. Thus, the metrics could track the number of satellites brighter than magnitude seven, six, five, and so forth. Using this metric, member states could voluntarily establish targets among the different magnitude thresholds with the aim of reducing the overall brightness to the seventh magnitude or dimmer. For systems that cannot yet achieve that reduction, targets could be used to help reduce their overall impact and help to manage the collective brightness on the sky. If the targets do not immediately achieve the seventh magnitude threshold, it is reasonable to ask why have tiered targets at all? We see several advantages. First, clear targets can help to establish a commitment to preserving the dark sky. And commitments, even non-binding commitments such as these, can help to change behavior over time. Second, having tiered targets can be used to track progress and report successes. It can also highlight potential problems and provide a well-defined baseline for further discussion making. Third, the evaluation of the targets would be based on directly observable metrics. Although the above example is for optical brightness mitigations, a similar approach could be taken to address unintended electromagnetic radiation and its impacts on radio astronomy. International bodies of experts such as the International Astronomical Union Center for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky and the OSI could aid member states in developing voluntary national mechanisms with scheduled tiered brightness targets. Finally, we express concern regarding sunlight as a service as well as recent proposals for low earth orbit constellations with up to 1 million satellites. Such constellations would pose numerous sustainability challenges and are expected to have severe consequences for astronomy. The OSI wishes to affirm its support for the chair and the work of the subcommittee. We look forward to further discussions on dark and quiet skies and thank you for your attention.

I thank the distinguished Observer for OSI very much for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the Distinguished Observer for National Space Society or NSS. NSS, you have the floor, please.

Chair, distinguished delegates and observers, the National Space Society appreciates the opportunity to address the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee under this agenda item. This intervention is intended to complement conference room paper 20 entitled Dark and Quiet Skies, Considerations for Astronomy, Commercial Space Activity, and Long-Term Human Presence in Space, which has been submitted for the subcommittee's jurisdiction and consideration. At the outset, the National Space Society would like to thank the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs Director Arti Holomine and the Secretariat, including the interpretation teams for their continued professionalism and support in facilitating the work of this subcommittee. The topic of dark and quiet skies is being considered at a time of rapid advancement in both astronomical capability and satellite enabled services. Ground-based and space-based observatories are delivering unprecedented scientific insight. while satellite systems increasingly support communications, navigation, disaster response, environmental monitoring, and other applications that directly benefit society. As described in conference room paper 20, these parallel developments have also highlighted technical interactions that warrant continued attention, particularly with respect to optical and radio astronomy. The cumulative effects of satellite constellations, especially at scale on observational facilities are becoming more pronounced and underscore the importance of careful characterization, coordination and mitigation. The National Space Society recognizes and welcomes the efforts undertaken by commercial operators, astronomers and research institutions to better quantify these impacts and to pursue mitigation approaches. Voluntary measures, including satellite design considerations, operational coordination, data sharing, and improved predictability of satellite positions have demonstrated value and merit continued refinement and adoption. From a technical perspective, continued dialogue among the astronomical community, satellite operators, and relevant institutions remains essential to improve mutual understanding, reduce unintended interference and preserve critical scientific capabilities while enabling the continued provision of satellite services. The scientific and technical subcommittee provides an appropriate forum for supporting such exchanges, clarifying technical considerations and maintaining continuity as both astronomical and commercial space activities continue to evolve. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you very much, the distinguished observer for NSS for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the African Astronomical Society. The African Astronomical Society, the floor is yours.

Honorable Chair, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. The African Astronomical Society, AAS, thanks you for the opportunity to address the subcommittee under agenda item 16 on dark and quiet skies. Africa today hosts some of the most significant astronomical infrastructure in the world, including major radio and optical observatories situated in regions, some deliberately protected by law for their exceptional dark and radio quiet conditions. These facilities are not only engines for discovery and research, they are pillars of continental capacity building, education, and scientific diplomacy. They represent long-term investments in infrastructure, human capital, and global scientific collaboration. The rapid growth of large satellite constellations presents a structural change to the night sky environment. For Africa, where many facilities are located in remote regions precisely because of their environmental integrity, the preservation of dark and quiet skies is foundational, not optional, to the sustainability of astronomy research and development. AfAS welcomes and strongly supports the conference room paper on the protection of dark and quiet skies for science and society. The value of this paper lies not merely in its technical tale, but in its recognition that this issue is cumulative, global, and requires cooperative governance. It moves the discussion from isolated mitigation measures towards a more structured and coherent framework for coexistence. From the African astronomy perspective, three principles are essential. First, predictability and transparency are critical. Astronomical facilities, particularly wide field optical surveys and highly sensitive radio arrays, require planning certainty. Sustainable coexistence depends on reliable information sharing, early engagement in system design phases, and operational practices that are scalable across constellations rather than dependent on voluntary case-by-case arrangements. Second, Cumulative impact must remain central to the discussion. The issue is not only the behavior of individual satellites, but the systemic effect of increasing orbital populations on long-term scientific programs. Many African facilities operate on decadal research timelines. Ensuring that these investments remain viable requires forward-looking assessment rather than reactive mitigation. Third, this is both a scientific and developmental matter. Astronomy in Africa is closely linked to education, youth training, technology development, and growing astrotourism initiatives in dark sky regions. The night sky is not only a research platform, it's also part of Africa's natural and cultural heritage. Protecting it contributes to broader sustainable development objectives. AFAS has engaged actively in international dialogue on this matter, including participation in recent DRACs and Quiet Skies workshops and consultations. We are strengthening internal coordination mechanisms within our continental networks to ensure that African scientific, regulatory and policy voices remain informed and constructive contributors to this agenda item. Chair, the benefits of satellite systems for global connectivity and development are clear. The responsibility before us is to ensure that these benefits are achieved in a manner consistent with the long-term sustainability of scientific research and the peaceful use of outer space. AFAS remains committed to constructive collaboration with Member States. industry, UNOSA, and the broader scientific community to advance balanced, evidence-based, and globally coordinated solutions. Thank you, Chair.

