Outer Space: Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, 63rd session, 1036th meeting

So thank you very much. It's quite late in Thailand right now. It's about 9 PM. I'm getting too sleepy. I hope you guys are not sleepy like me. So we hope the session is not too sleepy. So good afternoon, distinguished delegates. Please allow me to declare open the 10,000— I'm sorry, 1,036th meeting of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space. Distinguished delegates, This afternoon, we will continue our consideration of Agenda Item 4, the General Exchange of Views. As agreed at this morning's session, if time permitting, we will also begin our consideration of Agenda Item 5, the Space for Sustainable Development Technology and Its Applications, including the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. There will be 3 technical presentations this afternoon. I would like to inform delegates that the schedule of technical presentation is available on the session webpage and in the daily journal. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule?

Okay.

All right, I see none, so I think we can continue with Agenda Item 4 now. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to continue our consideration of Item 4 of our agenda, the General Exchange of Views. Before I move on the list of speakers, I'd like to appeal to the distinguished delegates to kindly focus on the substantive issues so that we make the most of our time together in a constructive manner. And we try to make it for each presentation, speaking within 5 minutes. I now turn on the list of speakers. The first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Thailand. Thailand, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, first of all, my delegation wishes to extend our congratulations to Dr. Pakorn Apaphan on his election as Chair for the STSC and assure him of the full support and cooperation. We also would like to extend our gratitude to Dr. Alpia Elena Botezatu for the dedicated leadership she demonstrated throughout her 2-year tenure. We also would like to extend our sincere appreciation to UNWUSA for the hard work and support extended to the subcommittee. The delegation of Thailand wished to draw the subcommittee's attention to a pressing and invisible challenge that transcends national borders, the escalating crisis of transboundary air pollution, specifically particulate matter 2.5 or PM2.5. For decades, Thailand has harnessed the power of space technology to mitigate natural disasters. However, we are now facing an emerging challenge that no single nation can solve it in isolation. Air pollution does not recognize sovereignty. Guided by atmospheric winds, these harmful particles flow freely across Southeast Asia. Regardless of the source, the environmental and health impact are felt by entire region. Thailand, led by the Geoinformatics and Space Technology Development Agency, or GISDA, is firmly convinced that space-based data is one of the most effective tools. By integrating satellite data with in-situ ground sensors, we can achieve real-time monitoring on identifying the hotspot and tracking the pollutant plumes. We are able to understanding the character of particles to better address the root causes, and we can provide leaders with the evidence evident need to implement effective environmental regulations. For years, Thailand has worked closely with our partner outside the region on capacity building and transparent data sharing. Our close partnership with South Korea, facilitated by UNSCAP, and our scientific collaboration with NASA US under the Asia-AQ project to study aerosol characteristics are meaningful in translating the scientific and technical cooperation into action on the ground. Giving importance to the active actions, we are proud to share that this week Thailand is hosting the Regional Workshop on Transboundary Air Pollution for Southeast Asia and the Thai Seas. The workshop takes place in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with 15 entities from Southeast Asia and South Asia region. Distinguished delegates, Thailand wishes to reiterate that silent threat of air pollution requires a loud response. We welcome further collaboration from member states, especially those with extensive experience in utilizing space technology for atmospheric monitoring. By sharing expert and data, we can ensure that the air we breathe is a shared resource we protect together. Excellency, delegates, last but not least, building on the success of Thailand Space Expo 2025, which unite more than 4,000 people from over 30 countries, Jista, as the host, officially invites all UM COPU's member state to Thailand Space Expo 2026. We welcome you to Bangkok to forge new strategic partnerships and help shape a sustainable future for space economy. Please visit our delegation for more information. We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you.

So I thank the distinguished representative of Thailand for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Norway. Norway is the 4th host.

Thank you, Chair. Let me first congratulate you on being elected Chair for this 63rd session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. Please rest assured of Norway's support. We would also like to thank the outgoing Chair, Ms. Ulpia Elena Bute-Satu of Romania, for her outstanding work in leading this subcommittee during the last period. As always, we also express our appreciation to the Office for Outer Space Affairs for their excellent work in preparing this session. Norway is pleased to see that COPUS's membership is steadily increasing. In that respect, we welcome our new members: Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Honduras, Maldives, Malta, and Zimbabwe. Norway shares the view that violations of the UN Charter undermine international peace and security. We too strongly condemn Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and its violations of Ukraine's territorial integrity. Chair, we welcome the final draft report from the Working Group on Long-Term Sustainability to be presented at this session of the STSC. and the agreement to extend the working group for a new period. We also welcome the establishment of the Expert Group on Space Situational Awareness and are looking forward to contribute to the work in the expert group. Norway also supports the holding of a UNISPACE 4 conference in 2027. Allow me now, Chair, to present an update on some of the latest developments in Norway's space activities. The majority of Norway's space activities are being carried out through our participation in the space programs of the European Space Agency, EUMETSAT, and the European Union. Norway also has bilateral agreements with several other nations regarding space research and application. Norway's national space activities have, however, increased substantially during the last year. On the 14th of January 2025, Nordsat-4 was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This is a maritime monitoring microsatellite and carries a 5th generation automatic identification system, ship tracking receiver, and a first-of-its-kind low-light imaging camera. The low-light optical camera increases our ability to detect and track vessels in Norway's Arctic territorial waters by supplementing the AIS receiver aboard the satellite. In March, Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace launched the first microsatellite of its N3X satellite constellation. In June, the 2 remaining microsatellites were launched, thus completing the N3X constellation. The N3X constellation is designed to enhance Norway's maritime domain awareness. Payloads include an AIS receiver and a navigation radar detector. This combination enables N3X to identify cooperative vessels broadcasting AIS as well as dark vessels that disable AIS but contribute emitting radar signals. On the 30th of March, the German company Isar Aerospace launched its rocket Spectrum from Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway. This is the first orbital rocket launch from continental Europe. Despite the short journey of the Spectrum rocket, this marks the beginning of a new era in Norwegian and European spaceflight. Jannecke Mikkelsen, the first person in space wearing a Norwegian flag on her arm, flew in April on the mission Fram 2. This is the first human spaceflight mission to explore the Earth in a polar orbit. In May, Norway signed the Artemis Accords, thus becoming the 56th signatory state of the Accords. Norway submitted its report to the midterm review of the Space 2030 Agenda during the 68th session of COPUS in June. Our activities cover all 4 overarching objectives, as well as 7 of the SDGs. Also in June, Norway, as one of the founding members, signed a declaration of interest for a Space for Ocean Alliance at the UN conference in Nice, jointly with UNOSA. And last but not least, in December, a new Norwegian space law was passed in Parliament. New law will facilitate space activities that contribute to business development, innovation, and the peaceful exploration of outer space with due regard to the environment and sustainability. The law will require that activities be carried out in a responsible and safe manner in accordance with Norway's national security interests. The new law will enter into force on the 1st of July this year. Looking ahead, we see a new generation of Norwegian small satellites for maritime surveillance for both commercial and government use. In this regard, the Norwegian Space Agency, in cooperation with national users, have established the Arctic Surveillance Program, which will be developed in close concert with national industries. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Norway for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished Representative of Argentina, the floor is yours.

Señor Presidente.

Chair, Argentina would like to take the opportunity to thank Ms. Botosatu of Romania for her work and to congratulate you on your election and express our support for you. We are also grateful to to UN-USA for preparing the meeting and, of course, for the work of its staff throughout the session. Chair, distinguished delegates and observers, this year we need to make greater progress in dealing with issues and subjects. Many of them are new challenges given the increase in the number of governmental and non-governmental actors participating in near-Earth space missions and beyond. Space debris is imperiling many space missions and human lives, and we are concerned about upcoming moon missions and to other celestial bodies, especially regarding the environment and the final disposal of space debris on the moon. We urge nations to limit pollution and hope we can reach consensus within this subcommittee and its working groups, as well as coordinating with Space Resources and the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation, ATLAC. Chair, in December 2025, we presented the basis for Argentina's space development, which defines the roadmap for strategic alignments of our national space policy aimed at greater interaction between the public and private sector. Given that this is relevant for the socioeconomic benefit of Argentina and the international community. Argentina continues to carry out activities through its space agency, CONAE. We started new projects in orbit and in microgravity, such as sending a sample of peanut seeds selected by Argentinian teams to the International Space Station to study the impact of space conditions. This was in cooperation with national and foreign private sector companies and the scientific sector. Capacity building in training and research in different STEM subjects and law are essential for the growth of our sector. I would like to highlight the Institute for Superior Space Studies belonging to CONAI and the National University in Córdoba as part of the university educational system in Argentina, which is increasing the number of degrees available in space subjects. In 2025, we made progress in the SABIA-Mar mission. This is dedicated to marine studies, and we held a seminar on the applications of a joint SABIA-Mar mission between Argentina and Brazil. Then, away from Earth, in July 2025, CONAE and NASA signed an agreement for the flight of the CubeSat mission onboard Artemis II belonging to NASA. This is in cooperation with Argentinian universities and institutions, and it is a milestone for national development given the high security requirements, as this is a manned mission. We have carried out different training and dissemination activities, which I will include in the extended version of this statement to be published online. Chair, Argentina reaffirms that space technology applications should produce concrete benefits for all countries, especially developing countries. In this line, We continue to provide information from our SAOCOM-1 satellites at national and global level. This is information for health, agriculture, the environment, mining, ocean environment, and as evidence to be used in court cases or to cover natural and anthropogenic emergencies and disasters. Argentina is committed to the work of COPUOS and its subcommittees as the only forum for questions related to the use and exploration of space, the Moon, and other celestial bodies for peaceful purposes, to the benefit of all nations regardless of their economic, technical, or scientific development, in line with international law, without prejudice to working in other United Nations fields to prevent an arms race in space. Argentina reaffirms its commitment to the principle of the peaceful uses of outer space and non-weaponization. That is why we are expressing our concern for the current situation in COPUS and the impact it has on the number of days approved for this session. We are also concerned by the limitation of interpretation services, as this is essential for United Nations work by virtue of multilingualism. We are open to generating alternative ways of working, but we would like to warn about the negative impact this can have on multilateral negotiations on such an important agenda item that involves all countries, especially developing countries. Distinguished colleagues, finally, I would like to share with you that Argentina has formally presented the candidacy of Ambassador Rafael Mariano Grossi, current Director-General of the IAEA, for the post of UN Secretary-General. He is a diplomat who has participated in space affairs throughout his career. He is an expert in nuclear questions, which is also on our agenda. We hope that between 2027 and 2030 with his leadership experience, knowledge, and abilities required for current circumstances. He will be in charge of the UN multilateralism. Thank you.