Yeah, I thank the distinguished observer for the African Astronomical Society for his statement. We now conclude our consideration of agenda item 16 on dark and quiet skies. Distinguished delegates, due to the limited time, we need to accommodate the six parameter, six presentation, the six presentation this morning. So we need to report, you know, all the working groups and agenda items to wave to this afternoon. So distinguished delegates, I would now turn to the proceedings with the technical presentations. We have six technical presentations. Before we move on to the technical presentations, I would like to advise all the presenters that if they wish to have the interactions to questions and answers after the presentation, they may wish to finish their presentations in a few minutes earlier than the allotted time of 10 minutes. The first presentation on my list this morning, in fact this afternoon, is on NISAR dual frequencies single purpose for resilient earth by the representative of India. India, you have the floor please.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At the outset, let me say that it gives me pleasure to be presenting this to this forum. NISAR is the first of its kind mission jointly developed by ISRO and NASA. It is an LNS band global microwave imaging mission with capability to acquire fully polarimetric and interferometric data. It was planned to be launched into sun synchronous polar orbit with an altitude of 747 kilometers at 98.4 degree inclination. It provides a swath of 240 kilometers with five to 100 meter resolution with a mission life of five years. It has been successfully launched using GSLV F16 on 30th July 2025 from Satish Dhawan Space Center, Shriharikota. This is the 102nd launch from SDSC Shah Spaceport of India. All the systems and launch vehicle performed satisfactorily and the satellite has been injected into the intended orbit. The planned nominal orbit was 742.9 into 745.3 kilometer orbit with an inclination of 98.4. NISAR has few unique features like dual frequency radar imaging sensors in L band and S band, which uses advanced sweep SAR technique. The SAR data provided by NISAR has high resolution, larger swath with full polarimetric interferometric nodes. It has a diameter 12 meter common unfurlable reflector antenna mounted on deployable nine meter boom. The data policy of NISAR is free and open. Coming to the responsibilities, ISRO developed the S-band SAR payload, mainframe systems, AIT of spacecraft mainframes and payload systems and provided launch services through GSLV. NASA has developed L-band SAR and 12 meter unfurlable antenna. Coming to the configuration, the spacecraft has a mass of 2,393 kilograms with monopropellant propulsion system. Spacecraft utilizes 70 volt regulated bus with data handling and storage systems accompanied with JPL make flash drive storage. It has a span telemetry tracking and command and CNK band data downlink capabilities. Also, JPL has provided L1 and L2 bands standard positioning service receiver. These are the various deployment phases that were carried out on spacecraft post launch. This includes mission operations, instrument level calibrations and fine tuning of data with radiometric and polarimetric corrections. The first image of SBAND SAR was carried out on 19th August 2025. Images were released on 7th November 25. The spacecraft has entered into the science phase now. The slide shows the various phases of spacecraft realization including propulsion elements on spacecraft, payload assembly, panel closure, compact antenna test facility testing, payload autonomous testing, polarimetric testing, payload boom assembly, deployment test, solar panel illumination checks and thermovac tests. These are the activities carried out at the spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Center, Shah. The spacecraft was encapsulated in the payload fairing and the encapsulated assembly was integrated to GSLV launch vehicle. This is the first day image of NISAR as Ben Sar acquired in August 2025 over Kakinada on the eastern coast of India. It shows varied vegetation features like mangroves, plantations, aquaculture, and agriculture fields, beautifully captured by S-band SAR. NISAR aims to understand the changes taking place in a wide range of domains, right from ecosystems, cryosphere, solid earth to coasts and oceans. To do so, NISAR science team is working towards development of various products. Monitoring of various wetlands is one of the objectives to study ecosystem dynamics. On the left half of the slide, two reservoirs are shown to be mapped accurately despite their complex boundaries. On the right is S-band derived surface water extent of Nal Sarovar, one of the wetland sites. Soil moisture is one of the most important drivers of agriculture. Using NISAR's high resolution, wide swath capability, soil moisture retrieval has been demonstrated at field scale of 100 meter resolution. The image on the left is over northern Indo-Gangetic plain showing good variability in soil moisture, whereas the image on the right is from a semi-arid region in western India with predominantly low values of soil moisture. Low soil moisture is represented in yellow color, whereas high soil moisture values are in blue color. The white portions in the images are cities and water bodies which are masked for soil moisture retrieval purposes. These products will soon be released to the scientific community. NISAR has systemic acquisition plan in Antarctica as well. This image shows various sea ice features and icebergs close to Antarctica. The view graph at the bottom shows the classification of these features from S-band data. These products play an important role in providing sea ice advisories during Indian Antarctica expeditions. Repeat pass interferometry is one of the hallmarks of NISAR. This powerful technique allows us to study surface deformations to CM level, thereby enabling solid earth studies for earthquakes, volcanoes, land subsidence, et cetera. These are some of the results showing interferometric fringes and coherence map derived from a pair of S-band data over Afghanistan. Work on other products also is in good progress, which would be released at the end of science validation phase. I thank all for the kind attention. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your presentation. The next presentation also from the University of India is on the salient science outcome from Indian space science missions.

Thank you, Chair, for giving the opportunity. India has launched many space science missions over the years. Today I'm going to highlight some of the remarkable achievements from our recent missions. So coming to the AstroSat first. It's a multi-wavelength astronomy observatory to study the stars and galaxy in X-ray visible and UV. It has completed 10 years and going strong. And it has made many observation and it continues to provide valuable data on several astronomical objects and processes. Currently, we have around 2000 users from India and 1100 users from international community. And they are utilizing this observatory. So some of the key things are it's a highest resolution UV image that is three times better than galaxies and highest collecting area and X-ray are unique capabilities of this mission. It detected extreme ultraviolet rays from a galaxy nearly 10 billion light years away, which is a big deal in a way because it helps explain how the very first stars and galaxies turned on the lights, so to end the cosmic darkness era. Researchers are using observations for measuring how fast a black hole in our galaxy is spinning. By tracking this high speed rotation, that can be better understand and helping how the black holes eat nearby matter and how gravity behaves in the extreme environment surrounding them. For the first time ever, scientists used multiple instruments in Astro-SET to photograph objects like the Crab Nebula in several types of light at the exact same time, ranging from ultraviolet to X-rays. Seeing an object in all these colors at once provides a much more complete picture of how it works than looking at just one wavelength. Using Astro-Set data, scientists found rare isolated patches of young stars. They are also nicknamed as blue blobs. They are living on the lonely outskirts of the galaxies. Because these stars are forming far away from the main body of a galaxy, they reveal new ways that a galaxy grow and changes as they crash through the or interact within large clusters. As such, it also captures incredibly fast pulses of extra light flickering in less than a second coming from dense dead stars known as pulsars, also called rapidly rotating neutron stars. By watching how these pulsars change over time, scientists basically can better map out the intense magnetic field of neutron stars. So we had a international conference at Bengaluru recently in the month of January and And it basically, it was on AstroSat and a global community participated and a large data was made publicly available around to 35 plus hundred, 3500 plus users we have in which 1500 plus international users. And the vastness of the results, already we have 600 plus publications, 50 PhD thesis out of it. and more than 1800 GCN and ATEL. And in the conference, a large community participated of more than 400 participants, and we had many oral lectures, 16 plenary, and it was a big success. Now coming to another great mission Chandrayaan-2, which is unique in its own way. The orbiter has been studying the moon since 2019 and continues to provide good wealth of data, high quality data. In all the eight state of the arts instrument it has got and global observation over a period of six years has led to a generation of higher level data products which are crucial for future lunar exploration. The advanced data products based on L and S bands are the combination of several parameters such as surface roughness, density, porosity of the lunar surface, potential presence of water ice. This kind of ready to use data products on lunar polar region will provide holistic information to characterize the polar regions for future lunar exploration. It's going to be very useful for the community. These products come complements hyperspectral data and studying the distribution of minerals on the moon. Highest resolution elemental maps based on X-ray spectrometer are also very useful for understanding the resources available on the moon. Needless to say. The highest resolution optical camera and the lunar orbital platform is used widely by the Indian and international community to identify safe location for landing on the moon. So another great success story coming to Chandrayaan three. After having flown Chandrayaan one and two as orbiter missions, Chandrayaan three soft landing on the moon and conducted in situ studies of the lunar surface and the near surface environment. One of the payload on the lander Langmuir probe measured the layer of electrically charged gas or plasma close to the moon surface altitude of around 1.45 to 2 m at its South Pole the study discovered that the number of electron per unit volume near the moon surface is significantly higher than earlier expected and it also depends on the position of the moon on its orbit around the Earth the indigenously developed Lunar ionosphere model was used to validate the observation through multiple iterations, which brought out the roles of molecular ions, for example, the CO2 and H2O and overall composition of near-surface plasma environment. Next. Yeah, thank you. So coming to Aditya-L1 mission. which is India's first dedicated solar observatory and situated at Sun Earth 11 point for measuring photons, particles and field from sun. This mission backs the credit of having taken the first set of full solar disk images in near UV wavelengths, which also helps to understand the process of energy transfer from the interior of sun to solar surface. The mission also backs the credit of capturing the movement of coronal mass ejection very close to the solar surface. VELC instrument by Indian Institute of Astrophysics from India recorded the first spectroscopic observation of the onset of a coronal mass ejection documenting a 50% coronal dimming. The ASPACs and POPA payloads have also provided continuous measurement of solar wind ions and electrons helping identify the sites of long duration solar wind energization. In collaboration with global missions, Aditya-L1 helped identifying giant magnetic reconnection