So I thank the distinguished representative of Argentina for her statement, and the next one is Canada. So, Canada, the floor is yours, please.

Chair, Canada thanks Director Arti Holomeni for her continued leadership of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, UNOOSA. We also commend the Chair and the Secretariat for their tireless efforts in organizing this session. Canada greatly values UNOSO's role in fostering international cooperation and promoting the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space. We look forward to engaging constructively throughout this session to make concrete progress on real issues facing the future of outer space. I am proud to note the upcoming launch of the Artemis II mission. With it, the Canadian Space Agency astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen will make history as the first Canadian to go on a mission to the Moon. Since our last session, Canada has worked on initiatives to make progress in our national priorities and international cooperation. In May 2025, Canada hosted the 18th International Conference on Space Activities, SpaceOps, in Montreal. And the theme was the— towards the sustainability of space activities. There were more than 670 participants from 32 countries, including operators, researchers, representatives of industry, and students met to exchange exemplary practices in mission resilience, space debris mitigation, and complex space activity management. Canada is proud of the role that its satellites continue to play in dealing with global challenges. Our RADARSAT constellation mission is a cornerstone of our national space capacity. It provides radar images throughout all seasons for maritime security, ice surveillance, agriculture, and emergency interventions. At national— at international level, this mission is an essential contributor to the International Space Charter, space and major disasters, and provides thousands of images to support actions in the event of a global catastrophe. And to illustrate the value of open data, it has— this mission has become the backbone of Canada's Earth observation system. And as such, we are now working on the RADARSAT Plus initiative. This is next generation, which will provide reliable, high-resolution data for most of the 2030s. In the field of space exploration, exploration, Canada is getting ready for the next chapter. In July 2025, the government announced a public call for Moon utility vehicles. This is the first phase of a commitment of $1.35 billion Canadian over 17 years for the design, development, and operation of a Canadian Lunar Utility Vehicle. The rover will enable us to carry out transport, reconnaissance, and logistics support for astronauts on the Moon. In November, we had the pleasure of making a presentation on Canada's activities and intentions regarding the Moon in order to support discussions within the space team responsible for consultations on lunar activities, ATLAC, and to encourage all member states to participate actively in ATLAC. Sustainable space future depends not only on technology, but also on people and inclusive participation.

As part of Canada's commitment to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the space sector, the Canadian Space Agency continues to offer a wide range of activities activities, experiments, digital games, and other resources on its website. CSA also funds projects aimed at offering postsecondary students from underrepresented groups an opportunity to increase their level of applied knowledge in space science and technology and promote their professional development. Through these activities, we are inspiring interest and empowering young people to become the scientists, explorers, and problem solvers of tomorrow, shaping Canada's space program. Canada maintains that the full promise of space can only be realized if its opportunities are accessible and supported by open and transparent international cooperation and trust. This is why we are so pleased with the establishment of the Space Situational Awareness Expert Group and extension of the Long-Term Sustainability Working Group and thank all delegates for their constructive and future-focused contributions to these discussions. We look forward to working with all member states to build on this momentum and move this important work forward in this session.

Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Canada for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished Representative of France. France, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chairperson. Chairperson, distinguished Director, distinguished delegates, I'd like to begin by congratulating you, Chairperson, on your commitment and assure you of our delegation's assistance in bringing the work of this subcommittee to fruition. My thanks go also to the Director of the Office of Outer Space Affairs and her team for organizing this session. France would like to echo the statement made by the EU and its member states. We'd like to add the following in our national capacity. In 2025, France reiterated its commitment to multilateralism and to this key forum in our recent national space strategy, which was unveiled in November by the President of the Republic. France also continued alongside its partners advancing space technology and scientific discovery. This was manifested in our work to deepen European space autonomy. The first launches of our new rocket, Ariane 6, consolidate Europe's sovereign access to space. The IRIS programme will also provide Europe with a global secure connection constellation. There was major steps forward in the scientific sphere. The atomic clock FARAO was placed on the ISS, where it will be used to test the theory of general relativity. The European Hera probe, which will be used to measure the consequences of the— or the impact of the DART mission on the Dimorphos asteroid, asteroid, and also an overflight of Deimos asteroid and Mars, which generated unprecedented data using equipment that was provided by CNES. International cooperation of this kind helps protect our climate, thanks to Earth observation satellite missions such as the MicroCARB French-British program launched in 2025, which will map CO2 emissions CO2 sources and sinks globally. Additionally, the Space Climate Observatory is continuing to expand and now has 61 charter signatories and more than 122 projects implemented in the fields of agriculture, water management, biodiversity, and urban adaptation. Likewise, the Space for Oceans initiative launched during the UN Conference on Oceans in Nice in June of last year, brings together space agencies from the entire planet and will provide operational space applications on climate and maritime meteorology, marine biodiversity, ocean health, ocean indicators monitoring, and ocean CO2 storage and emissions. Finally, France looks forward to French astronaut Sophie Adnaud beginning her mission to the ISS in a few weeks' time. We see sustainability of space activities as crucial and an increasingly urgent challenge. It concerns us all directly as it will determine the capacity of our nations to benefit from space technologies. My delegation notes with satisfaction the continuation of Mr. Maheshwaran's Under our chairmanship at the helm of the LTS Working Group, we look forward to setting new milestones for continued efforts around the following priorities: implementing the existing guidelines adopted in 2019, coordination of regional space systems, or rather space situational awareness systems, using a pragmatic approach. We look forward to making operational contributions to the new expert group on space situational awareness. Situational awareness under the leadership of the Emirates. I welcome their commitment. And finally, prevention of space debris. We support the holding of the Unispace 4 Conference so as to generate political influence, or rather impetus, and reiterate the central role of COPRIOS. We should provide the conference with clear objectives in order to guarantee the chances of success. Thank you.

So I thank the distinguished representative of France for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Spain. Spain, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair. Spain endorses the statement made by the European Union and would like to make some additional comments in its national capacity. My delegation would like to congratulate you, sir, on your appointment as Chair of this session in 2026, and you can count on Spain's full support. We would also like to thank the Director, Arti Holomaini, and the whole of UN-USA, whose work has made this session possible. Chair, Spain attaches great importance to a multi— a rule-based multilateral system, and in this regard, we consider that the UN Charter, that any breach of that, any breach of the UN Charter is an attack on the multilateral system. We are committed to safe, sustainable, and peaceful use of outer space, and as such, we are party to the first 4 UN space treaties. We advocate for the universalization and full implementation of these treaties. We are aware of the need to introduce measures to improve efficiency within the UNAT reform, but we believe that COPUS and its 2 subcommittees are the only multilateral fora within the United Nations that can deal with all the legal, scientific, and technical aspects of the exploration of outer space in a cross-cutting way. Chair, for more than 3 years, the Spanish Space Agency is now a reality. It works with both the public and private sector. It facilitates the optimum return on investment and increases the institutional relevance of outer space whilst working with the European Union and the European Space Agency. Moreover, we have a national aerospace security policy approved in 2025 to respond to the deep-rooted technological and regulatory changes that have taken place, and we want to see a more sustainable safe and cooperative space environment. From 2026, Spain will be the 4th biggest contributor to the European Space Agency. This is— will be a historic increase in our contributions. Chair, our interest in UNOOSA was strengthened recently by a voluntary contribution of €100,000 for a technical mission on space law and sustainability for Latin America. Spain is working closely with UNOOSA to foster a serious, inclusive, and transparent debate on the protection of dark and silent skies. And we have promoted the inclusion on a specific item on the agenda of this subcommittee from, uh, 2021 to 2028, and the Group of Friends of Dark Skies will once again launch a conference room paper with Spain's co-sponsorship to continue to boost cooperation among all interested parties. Spain also participated in the 2025 seminar that was organized. We work with our European partners to provide collision avoidance techniques and also safe re-entry to protect the European space infrastructure, and because of its huge operational and technical relevance for the management of space traffic and to guarantee safety and security in the space environment. Spain believes that the Space 2030 agenda should enable us to deal with the challenges of the peaceful uses of outer space in a sustainable way and on a multilateral basis. And finally, we would like to highlight our commitment to international cooperation. We truly believe that only multilateralism can guarantee that the development of space and the exploration of space will take place in freedom, security, and respect for international law and for the benefit of the whole of humanity. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, the distinguished representative of Spain, for her statement. So the next one is— the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative from China.