region, which spans around 1.3 million kilometers inside a CME. So here you can see some of the data, basically capturing of the solar eruptive events in May 2024, our planet faced the strongest solar storm in more than two decades, which disturbed Earth's environment severely and even now it's called Ganon Storm. The active region on the sun, which is AR 13664 during the passage during the week of May 8 to 15, 2024, erupted several X class and M class players which were associated with CMEs during May 8 and 9. These produced a major geomagnetic storm on May 11. Two of the remote sensing payloads on board Aditya L1 captured these events during May 8 and 9, while two in situ payloads captured the event during the subsequent days. These observations were subsequently reported by ISRO along with the observation made by Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft as well as ExoSat and also USOPRL ground-based facility in India. with Aditya L1 and other satellite data, scientists found that the area where the CME's magnetic field was tearing and reconnecting was enormous, about 1.3 million kilometers that I mentioned. If you see, it is like 100 times the size of the Earth, quite big. Now, how it decodes the impact of powerful storm on Earth's magnetic field? Basically, Space weather refers to a condition in space caused by transient activity on sun. Such a solar plasma eruption which can affect satellites, communication, navigation and power grid infrastructure on earth. And it has been the cases in past. We have seen several times. It observed the structure of a storm during October 24 and held an assessment of the impact on earth environment along with data collected by other spacecraft. So by intensification of electric currents around Earth polar region due to the impact of turbulent front of solar storm has also been observed. This finding of this study shows further importance of understanding of space weather phenomena and their real time assessment to safeguard the critical space assets. Now coming to the last slide. So expose it. is another one of India's first and X-ray polarization observatory and it augments our astronomy astrophysics community. It successfully measured the polarization of X-rays from Crab Nebula and other celestial sources providing a new dimension to black hole and pulsar studies. The X-SPAC payload captured high resolution timing and spectral data of extra binaries, helping track the transition of black holes between different states. So all in all, a lot of progress is being made and a lot of inputs to our community and around the world. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you very much for your presentation. The next presentation will be by Russian Federation, who will speak on the low earth orbit utilization space science perspective. Russian, please.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates. I'm pleased to present information about scientific research at low earth orbit and within the framework of the Russian space program. In addition to the presentation at previous STSC session, my report today includes specific examples of scientific experiments and payloads which are recently deployed in space, both on robotic spacecraft and on orbital space station. IKI is leading organization in Russia for scientific payload development, integration, science data analysis and interpretation. In the list of Russian and international spacecraft, with eek scientific payloads. Today I would like to highlight and deliver information on the Amazon project. It is well known the ionosphere is the upper layer of the atmosphere located above about 85 kilometers, the matter of which is strongly ionized mainly by ultraviolet and X-ray radiation from the sun. The ionosphere plays an important role in the transmission of radio waves Therefore, its monitoring is essential to ensure the quality of radio communication. In addition, the ionosphere can be considered as a natural laboratory in which the processes of interaction of plasma and waves can be studied directly and by the in situ measurements. This causes great interest in ionospheric research, which has been intensively carried out over the past decades, both by ground, air, and orbital instruments. In 2024 and 2025, within two Soyuz-2 launches from Russian spaceport Vostochny, four ionosphere satellites were successfully deployed at sun-synchronous orbit. And key scientific objectives of this spacecraft include monitoring of physical processes on the Earth's upper atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere, as well as monitoring of solar activity. Each ENA sphere satellites has a profound and integrated set of instruments to monitor the environmental heliophysical parameters. There are five groups of instruments on each spacecraft for ENA sphere plasma parameters monitoring, for electromagnetic wave monitoring, for magnetosphere particle and space weather monitoring, as anometer and instruments for data collecting and transmitting to Earth. The meaning of the project include two key aspects. It is the first for more than 30 years specialized spacecraft for ionospheric research. And at the same time, it's a multi-satellite constellation which allow simultaneous monitoring of various regions of ionosphere including near equatorial and polar regions. In December 2025, ionosphere satellites successfully passed the owner with tests and now the constellation is in the nominal utilization mode. All four satellites operate continuously in a highly informative mode and perform global measurements. And this includes also unique data on the ionospheric response to recent magnetic storms in the end of 2025 in January 2026. You can find more detailed information about the project on the web resources listed on the slide. Russian Federation has a historically formed and institutional structure of space station science program. And today I would like to share with you information on the structure, priorities of the science program and examples of ongoing research within the Russian segment of the International Space Station. The basis of space station utilization for scientific research includes three key aspects. Firstly, the opportunities which are provided by the space infrastructure. And here I would like to note that the Russian space industry provides a large scale and full cycle research opportunities from scientific idea formulation to onboard implementation, scientific data processing on Earth and further results application. Secondly, sustainability of the program, meaning the importance of a long term time basis for space experiment. And thirdly, the exact resources which the station can provide for science, including crew time, cargo delivery, payload interfaces, extra vehicle activity, and et cetera. These technical services and capabilities are available both for Russian scientific institutions as well as for international partners with a variety of cooperation form and options, including experiment formulation, payload design, science data analysis, etc. The Russian space infrastructure provides the station orbital flights, launches of modules, crew transportation, cargo vehicles, as well as unconditional fulfillment of responsibilities within the international program. BTM. The board telescope of neutrons is a two phase experiment within the Russian segment of the International Space Station science program. The goal is to measure the neutron flux with different energies and directions inside and outside of the pressurized volume of the space station and in different geomagnetic fields. The payload also allows to test shielding efficiency with different configuration and independence of on the neutron energy. In 2024, the BTN M2 payload was successfully integrated to the Russian segment of the International Space Station in addition to the previous neutron instrument BTN M1 mounted outside of the space station in 2007. Within the first year, the neutron component of radiation dose were measured by the BTN2 in pressurized volume and in parallel with similar measurements outside of the station. More than 20 gigabyte of scientific data were received. Neutron flux maps were constructed for the BTN M2 neutron detector over a wide energy range. The neutron flux values recorded by the instrument varied by approximately two orders of magnitude as the ISS moves in orbit. The minimum flux is observed near near the equator and the maximum is in the region of the South Atlantic magnetic anomaly. A similar pattern is observed in gamma rays. The top left picture shows the time profiles of the neutron flux in the three between M2 neutron detectors. The top right picture shows the time profiles of energetic neutrons, black line charge particles, green line and gamma rays. in the BTN M2 gamma detector, red line. The bottom picture shows the maps in the instrument unshielded configuration for the fast neutron flux, left picture, and gamma ray flux, right picture. the neutron component of radiation doses 2 to 3 times higher inside the station in comparison to external measurements. The efficiency of neutron flux shielding is from 35 to 95 or 94, depending on neutron energy. And during the 2026 years the experiment team plans to complete measurements in all shielding screen configuration and after that to continue measurement to refine the model of neutron and gamma background inside and outside the International Space Station. The results of the experiment will also allow to compare neutron fluxes in the vicinity of solar system bodies, Earth, Moon and Mars. Similar neutron telescopes designed at IKI are operating now in the lunar and Mars vicinity. Another experiment is the All-Sky Monitor, MVN. The payload is designed by IKI Astrophysics Department as a technology demonstrator. However, a number of scientific objectives now is much wider. The goal of the experiment is to observe the cosmic X-ray background with high accuracy. This energy range is dominated by radiation from active galactic nucleus, AGNs, supermassive black holes. Measuring the X-ray background allows to estimate the total energy output of AGNs and draw conclusions about their compositions and evolution. In preparation for the experiment, it was necessary to carefully evaluate the influence of known X-ray sources and the background radiation in the ISS orbit. installed externally on the ISS in December 2024, the instrument surveys almost 80% of the sky every 72 days. The first measurement was surprising when the payload detected the sun. Not to go deep into the scientific part, the payload is more sensitive than it was expected. And now it is the only one payload which observes the sun in the hard X-ray range. Monthly sun observation is an additional part of the MVN experiment now. After first six months, the calibration of the payload energy resolution was also improved by eliminating so-called microphonic effect. With the first year of utilization, the payload allowed several technology demonstration, including the integration of X-ray astrophysics payload to the International Space Station with its complicated thermal conditions. Initial collaborations were successfully implemented and even simultaneous measurements of the solar flare event with the ART-XC telescope in the Earth-Sun L2 point were performed. At present, statistics are being collected. You can find more information about science part of experiment at the here, a high energy astrophysics today and tomorrow conference website. This presentation, due to limited time, includes just a few examples of LEO research. We're glad to share information about results, ongoing and further space science activities, as well as cooperation opportunities. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you very much for your presentation. The fourth presentation on my list is on the commercial space technologies to enhance peace or threatening global security by the initiative of Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran, you have the floor, please.