Distinguished delegates, Chair, let me start by congratulating you on your election. China aligns itself with the statement by G77-China. We appreciate excellent preparations made by UNWUSA for this session. China will continue to support the subcommittee activities and take an active part in this session. We wish our session full success. As pointed out by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter serve as the compass for international relations and the bedrock for a stable international order. China's support to the international system with the UN at its core remains steadfast. We earnestly put into practice genuine multilateralism, strengthen unity and cooperation with all countries, advocate for dialogue and consultations to settle differences, and strive to build a more just and reasonable international order. In his statement at the general debate of the 80th UN General Assembly, Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced that parts of the lunar soil sample collected by Chang'e 6 team from the far side of the moon will be given to the UN as a gift from China. Faced with global challenges, China is not only defending international order but also contributing to global governance solutions. China actively participates in the reform and development of global governance system and put into practice a global governance vision featuring consultation, collaboration, shared benefits. The 4 global initiatives on development, security, civilization, and governance put forward by President Xi Jinping form the pillars underpinning China's efforts to build a human community with shared future. We stand ready to work with all countries to promote sustainable development of outer space and advance space science and technology for the benefit of mankind. In space governance, China upholds the vision of a human community with shared future and believes that space is the common heritage of mankind. The principles of peaceful use, equality, mutual benefit, and common development must be upheld. We oppose weaponization of outer space or any arms race in outer space, and we firmly uphold international law in outer space. We support enhanced international coordination within COPUOS so as to address space debris and space traffic management so as to ensure long-term sustainability of outer space activities. Last year, China completed 93 space launches. That's a 35% yearly increase. Our Tianwen-2 probe was launched with success and entered the transition orbit towards asteroid 2016 H03, marking China's first asteroid exploration and sample return mission. The Tianwen-1 probe continues to explore Mars in part and in whole, and 3.5 terabytes of data have already been released to the global scientific community. China's manned space program launched 4 crewed missions and completed 2 return missions, and handled with success an emergency encountered by Shenzhou 20 mission.

Our lunar—

Human Landing Program is progressing orderly, and the 59th and 60th satellites of the BDS have been launched. They support a stable operation, large-scale application of BDS, and also test technological upgrades for the next-generation BDS. We are accelerating efforts to to build a satellite internet system by scaling up constellation production lines. Our Long March 2D rocket achieved 100 consecutive successful launches, and reusable rocket models such as Long March 12A completed the maiden test flight. In international cooperation, China, as EBSCO's host country, continues to support its development, and we appreciate EBSCO's work last year. China and Italy jointly developed the Electron Magnetic Monitoring Satellite-02 and its successful launch added new technical means and data to support space environment monitoring. CBERS-06, a cooperation project between China and Brazil, is progressing as planned, and technical solutions for CBERS-05 are being refined. The International Conference on Space for Climate Change, organized last April by CNSA together with its counterparts from Brazil, France, and Thailand, provided a platform for countries to share the latest research results, exchange best practices, promote cooperation in space applications, and enhance space capacity to address climate change globally. At the 76th International Aeronautical Congress, Chang'e-6 team received the World Space Award from IAF. In the coming days, we will present China's space activities under respective agenda items in more detail. The vast universe invites joint exploration by all humanity. China will continue to uphold the principles of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful use, and inclusive development, and engage in broad exchange and cooperation with all countries so as to ensure space science and technology benefits all humanity. Thank you.

I thank you, the distinguished representative of China, for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of New Zealand. New Zealand, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair.

New Zealand offers its full support to you and the Secretariat. As ever, New Zealand is committed to the peaceful, safe, and sustainable use of outer space. In 2025, New Zealand remained the world's 3rd most active orbital launching nation. The responsibilities associated with being a spacefaring nation and a launching state are central for New Zealand. The New Zealand Space Age— Space and Advanced Aviation Strategy, released in 2021, 2024 continues to guide our priorities. It commits New Zealand to sustainable access to space through strong regulation, innovative policy settings, and international partnerships. New Zealand has established a world-leading regulatory environment for space activities, and we are committed to its continuous improvement. However, we recognize that the efforts of any single country, no matter how robust, are insufficient on their own. Ensuring the long-term sustainability of space activities requires the collective commitment and adherence to responsible rules and norms by all space actors. New Zealand welcomes the development of new space-based technologies and services. However, we are mindful that the growing number of actors, both state and commercial, adds to the complexity of the space environment, contributing to increasing congestion in orbit and the risk of harmful space debris. We therefore join other delegations in supporting strengthened international efforts to address space debris and its potential impacts on space assets, as well as the critical services that these assets provide on Earth.

Thank you.

Finally, Chair, I reaffirm New Zealand's strong support for COPUSS and its subcommittees as the principal multilateral forum for advancing international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, the distinguished representative of New Zealand, for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Algeria. Algeria, the floor is yours, please.

Chair, the Algerian delegation would like to congratulate you on your election as Chair of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee for 2026 and pledge our full cooperation. We would also like to I would like to congratulate UN-USA for the excellent presentation of this session. Chair, the Algerian delegation supports the statement made by G77 and China and would like to make the following comments in its national capacity. We would like to reaffirm the principles established regarding space activities, notably the principle according to which the exploration and use of outer space should take place on the base of equality, non-discrimination, and the sharing of benefits in the interest of all states, especially taking into account the needs of developing countries. My country would like to express its strong support for measures to strengthen international cooperation, as this is the most appropriate way to facilitate the exchange and transfer of knowledge and expertise and as well as promoting the development of space technologies and applications for sustainable socioeconomic development. In this regard, Algeria would like to highlight the crucial role of COPUS and its 2 subcommittees as being the main United Nations forum to promote this cooperation in the exploration, use, and use of outer space. That is why, despite the difficult financial context, Algeria would like to highlight the importance of keeping financial allocations for the implementation of programs for developing countries. At national level, we are continuing our national space program. For example, we successfully launched Our Alsat-3A and 3B satellites. These are ultra-high-resolution Earth observation satellites through the Chinese rocket Long March 2C from the launch base in Jiuquan in China. That was in January this year. These satellites will strengthen sustainable development with different applications linked to land management, management of natural resources, and risk prevention. The Algerian telecommunications satellite Alcomsat-1 has embarked on its 9th year in orbit and contributes to TV and radio broadcasts, both public and private sector, and pursuing the operation and development of different applications for different users. In 2025, we were able to operate and maintain satellites, the Alsat-2A, 2B, and 1B. With regards to development projects using telly detection, space location and GIS. We have worked on the prevention of major risks, so we worked on the annual evaluation of forest fires in the north of Algeria from May to November 2025, the assessment of vegetation regrowth after fires in 2024 and 2025. We contributed to the MET Firewise project, and then we worked on the ecological conditions of the reproduction areas of the desert locust using satellite images from 2025. And we now have a desertification map based on geospatial data regarding the management of natural resources. And follow-up to infrastructure projects. We have done the follow-up to campaigns on cereals and potatoes using satellite images. Then we have a prevention plan for flood risks, and we've also done geodesic work regarding digital land models for the national hydrocarbon company Sonatrak, including the use of GIS and teledetection. And then we have continued with training and research, especially for the National School of Geodesic Science and Space Techniques, which has now got a doctorate program. Before I conclude, I would like to I would like to reiterate our willingness to contribute to the success of this 63rd session of our subcommittee. Thank you for your attention.

So thank you, distinguished representative of Algeria, for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Austria. Austria, the floor is yours. Okay, you just here.

Chair, colleagues, distinguished delegates. Chair, let me congratulate you and the other members of the Bureau on your election, as well as thank you for chairing this session of the committee and assure you of our full support to bring this session to a successful conclusion. Austria is fully aligned with the statement of the European Union and would like to add the following. national capacity. We would like to thank Ms. Ulpia Potesatu from Romania for chairing the subcommittee during the last 2 years and her wise leadership. Let me also thank UNOSA Director Arti Holomaine and her team, especially Mr. Kemi Chiku, Chief of the Committee Policy and Legal Affairs Section, for preparing the session, and everything in between. Thank you. We regret that the financial circumstances lead to a limitation of the meetings of the Committee of— on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its subcommittees. Austria participated in the second phase of the Space for Women landmark study on gender equality in the global space sector, thereby raising awareness of gender equality and the inclusion of the gender dimension in the space sector. In 2025, we also provided some funding to support the Space for Women project. Austria supports extending the Working Group on Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities by 3 years, from 2027 to 2029. Austria also endorses the chair's proposal for a new extended work plan. This work plan will enable targeted preparation and discussions, bringing together expert contribution and discussions between member states. We hope that this approach will deliver the expected results. We are looking forward to participating at its meetings under the continued chairmanship of Mr. Uma Mashra Varan, India, assisted by Ms. Tanya Koyson of UNOOSA. We congratulate Ms. Fatima Salem Al-Shamsi from the United Arab Emirates for her successful effort to establish the Expert Group on Space Situational Awareness of the Working Group on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities in a very short time, and her election as its chair. Aware of the exponentially rising number of space objects, we think that this expert group can be an important contribution to avoid future space collisions. We also would like to thank delegations for their presentations at its last and future meetings. We also thank delegations for their fruitful cooperation in the working group on the use of nuclear power sources in outer Space under the chairmanship of Mr. Leopold Summerer in preparing a workshop with the International Atomic Energy Agency in June, as well as Ms. Romana Kofler for her kind assistance of the working group. Austria participated in the survey on the use of nuclear energy sources in space. The aim is to gather information on the objects of the work plan, on the working group, on the use of nuclear energy sources in space. Austria currently has no plans to develop or use space NPS applications. Many meetings will be dedicated to the work of the Action Team on Lunar Activity Consultancy. During this session, under the co-chairmanship of Mr. Hassan Abad from Pakistan and Ms. Ulpia Potesatu from Romania, who are very committed to develop recommendations for a coordinated and peaceful exploration of the Moon in the near future. We would like to thank also delegations for their very interesting presentations about planned activities on the Moon. Austria continues to support the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group actively and participated in the simulated exercise to defend against asteroid impact threat, which was carried out in 2024 and 2025. We appreciate the continued work of the Space Mission Advisory Group and the International Asteroid Warning Network, as well as their efforts to interact with relevant stakeholder groups and their preparations for the International Year of Planetary Defense 2029. During this session, aimed at raising understanding of asteroids and comets that might impact our planet in the future. Several Austrian experts actively contributed to the UNSKAO workshop Darkened Planet Skies for Science and Society from 9 to 11 December 2025. An issue supported by Austria at many occasions as the rising number of space objects not only limits Earth-bound astronomy, but will also have an increasing impact on space-based astronomy and thereby reduce the value of the billions of US dollars invested in them. Finally, we would like to inform you that the European Space Policy Institute, ESPi, has been granted the status of a quasi-international organization in accordance with Austrian host state law. The new status reflects the growing importance of ESPI at a time of profound geopolitical and geoeconomic change. ESPI complements the valuable work of UNOOSA, and Austria would welcome further cooperation. With regard to the preparation of a 4th United Nations Conference on the Exploration of Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, UNISPACE IV, in 2026, in Vienna. We are in direct contact with UNOSA in order to support the event as best as possible. Finally, let me welcome the new delegations to the committee from Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Honduras, the Maldives, Malta, and Zimbabwe. Thank you all.

So I thank the distinguished delegate from Austria for her statement and the The next speaker is Switzerland. So, Switzerland, the floor is yours, please.

Chairperson, my delegation would like to congratulate you on your election to chair this subcommittee. We assure you of our full support. We would also like to thank the Office of Outer Space Affairs for their ongoing work and the excellent preparations for this session despite the budgetary constraints affecting the organization. Chairperson, Switzerland's commitment to safe, sustainable, and peaceful outer space remains at the heart of our action. In furtherance of our Space Policy 2023, Switzerland continues to anticipate and adapt to the rapid evolution of space activities and their increasing importance for the prosperity and security of our society. Against this backdrop, Switzerland is crossing a major national milestone following the public consultation phase that was completed in May 2025. A draft national space law will be submitted to the Swiss Parliament in 2026, this year, for adoption. The law will provide a framework for authorizing and supervising space activities, registering space objects, and a liability framework in line with Switzerland's— or rather, with the international treaties to which Switzerland is party. Chairperson, I'd like to mention a few priorities for my delegation. Firstly, the long-term sustainability of space activities. activities and space debris. Switzerland attaches crucial importance to implementation of the guidelines on long-term sustainability, and we underscore that transparency of space operations and exchange of information are essential to guaranteeing security, visibility, and sustainability of space activities. Our academic institutions and our private stakeholders are at the cutting edge of space debris research and are developing capacities for monitoring objects in orbit. We are actively promoting space traffic management to limit collision risk. Secondly, Unispace 4 and the Pact for the Future. Switzerland reiterates our full support to organizing the Unispace 4 conference in 2027, as recommended by the Pact for the Future. The conference should provide an opportunity to provide or to bring to the table concrete outcomes on space debris traffic and space resource management. Thirdly, dark and quiet skies. We continue to support work aimed at limiting the impact of major satellite constellations on astronomical observation. Switzerland co-chaired the calls for coordinated action between COPROSA and ITU to preserve astronomic science from radio and optical interference. Fourth, space and global health. The International Network on Space and Global Health coordinated by the University of Geneva is continuing its work. We are pleased to note progress in projects that show how space applications directly serve the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals, and notably health for all. Fifth, moon exploration. As we meet in this room, the mission Artemis II is moving forward with a new milestone in moon exploration. As an Artemis Accord signatory state, Switzerland contributes at the industrial and technological level to this program, which is carried out with ESA, and we are a founding member thereof. Moon exploration will accelerate in the coming decade, and cooperation too. Switzerland is following with interest the activities of the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation. and welcomes the agreement on the work plan, which facilitates safe, transparent, and sustainable Moon exploration. We would like to mention the key role of space technologies and digital solutions in strengthening disaster resilience. 2025 was a milestone year for UN SPIDER with the launch in Geneva during the AI for Good Global Summit. of the Mapping Disaster Resilience publication, which illustrates how satellite data and geospatial AI support climate action and mitigation of disaster risks, disaster risk reduction. By way of conclusion, Switzerland firmly believes that international cooperation and upholding international law are the only way to avoid clashes and interference and to guarantee that future generations can continue to benefit from the opportunities offered by space. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Switzerland for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Italy. Italy, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates. As this is the first time I take the floor, allow me to congratulate you on behalf of the Italian delegation on your appointment as Chair of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. I wish you every success in your mandate, and Italy stands ready to support your work and to contribute constructively. I will read a brief version of our statement. The full version will be posted online. And Italy fully aligns with the statement delivered by the European Union and would like to add a few remarks in its national capacity. Italy reiterates its strong commitment to ensuring that our space remains peaceful, sustainable, and inclusive. This commitment is particularly relevant today. While outer space has long been a cornerstone of international cooperation, it has also become an increasingly strategic domain calling for renewed responsibility, shared vision, and effective multilateral cooperation. In these regards, international space cooperation remains essential to foster trust and reduce tensions. And as a founding state of this committee, Italy will continue to promote its mission, with particular attention to emerging spacefaring nations. This approach will also guide Italy's upcoming chairmanship over the next 2 years, which we see as an opportunity to strengthen multilateral dialogue and collectively address new challenges in global space governance. We will also work to increase the number of COPUS member states, And in this respect, we wish to congratulate and welcome the 6 new members: Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Honduras, Maldives, Malta, and Zimbabwe. In this context, I am pleased to invite all delegations to Italy's side event to be held tomorrow at 2 PM in Room M3, focused on the priorities of our forthcoming COPOS chairmanship. Regarding UNISPACE IV, Italy has worked closely with Morocco to make this important milestone a concrete prospect, and despite the financial constraints currently facing the United Nations system, we remain committed to an effective agenda capable of delivering tangible and lasting results. And this will naturally require the active engagement and above all, the willingness of all stakeholders. Italy recognizes space as a strategic driver of scientific progress, industrial competitiveness, and international cooperation. And in line with this vision, Italy has recently approved its first national space law dedicated to the space economy. This legislation aims to promote innovation, investment, legal certainty and the responsible development of the space sector, fully in line with international obligations. Allow me now to briefly highlight some key achievements of the Italian space sector. The launch up to now of the 16 satellites of the IRIDE constellation, developed in cooperation with ESA, has strengthened Italy's contribution to Earth observation, climate monitoring, and disaster management. Italy also continues to play a significant scientific role in international cooperation frameworks, including through the Lima-2 collaboration with the China CESS-02 programme. I am also pleased to recall the successful launch earlier this year of the 3rd satellite of the Cosmos-Skymed 2nd-generation constellation. Looking ahead, Italy remains firmly committed to the return to the Moon. As one of the first European signatories of the Artemis Accords, Italy contributes actively to sustainable, interoperable, and peaceful lunar exploration, including through the development of key elements such as the multipurpose habitation module and the major European programs like Argonaut and Moonlight. In this framework, the Italian Space Agency will host the Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop later this month. Capacity building remains a central pillar of Italy's approach, and through the Mattei Plan for Africa, Italy is strengthening cooperation also in the space sector, including through training activities and the upcoming Africa Space Leaders Meeting to be held in Malindi. Italy also strongly supports UNOOSA Global Space Space Law Initiative and is pleased to contribute to a regional space law technical advisory mission to Africa. Italy continues to enhance cooperation with partners in Latin America and Southeast Asia, including through dedicated training programs and high-level international forums, reaffirming the global and inclusive nature of our engagement. Mr. Chairman, embracing the Vienna spirit, Italy remains firmly committed to multilateralism and to a rules-based approach so that our space may continue to serve peace, sustainability, and the common interests of all humankind. Thank you for your attention.

Thanks, the representative from Italy. The next speaker is the distinguished representative from Ghana. Ghana, the floor is yours.