Thank you, Chair, for giving me the opportunity. Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished delegates, good afternoon. Let's begin my presentation. with asking a question, crucial question, commercial space technologies. Commercial space technologies to enhance peace or endanger global security. As the title suggests, this presentation is going to explore around the question to find if commercial space technologies are being developed and applied solely for peaceful purposes and enhance sustainability or other trend is underway. The main reason behind this question and this topic is that we are here. I think in copious a global governing platform mainly established to foster international cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space and to ensure that the outer space is utilized for the benefit of all humanity and enhancing peace security and global development in general Any international governing platform, including the COPUOS, is mainly expected to mirror the world around it in a clear and inclusive way. Therefore, to take the first step, let's examine that what the world around us in a space domain looks like. Doing a brief survey in this matter reveals that, unluckily, a number of states that previously used to formulate peaceful space programs currently shifted their orientation from social, economic, and civil applications to security-driven, defensive, dual-use, and even offensive approaches. In other words, the number of states that embarked on allocating dedicated budgets establishing space forces, space commands, incorporating space capabilities in their military domain, and seeking other similar measures is steadily growing in an unprecedented fast pace. So a dilemma here may arise and is that Are these emerging trends in space technology utilization in line with creating a safer and more secure world or ultimately end up hindering global security in the future? Another point is that the involvement of commercial sector in space activities may apply its own pros and cons. But the most concerning challenge is that intending to undertaking less liability through their respective states and also involvement of so-called civil space companies in non-peaceful and even aggressive exercises. Now let's examine some real cases regarding this issue. Distinguished delegates, I'm sure you vividly remember some months ago, in June 13 of 2025 I'm sure you vividly remember some months ago in June 13 of 2025 Iran experienced a horrific aggression from some certain hostilities In that series of attacks, the adversaries utilized numerous variety of space capabilities to support their unlawful strikes. The space services and capabilities used in the aggression, whether domestic or foreign provided, could be divided into four categories, including tracking and navigation satellite services, earth observation and remote sensing products, communication services and devices, and also space-based early warning systems. The point worth noting here is that many space-based assisting and supporting products and services utilized in that aggression, they're provided by the firms that claim to operate as commercial and civil entities. So let's introduce some of the firms in the next slide. As you see, the most famous mega constellation, Starlink, developed by SpaceX, was one of the contributors in that warfare. The company not only offered unauthorized internet connection within the mainland territory and violating national sovereignty, but supported combat aerial vehicles by enhanced navigation assisted and resilient telecommunication services. There are some other companies that directly involved in the battlefield provided sustainable communication services to the aggressors. In addition to that, the space intelligence and reconnaissance services also were provided through real time transmitting of very high resolution images developed by other famous private satellite companies named, let's pass over. The list of participants and commercial firms is a long one, but maybe is not in the scope of this session. As you see, there are some photos of Starlink receivers that mounted on the wreckage of an aerial vehicle shot down by the defensive space. Now it's evident that space private sector may potentially is able to violate the scope and borders of commercial and civil environment as it occurred in the case of June 13 aggression. In conclusion, let's reiterate that outer space it seems that no longer used solely for peaceful purposes. Some states are unprecedentedly shifted their peaceful space programs to defensive, security-driven, and even offensive matters. The potential involvement of commercial sector in non-peaceful operations is significantly increasing. That's why we as member states of COPEUS urgently must address these issues and emphasize on absolute responsibility and supervisory role of respective states. The last and important point is that since the border between peaceful and non-peaceful purpose of space activities is being quite blurred, we expect the COPUOS to make a closer connection with other relevant UN bodies to effectively address multidimensional emerging and common challenges in order to maintain outer space as a domain of granting peace, prosperity, security and welfare to all humanity. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Any question or comments? I see none. Thank you very much. The next presentation on my list is the fifth one. The EPSO vision for space safety, ground-based optical observations. by the observer for the Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization or APSCO. APSCO, you have the floor, please.