I thank you, Mr. Chair, and Ghana congratulates you on your assumption as Chair of the STSC, and we also extend commendation to the outgoing Chair for her dedicated stewardship of the 62nd session. Ghana also takes this opportunity to express appreciation to the Director of UNOSA, Ms. Arti Olamaini, and the Secretariat for their efforts in organizing this session. Ghana aligns itself with the statements made by the G77 in China and by the African Group and wishes to offer the following remarks in its national capacity. Mr. Chair, Ghana extends a warm welcome to its neighbor, Côte d'Ivoire, as well as other countries, which are The Gambia, Honduras, Maldives, Malta, and Zimbabwe, on their admission as permanent members of the committee. These growing numbers reflect the increasing relevance of the committee's work and the shared recognition of outer space as a domain of cooperation for the benefit of all. Ghana reaffirms its commitment to the core principles enshrined in the United Nations Treaties on Outer space and to the role of COPUOS and its subcommittees as the principal multilateral fora for international cooperation in space activities. We underscore the importance of ensuring that the benefits of space science and technology accrue to all countries, particularly developing ones, in a manner consistent with equity, non-discrimination, and peaceful purposes. Mr. Chair, Ghana continues to advance its national space ecosystem as an integral pillar of sustainable development. In 2025, Cabinet approved the establishment of the Ghana Space Agency, marking a milestone in our space governance architecture and reflecting the maturity of institutional readiness across government. Ghana expresses deep appreciation to UNOSA for the technical advisory mission on space law undertaken in Accra in 2022. 2025 with support from the Government of France. The mission provided valuable guidance for aligning our emerging legislative and regulatory frameworks with international space law and is directly informing Ghana's ongoing work toward a comprehensive national space legislation consistent with our treaty obligations and our future agency mandate. Mr. Chairman, let me state that our developments also build upon the successful launch of the National Space Policy and signals, and signals Ghana's intent to operationalize a coherent and development-oriented space program. Ghana also recognizes the importance of frontier space science for knowledge generation and for strengthening Africa's role in global scientific research. Within the framework of the Square Kilometer Array program, Ghana has complemented has completed the engineering phase of converting a decommissioned satellite communication antenna into a radio telescope capable of participating in very long baseline interferometry observations. This facility positions Ghana as an active contributor to radio astronomy and underlines the importance of safeguarding dark and quiet skies for scientific research. We therefore support continued deliberations in this— on this agenda and encourage coordination between COPYOS, ITU, and scientific— the scientific community and satellite operators to ensure balanced and sustainable outcomes. Ghana further welcomes progress on the African Development Satellite Initiative, in which it participates alongside Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda as a concrete example of African-led cooperation in deploying shared space assets for climate monitoring, environmental management, and sustainable development. International cooperation remains central to Ghana's approach to space. Through the China Land Satellite Remote Sensing Application Center, an international node for Earth observation cloud services has been established at the Ghana Space Space Science and Technology Institute, enhancing national access to satellite data for agriculture, land, water, environmental, and climate monitoring. Ghana is also advancing joint programs with Italy, Japan, and Commonwealth partners focused on space applications, capacity building, and technology transfer. Ghana expresses appreciation for the projects enhancing climate resilience in Ghana and Nigeria through space-based solutions implemented with the support of UNOSA and the Government of Japan, which is advancing the use of space-based tools including digital twins for disaster risk reduction and climate resilience. Ghana also welcomes the contribution of the Common Space Initiative in advancing inclusive access to space-derived data and capacity building for sustainable development. Ghana views these cooperation modalities— North-South, South-South, and triangular— as essential in strengthening Africa's capacities in line with Agenda 2063, the Space 2030 Agenda, and the broader objectives of the SDGs. Mr. Chair, as we approach the midterm review of the Space 2030 Agenda, Ghana emphasizes the need for implementation that is action-oriented and responsive to the development needs of emerging space actors. We similarly attach importance to the ongoing consultations on Unispace 4 scheduled for 2027 and underscore the conf— and underscore that the conference should prioritize equity, inclusion, capacity transfer, access to data, and the affordability of space-based tools for developing countries. Finally, Mr. Chair, Ghana reaffirms its unwavering commitment to multilateralism under the United Nations system, to responsible behavior in outer space, and to ensuring that no nation is left behind in the evolving global space landscape. We look forward to continued cooperation with UNOSA member states and partners in advancing space for sustainable development, climate resilience, and scientific discovery. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ghana for her statements. The next speaker is the distinguished representative from Bulgaria. Bulgaria, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much, Chair. Distinguished delegates, this delegation aligns itself with the EU statement on this agenda item. At the outset, allow me to extend my delegation's warmest congratulations to you, Dr. Pakorn Apaphant, on your election as the Chair of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, and wish you success in steering the work of this body. I express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Arti Holomaini and the UNOSCE Secretariat for the preparation of this session, which was a huge effort. in the current challenging financial situation. I am confident that together we will find an enduring and workable solution that will make COPIOS more effective and efficient in fulfilling its mandate. I would also like to welcome the newest members of COPIOS: Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Honduras, Malta, Maldives, and Zimbabwe. Bulgaria expresses its high appreciation for the dedicated effort of Director Holmeier in advancing international cooperation in space activities, as well as for her inclusive approach to enhancing engagement with non-governmental stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, academia, and major actors across the space sector. We underlined the establishment of a partnership with the leading Bulgarian space company, Endurosat, and confident that this cooperation will be mutually beneficial. In this context, Bulgaria also conveys its sincere appreciation for Director Salamini's productive visit to Sofia last August and her constructive meetings with the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Innovation and Growth. Bulgaria's strategic goals focus on building a strong space ecosystem that unites business and science through close collaboration between industry, startups, universities and research organizations. Central to this approach is supporting industry from enabling access to new markets and technologies while providing startups with funding and innovation programs to develop competitive space solutions. Bulgaria's space policy prioritized— priorities are closely aligned with the EU space policies and initiatives. Bulgaria is currently implementing its 2nd European Cooperation State Agreement with the European Space Agency and is steadily advancing towards full European Space Agency accession. In parallel, Bulgaria seeks to make more effective use of the capabilities of the EU Agency for Space Programme. At the end of 2025, the Bulgarian government adopted a decision to join EU Space Surveillance and Tracking Partnership. Partnerships, an initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation to ensure the safety of space assets by mitigating the risk of its orbit collisions amid interesting space activities. 2 weeks ago, our government approved Bulgaria's accession to EU GovSatCom initiative, which will enhance the resilience of public services in areas such as crisis management, border and maritime security. Security, and crucial infrastructure protection by ensuring secure satellite communication, including in areas without terrestrial coverage or in situations of communication disruption. We seek opportunities to further promote international cooperation and stimulate innovation and business development, including within the framework of the Artemis Accords. Chair, we look forward to continuing our discussions under the agenda item Dark and Quiet Skies, which we believe will contribute to the shared objective of identifying sustainable solutions for the coexistence of satellite constellations and astronomical research. We co-sponsored the conference room paper on the protection of dark and quiet skies for science and society. As an initial step towards identifying such solutions, Bulgaria has begun promoting structured collaboration and consultations with scientists and satellite manufacturers whose activities engagement is essential to this process. Bulgaria expresses support for the work of the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultations, ATLAC, as an important mechanism for enhancing transparency, coordination, and international cooperation in sustainable exploration and use of the Moon. We look forward to fruitful and resilient discussions over the next week.

I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Bulgaria for his statement. The next speaker is the distinguished representative from Colombia. Colombia, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair, and good afternoon. Chair, we would like to congratulate you and express our thanks to you and the Secretariat for preparing this meeting. Colombia supports the statement made by G77 on China, and in our national capacity, we would like to highlight the following. Colombia reaffirms its commitment to the principles of international space law and those established in the treaties governing the exploration and use of outer space, and with COPROSA's aims of promoting its peaceful and sustainable use. Colombia acknowledges that international cooperation is the essential axe to guarantee outer space being safe and equitable. Therefore, we believe we have to close the divides between countries that have widespread knowledge and those that don't. We need capacity building and technology transfer, especially for developing countries for space applications, methodologies, and access. Colombia calls for the strengthening of mechanisms to exchange knowledge and produce technology transfer and capacity building so that we can improve our own capacities. This means we can maintain the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and will ensure that those benefits are shared by the whole of humanity. Colombia would like to highlight the role of space technology to contribute to global development initiatives and welcomes the contributions of UNOOSA and COPUOS to bring the benefits of space within reach of all. Chair, we would like to highlight our program Radar Call, which is an example of international cooperation, and it uses radar satellite images for technical and scientific cooperation for radar technologies in different strategic sectors of our country. This initiative benefits from the space agencies of Argentina, Canada, the US, and Italy, and is key in environmental and disaster management. Those activities contribute to strengthening Colombia's geospatial framework using the exchange of information and regional knowledge networks. Since 2020, we have a space development policy so that we can boost national competitiveness to give greater relevance to space technologies in the development of our country. That means we should have the right institutional framework so that at the long— in the long term, space technology will contribute to productivity. productivity and the development of new productive sectors and the modernization of agriculture and services. We have unprecedented challenges in international security. So we have the nuclear threat and an arms race in space. Colombia reiterates the importance of keeping outer space for exclusively peaceful purposes. And we hope to see space free of any kind of weapons. We acknowledge the key role played in outer space by nuclear energy sources in space are required for deep space exploration. That means scientific instruments and communications equipment can continue to function in hostile. Environments. These are essential for increasing human knowledge. We would like to see research into alternative energy sources such as hybrid systems in addition to nuclear energy sources in outer space, and we believe there should be priority to strict safety and security standards to minimize any risks, and we believe that they should be in agreement with safeguards in the Non-Proliferation Treaty. We believe COPUS should continue to discuss the legal and scientific and technical input and subject and questions, as we believe They are the competent bodies for that, and we should not politicize discussions within COPs. Thank you.

Thank you, the distinguished delegate from Colombia, for her statement. The next speaker is the distinguished representative from Armenia.