Thank you, Chair, for giving the opportunity. Distinguished delegates, it's an honor to present under agenda item number six of space debris. I'm Atikur Rahman, Director General of Strategic Planning and Program Management at Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, APSCO. Today, I will briefly share APSCO's vision for space safety through our ground-based optical observation initiatives focusing on how regional cooperation, telescopes and capacity building contributes to space situational awareness and long-term sustainability of outer space. APSCo was established in 2008 with its headquarters in Beijing and today brings together eight full member states from across the Asia-Pacific region along with observers and partners. Our mission is to promote multilateral cooperation in space sciences, technology and applications, ensuring that all member states benefit from shared knowledge and opportunities. APSCo works to strengthen regional collaboration and support to share development of peaceful space activities through cooperative programs and joint initiatives. We aim to enhance scientific capability and foster long-term partnership across the Asia Pacific region. The space environment is becoming increasingly congested due to the rapid growth of satellites and the development of large constellation. This makes space safety and debris mitigation a critical priority for all space-faring and emerging space nations. With thousands of active satellites and an even larger number of debris objects, the risk of collision continues to rise. Even small fragments traveling at an orbital velocity can damage or destroy spacecraft, posing risk to missions and in some cases to human space flights. Ensuring the long-term sustainability of outer space activities requires more than technological solutions. It depends on cooperations, transparency and collective action among all space actors. APSCOP fully supports the peaceful uses of outer space consistent with the principles of the United Nations and the mandate of COPUOS. As space becomes increasingly complex and congested, long-term sustainability requires responsible behaviors and shared commitment from all space sectors. APSCOP promotes inclusive partnership in space sciences and technology, ensuring that all member states, regardless of their level of development, can contribute to and benefit from space activities. Education, training and capacity building remains central of our efforts, enabling member states to strengthen their technical capabilities and engage effectively in sustainable space practices. The Asia Pacific Space Science Observatory is one of EPSCo's flagship cooperative program. Its objective is to establish a distributed network of 60 centimeter optical telescope across all member states. This network supports scientific research and education, while also contributing to space safety through the observation of satellites and other space objects in Earth orbits. Each telescope operates through an automated scheduling system, enabling coordinated observation across the region. The data collected from all sites is processed through a centralized data center, ensuring consistency, accessibility, and collaborative use among member states. Through this initiative, APSCo is strengthening regional scientific research capabilities, expanding opportunities for education and capacity building, and raising awareness of the importance of space science across all member states. In year 2025, APSCo successfully installed two optical telescopes, one in China and one in Mongolia. As part of the EPOS-OS network, both facilities are now fully operational and contributing valuable observational data for scientific research and educational activities. The installation in Mongolia was carried out under harsh weather conditions, yet the work was completed with exceptional dedication and professionalism. This reflects the strong commitment of EPOS-CA and its member states to advancing regional scientific capability and ensuring the success of this cooperative initiative. The remaining EPSCo member states are scheduled to receive their telescopes which will complete the regional observation network envisaged under the EPASOS program. Site surveys and site selection activities have already been completed for Thailand, Pakistan, Peru, Turkey and Iran, ensuring readiness for installation. For Bangladesh, the site survey and site selection will be carried out in 2026. Once all installations are completed, the EPOS-Host network will provide a unified regional platform for scientific research, education and capacity building across all member states. To promote transparency and strengthen peaceful cooperation among member states, APSCo organized the first expert group meeting on the APPOSOS project. During this meeting, member states jointly discussed the data sharing policy and operational mechanism that will guide how information is exchanged within the network. Under this framework, member states will have shared access to observational data, scientific tools, and technical expertise. The cooperative approach enhances trust, supports scientific advancement, and ensures that all member states benefit collectively from the APPOSS initiative. EPSCO places a strong emphasis on building human capacity across its member states. In 2025, APSCO conducted a series of space sciences training courses along with advanced simulation training on vision-based close proximity orbital operations. These emerging technologies are essential for future missions involving debris removal, on-orbit servicing, and other advanced space operations. Looking ahead, APSCO will conduct a dedicated training course on space situational awareness in 2026. This initiative will further strengthen regional expertise, enhance technical readiness, and support Member States in developing the skills needed for sustainable and responsible space activities. In the last, APCO reaffirms its strong commitment to the peaceful uses of outer space and hold the long-term sustainability of space activities. As a space environment becomes increasingly complex, ensuring safety and sustainability is a shared responsibility that requires cooperation, transparency and inclusive participation from all members, all space sectors. ABSCO will continue to strengthen regional capabilities through scientific collaboration, education and capacity building, ensuring that all member states can benefit from and contribute to the peaceful development of outer space. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you, ESCO, very much for your presentation. The last presentation for this morning is on the AI-powered geospatial tool for flood risk mapping and innovative applications by the observer for the economic and social commission for Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP. ESCAP, you have the floor, please.

Thank you, thank you, Chair. In Asia Pacific region, increasingly frequent and intense hazard, including flood, cyclone, drought, and escape, are disrupting the livelihoods, health, food and energy system and economies, while existing and emerging disaster hotspots create complex cascading risks. Space technologies have proven highly effective in disaster monitoring, early warning and emergency response efforts. So the Asia Pacific Plan of Action on Space Applications for Sustainable Development 2018 to 2030 provides a regionally coordinated framework for utilizing geospatial data and space technology to drive digital and scientific innovation in addressing regional challenges. It underscores the importance of artificial intelligence and the digital solutions in enabling real-time data-driven decision making, particularly in disaster risk reduction and resilience building. We are taking actions, reflecting the priorities set out in the Jakarta Ministerial Declaration on Space Applications for Sustainable Development, adopted in October 2022. ESCAP, in collaboration with our partners in UN system and regional countries, developed and upgraded SAT-GPT, which is AI-powered platform, integrates cloud computing, earth observation data, and large language modules for rapid mapping flood hotspot. ESCAP has also developed the training courses to support the application of SET-GPT and use of the AI in disaster risk management through capacity building initiatives across the region. The development of the SET-GPT was based on the ethical use of the AI and participatory modeling through a user-friendly interface. Users submit flood map requests, which are processed by ChatGPT to generate code for the Google Earth Engine JavaScript API. This code is executed on a cloud computing platform, and the resulting flood data is displayed with the ChatGPT interface. Users can also download the generated Google Earth Engine code for further use and customization. is designed for rapid deployment, particularly in resource constrained environment by leveraging AI powered disaster solution flood and inundation hotspot can be mapped and designated area of interest supporting disaster preparedness and response. So these are some examples made by our users in developing countries on this mapping the flood risk. So this map shows that one of the group developed in this map and shows economy loss from the inundation in Kalawang City, which is an important agriculture area in Indonesia. By adding this validation and estimation of the economic loss, by the users in the local city, SatGPT can be highly valuable source for information for mapping inundation area and can support ecosystem restoration by mitigating future flood risks. SatGPT, one used with other available social economic dataset, can support a more in-depth flood impact analysis. So its capability to map in addition hotspots using historical flood data can help identify the village, schools and other critical infrastructures that are affected by the increasingly frequent of the flood event. The set GBT can also support the spatial planning efforts. in the Laguna Lake area of the Philippines, lakeshore communities are increasingly affected by frequent floods. SAGP enables time series analysis to assess the long-term impact of the floods, informing future infrastructure development. In addition, one combined with the land cover data, SRT also help assess effects of the heavy rainfall in poorly drained lowland and urban areas as demonstrated in the example from Tonga. So this is also one example made by this The Boyang Lake, some analysis of the flood in the Boyang Lake, which is the largest freshwater lake in China during the 2020 flooding. So comparison with the satellite derived flood data using this Sentinel-1 showed that Sentinel-1 was able to capture about 80% of the flooding. All these examples are contributed by the users in our member states. So this is a, these back-to-back working papers document, document the development of the applications of ChatGPT. So you can find it from our website. So in addition, if you are interested in these details, please feel free to take a photo of the slide or scan the QR code. It will bring you directly to our full working papers in the ESCAP repository. So this satellite and these applications made by the users in our countries are all you can access and find more details. So these are our online self-paced courses, which are already uploaded to the ESCAP learning platform. Moving forward, we are exploring the potential of ChatGPT in various areas requested by the users in the country through the development of case study in selected country. that are locally relevant and allow users to integrate local social economic data for future, for further analysis. The case study will be the foundations of the future training and the basis of the content development focus on the use of the digital technology. So during this training, We will also collect the user feedback to align the future development of the SAT-GPT with countries priorities. coordinated with partners, countries and institutions, for example, in China, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Republic Korea to enable the integration of the AI solutions, particularly the SatGPT into their existing system for disaster risk management and resource monitoring. So SatGPT will also support the knowledge exchange among the use participating in the testing and trainings related to the digital innovation to promote its independent usage while highlighting its impact for advancing sustainable development. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you very much, the distinguished observer for ESCAP. Distinguished delegates, I will now shortly adjourn the meeting. Before I do so, I would like to inform delegates of our schedule of work this afternoon. By the way, this is already past 1 p.m. We don't have any translation. I apologize for that. We have English only. We meet again promptly at 3 p.m. We continue our consideration of agenda item five on the space for sustainable development technology and its applications, including the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. Agenda item 12 on the future role and method of work of the Committee. Agenda item 17 on the draft provisional agenda for the sixty-fourth session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, with a view to endorsing the report of the Working Group as a whole. and we hopefully conclude our consideration of items 5 and 17. We will continue our consideration of agenda item 11 on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities with the view to endorsing the report of the working group on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, and we hopefully conclude our consideration on this item. We will then continue our consideration of agenda item 12 on the future role and method of work of the Committee to invite the co-chairs of the Action Team to report on the results of this meeting held during this session. We will continue our consideration of agenda item 14 on the use of nuclear power sources in outer space with a view to endorsing the report of the Working Group on the use of nuclear power sources in outer space and will hopefully conclude our consideration of this item. We will begin our consideration of agenda item 18 on the report to the Committee on the peaceful uses of outer space. I would like to inform delegates that the informal consultation of the Action Team on Lunar Activities consultation will be held in Conference Room M2 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. These informal consultations are open for participation by AdLac members, also virtually through virtual connection links sent to the AdLac members. The Ms. team link is available on the information circular USA/2026/4 dispatch on the January 26, 2026. Are there any questions or comments on the proposed schedule? I see none. Distinguished delegates, the meeting is adjourned till 3:00 PM.