Mr. Chair, at the outset, we congratulate you on presiding over this session. Armenia extends its sincere appreciation to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and its Director, Ms. Arti Holomayani, for her leadership and the thorough preparations for this session. We assure you of our full support and continued cooperation. Armenia firmly supports the mandate of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its 2 subcommittees, which we see as unique and indispensable platforms for advancing the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. We welcome the reaffirmation of these principles in the Pact of the Future, in particular its emphasis on the widest possible adherence to and full compliance with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the cornerstone of international legal regime governing outer space activities. We also note the Pact's recognition of the critical role of the safe, secure, and sustainable use of outer space in the achievement of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Mr. Chair, in recent years, Armenia has steadily developed its national space capabilities, building on its scientific heritage and achieving new milestones in the space sector. Armenia successfully launched its first satellite, Armasat-1, in 2022, followed by Hayasat-1 in 2023, the first satellite fully designed and built by Armenian specialists. These achievements are complemented by ongoing efforts to expand space-related education and research, including Mars analog experiments conducted in 2024 in collaboration with international partners aimed at simulating space landings and advancing scientific research. Armenia remains committed to strengthening the global governance architecture for outer space. In this regard, we will continue to actively participate in the work of ATLAS with ready to contribute to the advancement of its mandate and its objectives. Armenia also supports the proposal to convene the 4th United Nations Conference on Peaceful Exploration and Use of Outer Space, UNISPACE-4, in 2027. Armenia advocates for equitable access to outer space and its resources for all nations. In this regard, technical assistance, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and international cooperation remain essential to ensuring that all states can meaningfully benefit from the opportunities offered by outer space. In conclusion, we look forward to engaging in constructive and productive discussions throughout this session. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished delegate from Armenia for her statement. The next speaker is a distinguished delegation from Brazil. Brazil, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, for giving me the floor.

Mr.

Chair, let me start by complimenting you for your election to chair the Scientific and Technological Subcommittee this year, and Mr. Jacob Al-Qassab for chairing it in 2020. Brazil welcomes also the new members of COPUS: Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Honduras, Maldives, Malta, and Zimbabwe. We thank the Secretariat for its huge efforts in organizing this session. Brazil sees with concern the current liquidity crisis and we support that all efforts be made to preserve international cooperation programs. Brazil firmly believes that multilateralism and dialogue are the appropriate paths to address the peaceful uses of outer space and the technological and scientific advances related to space activities, an area that concerns all humankind. Guided by this strong conviction, Brazil continues to attach great importance to international cooperation in its space program. In 2025, together with a diverse set of partners, we made significant progress in several areas. This includes the advancement of CBERS-5 and 6, which will be respectively the first geostationary satellite and the first X-band synthetic aperture radar satellite developed under our longstanding partnership with China. Brazil also is also contributing to the Artemis framework through the development of a lunar satellite in the context of Selenita mission. In addition, cooperation with Argentina continues under the Sabia Mar mission, which will enhance capabilities for monitoring marine and inland aquatic environments. In the field of access to space, we deepened our partnership with the Republic of Korea through the Hanbit Nano launch campaign last December from the Alcántara Launch Center. Although the launch did not achieve its intended outcome, it generated valuable operational data and strengthen our experience in complex launch processes. With regard to the Alcântara, Brazil is pleased to share the establishment of a state-owned company, Alada, which will streamline regulatory procedures at Alcântara launch facilities and facilitate investments, enhancing its attractiveness to international partners both from the public and the private sector. Additionally, we are advancing key space transportation projects, including the VLM-1, developed with Germany, and the VLM-AT, both aimed at strengthening autonomous access to space for small satellite missions. In the area of capacity building, the Brazilian Space Agency and the Philippine Space Agency jointly organized the international webinar Blue Horizons, which brought together experts from both countries to discuss the use of geospatial technologies for the monitoring of coastal and marine ecosystems. The initiatives I have just mentioned are only examples of the many cooperative efforts currently underway Brazil, and we are fully aware that all around the world space activities are rapidly intensifying. As activities in outer space continue to expand, the need to ensure they are carried out in a safe, secure, sustainable, and responsible manner becomes even more pressing. Mr. Chair, Brazil has the honor to announce that the ACE Summit for Space Sustainability will take place on November 2026 in Brasilia. The event is being jointly organized by the Brazilian Space Agency and the Secure World Foundation. More details on the summit are available on the Secure World Foundation website. We cordially invite all member states and observers to participate in this important global forum. Which brings together governments, industry, academia, and civil society to discuss practical, forward-looking approaches to ensuring the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. This edition is particularly significant for us as it will be the first time that the summit is held in the Southern Hemisphere. Brazil wishes all delegations a fruitful discussion discussion during this week of the SDSC and looks forward to welcoming everyone to Brasília on 4th and 5th of November 2026. Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative from Brazil for his presentation. The next speaker is the distinguished representative from Belgium. Belgium, the floor is yours.

Chairperson, my delegation would like to congratulate you on your election to chair this subcommittee. We would like to assure you of our full support in conducting this session. We would also like to thank the Director of the Office of Outer Space Affairs and her team for preparing and organizing this meeting. My delegation echoes the statement made by the distinguished representative of the European Union. In our national capacity, we wish to add the following. Belgium is honored to take the floor today before this subcommittee, a key forum of the multilateral system and a pillar of the international framework that for the past 65 years has promoted the peaceful responsible, and sustainable exploration of outer space. I'd like to state first and foremost that Belgium has for years now played an active and recognized role in the development and implementation of Europe's space strategy. Our engagement within the ESA and the EU takes the form of our capacity to bring together actors to build ambitious consensus and to consolidate a European space ecosystem that is robust, innovative, and competitive. Following the ESA's November 2025 ministerial, member states endowed the ESA with a budget of €22.1 billion for the next 5 years. Our contribution amounts to €1.109 billion. We welcome this historic outcome. which will allow us together to build a stronger Europe with more space jobs, growth, and opportunities for our economic actors and researchers. The primary goal here is to boost ambitious scientific and technical— rather, technological cooperation. Belgium will continue to actively contribute to major European Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications, and space exploration programs. Belgium is the European space sector's second biggest per capita actor. Today, our space sector comprises more than 100 enterprises, 9 universities, and 13 research centers, and several thousand highly specialized jobs. On that basis, we'll Our country will continue investing in around 50 ESA programs over the next years. We also have a groundbreaking legal framework. Our 2005 law amended in 2013 offers a conducive climate for innovation and SMEs while guaranteeing rigorous implementation of UN treaties and international standards on safety, accountability, and sustainability. This is all the more important at a time when the erosion of international law is undermining the very base— basis of multilateralism. We wish to emphasize our commitment to the peaceful, sustainable, and equitable use of outer space, including near-Earth orbits. Preserving space as a place for cooperation rather than confrontation is all of our responsibility. In view of the increasing orbital congestion, increased numbers of constellations, and the worrying proliferation of space debris, we actively support the elaboration of ambitious international standards for the sustainable space traffic management, debris prevention, and protection of the orbital environment. It goes without saying that we attach particular importance to equitable access to space and its resources. We believe that capacity building and knowledge sharing with emerging countries are essential levers to promote sustainable and equitable space development. Chairperson, the challenges we face are immense, but our collective capacity as a species is immense too. Basing ourselves on our industrial and scientific excellence, Belgium will continue to fully shoulder its responsibilities and drive forward with multilateralism. It's together that we will build a space future founded in— founded on cooperation, peace, and shared progress. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Belgium. Belgium for his statements. And the next speaker is a distinguished representative from Paraguay. Paraguay, the floor is yours.

Gracias.

Thank you, Chair. On behalf of the Republic of Paraguay, I would like to congratulate you on your leadership and the way in which you are leading the work of this committee, and I would like to reiterate my country's strong commitment to the aims of COPUOS and the peaceful, responsible, and sustainable use of outer space. Chair, at this time we would like to share some significant progress made over the last year in strengthening Paraguay's space capacities, and I would like to emphasize the application of space technologies to socioeconomic development and in international cooperation as an essential pillar of our national strategy. Regarding advanced technical capacities in space technology, Paraguay Space Agency continues to strengthen its specialized laboratories, especially The Space Systems Engineering Lab, Space Lab. Its consolidation process means that in the future we will be able to launch our second satellite, Guarani Sat-2, scheduled for the end of this year. It is also and will also enable us to extend our national space system capacity and specialized technical training. Paraguay Space Agency will continue to strengthen its national capacities with the application of satellite data through its Earth Observation Laboratory and its GIS Laboratory, Geolab, which is a strategic technical platform belonging to our state for the systematic use of geospatial information to support public policies. Through this, Paraguay integrates space data in decision-making processes linked to agricultural production, disaster risk management, environmental monitoring, and land planning, in close cooperation with public institutions, academia, and international partners. Chair, throughout this period. We presented the web platform Guarani Insights for agricultural monitoring, developed jointly with the Japanese company ArcEdge Space. We published the 2nd GeoLab Atlas, and we strengthened our national heat spot monitoring service. We generated more than 100 map products used systematically by national public organizations within the field of risk management and agriculture. We introduced different projects, pilot projects in vulnerable areas in our capital city, and we designed official methodological handbooks which are now a reference for land planning and preparation for emergencies. International cooperation continues to be important, and the joint project between Paraguay Space Agency and Japan's International Cooperation Agency is now a regional milestone, positioning Paraguay as a benchmark in Latin America. For the application of space technologies for socioeconomic development, with validated results that have been presented at international fora and with the possibility of extending this cooperation. With regards to human capacity building, we continue to foster initiatives for new generations. GeoLab New Generations is one example of this. This is the first extracurricular program for remote sensing for high school children in Paraguay. We are also promoting NASA's Space Apps Challenge, strengthening the use of open space data and the participation of young people and professionals. Finally, Paraguay is maintaining a sustained and active participation in strategic international fora and in decision-making institutions contributing to global space governance. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Paraguay for his statements. We now continue and Hopefully, this has been our consideration.

I'm sorry.

We will continue our consideration of the item for the general exchange of views tomorrow morning. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to begin our consideration of Agenda Item 5, Space for Sustainable Development, on technology and its application, including the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. I now turn on to the list of speakers. The first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of— or observer The first one is Egypt on behalf of G77 and China.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know it's confusing, it's the second time today, at least for Egypt to take the floor. I'm delivering this statement on behalf of the group of G77 and China.

Mr.

Chair, the group underscores its firm conviction that the use and exploration of outer space shall be carried out exclusively for peaceful purposes, with a view to realizing a shared vision for the future, for the benefit and in the interests of all countries. The group reiterates the principles included in the Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for the Benefit and in the Interests of All States, taking into particular account the needs of developing countries, that should govern activities Universal and equal access to outer space for all countries without discrimination, regardless of their level of scientific, technical, and economic development. The equitable and rational use of outer space for the benefit and in the interests of all humankind. The principle of non-appropriation of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, by any means. D, international cooperation in the development of space activities. Mr. Chair, the group further iterates the need to use this opportunity to address current challenges and fully consolidate aspirations of developing countries on peaceful uses of outer space, including strengthening international cooperation, availing equitable access, and sharing the benefits of outer space activities for all humankind, particularly for the interest of developing countries, including through providing additional support for space sciences and applications. While several member states of this group have achieved important milestones in space activities, others are starting to develop their own space programs and policies. This fact is a recognition of the potential importance and benefits of space activities. The group also considers it's crucial that developing countries are not left behind or are unfairly treated in space exploration efforts. In this connection, it's imperative to intensify the efforts to extend to all states the benefits derived from outer space activities with a view to promoting the contribution of peaceful use of outer space to socioeconomic development. In line with the enhancement of international cooperation in outer space activities, it is vital to promote a wider participation of developing countries through active and sustained assistance by advancing spacefaring nations and the Office of Outer Space Affairs free from conditionalities. To this end, capacity building, technical assistance, transfer of technology are key factors in the expansion of abilities of those working in the field, allowing them to gain expertise and knowledge from more advancing spacefaring nations. The group is of the view that space technology applications must translate into concrete benefits for developing countries. In order to achieve this goal, transfer of technology on favorable terms for developing countries, as well as the associated capacity building, are of vital importance. In this vein, the group strongly encourages states to strengthen international multilateral, regional, and bilateral cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, including by addressing challenges and obstacles, in particular those that hinder such cooperation, particularly in developing countries. The group also encourages the Secretariat to further its efforts in this regard, as per General Assembly Resolution 80/76. Mr. Chair, the group reiterates its commitment to the Space 2030 Agenda, which is intended to be a forward-looking strategy to reaffirming and strengthening the contribution of space activities and space tools to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Paris Agreement, addressing long-term sustainable development concerns of humankind. In this regard, the group emphasizes once more the need for additional capacity building to ensure that the required technical expertise is made available to member states, especially developing countries, to support their implementation of the Space 2030 Agenda. The group takes note of the midterm review of the Space 2030 Agenda and looks forward to a comprehensive and proactive review process. The group also reiterates the need to use this opportunity to address current challenges and further consolidate aspirations of developing countries on peaceful uses of outer space, including through strengthening international cooperation, availing equal access and benefit sharing, providing additional support for space sciences and applications for developing countries. I thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, distinguished representative of the G27 from Egypt. And the next speaker will be from European Union. EU, the floor is yours, please.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union member states, Albania and Ukraine, also aligned themselves with this statement. Mr. Chairman, the European Union supports the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda as a cornerstone of the United Nations and contributes to the implementation of the Space 2030 Agenda via the Global Gateway and the EU Space Programme's components Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus, and GovSatCom. The European Union has shared significant insights on its activities supporting the Space 2030 agenda as part of the midterm review. Allow me to highlight a few concrete examples. First, in Latin America, the European Union has established fruitful partnerships under the Copernicus-LAC initiative, notably with Panama and Chile. These collaborations enhance the specialized use of Copernicus data focusing on disaster risk reduction, land management, and marine services. By leveraging Copernicus data, Panama and Chile serve as regional hubs fostering innovation, business development, digitalization, and resilience. Similarly, the COPPHIL initiative in the Philippines is promoting the uptake of free and open Copernicus data through the COPPHIL Center. This effort aims to harness digital resources and space technology to support sustainable development and drive innovation in research and business. The COPPHIL Center plays a vital role in enhancing the Philippines' capacity to address climate vulnerability, biodiversity, and improve hazard management and resilience. Finally, the Africa-EU Space Partnership Program also holds particular importance.

Importance.

With an initial investment of €45 million, this program fosters space technologies, services, and applications, utilizing advanced systems such as Copernicus for Earth observation and Galileo and EGNOS for satellite navigation. This alliance addresses critical societal challenges, including climate change, monitoring and disaster resilience, and enhances private sector capacity and skills, stimulates growth in the space industry, and expands the data economy.

I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of EU for his statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative Slovenia. Slovenia, the floor is yours.

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, Slovenia welcomes the opportunity to share its perspective on sustainable development in the context of the peaceful use of outer space. In this regard, we also strongly support the vision of the Space 2030 Agenda and view it as a vital framework for harnessing space activities in support of sustainable development. resilience, and the well-being of present and future generations. Slovenia firmly believes that space is not an end in itself, but a powerful enabler of sustainable development on Earth. Space-based data and services contribute directly to addressing some of the most pressing global challenges, including climate change, disaster risk reduction, food security, environmental protection, and sustainable resource management. For an emerging space country such as Slovenia, ensuring that these benefits translate into tangible societal value remains a central policy objective. In this regard, Slovenia adopted its National Space 2030 Strategy in 2023, fully aligned with the United Nations Space 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. The strategy reflects a holistic approach to space activities, recognizing their role in advancing innovation while simultaneously supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development. Our national approach is guided by several interlinked priorities. Slovenia invests in the investment of space technologies and research and development with a focus on applications that serve societal and environmental needs, including satellite communications and Earth observation. We actively promote international cooperation in space exploration and research grounded in responsibility responsibility, transparency, and peaceful collaboration. At the same time, Slovenia prioritizes the development and uptake of space applications that support a green and competitive economy, strengthen public service, and enhance evidence-based policymaking. Human capital remains a cornerstone of sustainable development. Slovenia places strong emphasis on education, capacity building, and skills development by promoting STEM education, strengthening university curricula and encouraging the participation of young professionals in the space sector. In parallel, we foster entrepreneurship and innovation by supporting startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and spin-offs, thereby enabling space-based solutions to reach markets and communities. Slovenia benefits from a strong ecosystem of universities and research institutions that play an essential role in space science, education, and innovation. We regard this as a key asset and seek to contribute to regional and international knowledge sharing, positioning Slovenia as a constructive partner and emerging thought leader in space research and applications that support sustainable development. We also acknowledge the challenges that remain, including the need to attract and retain talent and to secure adequate access to public and private financing. Addressing these challenges is an integral part of our national strategy, which aims to create an enabling environment for innovation, responsible growth, and long-term sustainability. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, Slovenia remains firmly committed to the objectives of the Space 2030 Agenda and to the broader goals of sustainable development. Through international cooperation, responsible space activities, and strategic investment in people and technology, Slovenia seeks to strengthen its contribution to a future where the benefits of outer space are shared and used to advance sustainable development for all.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank distinguished representative from Slovenia for her statement. So the next speaker in my list is the distinguished representative of France. France, the floor is yours.

Mr. President, Madam the Minister.

Chairperson, distinguished delegates, In the area of international space cooperation, France has made the contribution of space to sustainable development, to ocean conservation, and to combating climate change into one of our country's major priorities. In cooperation with our international partners, France contributes to improving remote sensing technologies that are crucial to our understanding of climate change and climate change mitigation and adaptation via the following major missions. The EU's Copernicus program, which is crucial to climate change monitoring and climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. The second generation of Sentinel-3 next-generation topography satellites will be involved in upgrading the space-based component of Copernicus. The IASI instrument used since 2006 on European satellites for weather forecasting and climate and atmosphere research is another area. In August 2025, the IASI-NG new generation instrument was placed in orbit to ensure intercalibrated observations over the next 2 years. These observations are crucial for around a dozen key climate variables, as defined by the Global Climate Observing System, GCOSS. The French-UK Microcarb mission, which was launched in 2025, will have the objective of identifying and mapping CO2 sources and sinks worldwide. Following on from these major missions, France will actively contribute to the Global Climate Observing System international groups. CNES is a major player in the area of stratospheric balloons. This is a unique technology which allows the measurement of climate and meteorological variables in the upper atmosphere. CNES is currently preparing its latest Strateol-2 long Stratospheric Flight Program. Its purpose is to study the chemical profile of and circulation in the lower equatorial stratosphere in the winter of 2026 and 2027. The Global Climate Observing System continues to expand. The Global Climate Observing System continues to expand and now runs 122 projects internationally. During the 3rd Congress of the SCO held in March 2025, new members joined this initiative. The initiative now has 61 signatories, including 33 member countries. The SCO encourages the development of local projects geared to to the real needs of frontline communities facing climate change challenges. It uses space socioeconomic and environmental data. Our delegation calls for support in mobilizing the international community to implement the SCO projects. In terms of preserving oceans, sustainably. The Space for Ocean Alliance was launched by France during the 3rd UN Conference on Oceans in June 2025. It's now gathering strength. The alliance brings together 31 permanent members representing 19 countries and 6 international organizations, as well as 5 observers. Its first steering committee meeting held in Norway last November allowed around a dozen enterprises to bring their solutions to the table. Following the steering committee, Arti Holomaini, Director of UNOOSA, was elected Chairperson of the Alliance, accompanied by Vice Chair Marin Masih, President of the Maldives Space Research Organization. The next steering committee meeting will take place in April, April on the sidelines of the Space for Island Nations Conference in Malé in the Maldives in hybrid format. My delegation invites you to a side event organized by USAID on Thursday, the 5th of February between 2 and 3 PM in M3. Here, CNES is actively involved in shaping the One World— One Water vision, an initiative of the One Water Summit which was held in December 2024 in Riyadh to come up with satellite-based solutions to the water crisis. In terms of meeting our commitments to the SDGs, France recently contributed to the midterm review of the Space 2030 program. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of France for his— for her statements. The next speaker in my list is the distinguished representative from Thailand, Thailand for its use.

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, my delegation associates ourselves with the statement of the G77 and China and would like to make the following statement our national capacity. Space for sustainable development technology and its application come at a defining moment as we approach the final years of the 2030 Agenda. The global community is increasingly turning to space for scientific clarity and technical tools needed to navigate the environmental and social change. Space-based assets have transitioned from front- clear technologies to become essential sovereign infrastructure for evidence-based policymaking and resilient planning. In Thailand's view, the ultimate metric of success for space technology is its impact on the ground, specifically its ability to reach the most vulnerable communities. Thailand has translated this vision into action by strengthening our national Earth observation capacity through the Theos Constellation Program. This initiative is designed not for, uh, to support national progress but also to contribute to the global pool of space-derived information that's necessary for SDG implementation. Thailand wishes to highlight the 4 strategic areas where space technology is delivering tangible impacts. First, disaster risk reduction and early warning. SDG 1, 11, and 13. Our regions are facing a new normal of intensified hazards, including catastrophic floods, prolonged drought, and wildfires. Integrated space applications with combining Earth observations, communication, and GNSS are too capable of delivering the last mile information required to save lives. We must prioritize the strengthening of early warning systems that are accessible to all. Second, agriculture and food security. The stability of our global food program, uh, food system relies on empowering smallholder farmers. By integrating satellite data with local ground observation and AI-driven analytics, we can help farmers anticipate climate shocks and manage resource with precision. Our goal should be to turn big data into practical advice for the field. Third, climate resilience and natural resource management, SDGs 6, 13, 14, and 15. Satellite technology is our most powerful tool for monitoring carbon sequestration, forest health, and ocean conditions. As we refine our climate adaptation strategies, Space applications provide the transparency and continuity needed to guide high-value investment in nature-based solutions. Fourth, strengthening the UN Program on Space Applications, SDG 17. Access to space is a matter. Capacity building is a fundamental bridge. Thailand commends the UN Program on Space Applications. We call for sustained and expand support for this program to ensure that technical expertise, fellowship opportunities, and operational support are accessible to all member states regardless of their level of space development. To translate the technological advancement into measurable SDG progress, Thailand proposed 3 key enablers for our consideration. First, usability, and inclusion. We must ensure that data is not just available but decision-ready and interoperable for local government and community leaders. Second, partnership that scales. We must leverage the combined strength of member states, academia, and rapidly growing state sector to expand its reach and impact to enterprise-based Third, sustainability and trust. We must ensure that long-term sustainability of outer space activities. We need a safe space environment for the service we use. That's for Thailand. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Thailand for her statements. The next speakers is the distinguished delegate of Japan. Japan, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Chair, distinguished delegates, on behalf of the Japanese delegation, I'm pleased to present Japan's contribution to the topic of sustainability of life on Earth through space technology and its applications. Chair, since 2015, Japan has been collaborating with UNUSA to promote the Kibo Cube Program. This capacity-building initiative offers educational and research institutions in emerging spacefaring countries the opportunity to deploy CubeSats from the Japanese experimental module Kibo on the International Space Station. In 2025, the program marked its 10th anniversary, highlighting a decade of contribution to foster bolstering space capabilities worldwide. Furthermore, on the 25th of June, 2025, during a side event co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and UNISER on the margins of COPUS, the 9th round of the Kibo Cube Program was officially announced by the Minister of State for Space Policy at the Cabinet Office of Japan. To date, CubeSat Cubesats developed by teams from Kenya, Guatemala, Mauritius, Indonesia, and Moldova have been successfully deployed through the Kibo Cube Program. Also, we are pleased to inform you that a CubeSat developed by the team from Mexico will be deployed during this 63rd session of the subcommittee. To maximize Kibo's outcomes, Japan is promoting its use through an international educational outreach program called the Kibo Robot Programming Challenge, Kibo RPC, run by JAXA and NASA that caters to students in the Asia-Pacific region. The 6th round of the Kibo RPC program is currently underway with the final competition scheduled to take place this month in February. Chair, Japan also contributes through the United Nations Program on Space Applications. In cooperation with INUSA, the Kyushu Institute of Technology offers students from emerging spacefaring nations the opportunity to join their postgraduate study on nanosatellite technology, PNST Fellowship Program. Chair, for nearly 40 years, Japan has developed and operated Earth observation satellites and promoted the use of satellite data to address global challenges and advance the Sustainable Development Goals. The EROS series of land observation satellites supports disaster response, forest monitoring, and sea ice tracking. EROS-4, launched in July 2024, is now in regular operation, providing high-resolution and wide-spectrum observations. Japan also works with international partners to monitor global environmental issues such as deforestation and land use change, contributing to SDGs indicator calculations. Chair, Japan annually hosts the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum, APL-SAF together with partners in the Asia-Pacific region. APL-SAF serves as a regional networking and collaborative forum for space stakeholders, including space agencies, global governmental bodies, private companies, international organizations, universities, and research institutions. In November 2025, Japan and the Philippines Japan successfully co-hosted the 31st Annual Meeting of APLSAF in Cebu, with 596 participants from 40 countries and regions. This year's APLSAF is taking place in Thailand. Japan is also promoting the development, utilization, and open data sharing of 3D city models through Project PLATO. These models support urban planning and disaster prevention and are being piloted in cities in emerging countries to simulate rapid urbanization and flooding risks using satellite data. Chair, Japan remains firmly committed to advancing sustainable space development and applications and will continue to play a leading role in fostering international cooperation. We are determined to further our efforts to benefit all of humanity through our space activities. Thank you for your attention.

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

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, Italy is highly committed to and fully recognizes the key role of space in enabling sustainable development through the innovative use of space technologies, data, and application.

Today, space-based systems represent powerful tools to address global challenges while supporting emerging spacefaring nations in strengthening their institutional capability and fostering long-term socio-economic growth. Space technologies contribute directly to improved public services, environmental protection, disaster risk reduction, food security, health, connectivity, and education, delivering tangible benefits for society and economics alike.

Italy strongly believes in the value of sharing expertise, know-how, and best practice, and actively supports emerging and developing countries in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Capacity building lies at the core of sustainable development and is a cornerstone of the international relations strategy of the Italian Space Agency.

Education, training, and empowerment of local institutions are essential to ensure that space technologies are effectively integrated into national development strategies and support informed decision-making.

For this reason, Italy has long promoted the development of sustainable space eco— ecosystem, encouraged participation in UN COPUS, and supported adherence to international space treaties And norms.

Thank you.

I thanks.

感谢尊敬的意大利代表的发言。下面一位代表是中国代表，现在请尊敬Chair

distinguished delegates with the rapid advancement of space technology and its application in recent years. Together with the swift expansion of the industry, the critical role of the space technology in serving humanity's sustainable economic development has continued to grow. The Chinese government places high importance on the vital role of space technology in sustainable socioeconomic development. China continues to leverage space technology to serve this purpose and actively engages in international cooperation. Currently, China operates more than 400 remote sensing satellites in orbit, and space technology applications have become indispensable tools in areas such as economic and social development, resource and environmental protection, disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief, as well as the cultivation of emerging industries. In climate change monitoring, China successfully launched the second-generation polar-orbiting meteorological satellite Fengyun-308 in 2025. The satellite meets the demands for space weather forecasting and related support services, providing robust support for global climate change monitoring and research. In addition, the successful launch of the Fengyun-403 Geostationary meteorological satellite has delivered high precision products and services for weather forecasting, environmental monitoring, disaster prevention and mitigation, and space weather support, providing high accuracy data and product support for the modernization of meteorological operations. In terrestrial ecological mapping, China successfully launched Ziyuan-304 satellite in 2024. Thank you. 2025. After forming a network with the Ziyuan-3, 02, and 02 satellites, the revisit cycle was reduced from 3 days to 1 day, further enhancing coverage capabilities for the entire country and key regions. Enhanced emergency monitoring capabilities will deliver high-precision satellite remote sensing data products for geographical information resource development, natural resource surveys and monitoring, emergency mapping support, and national land and spatial High-orbit SAR satellites will enter formal operation in 2025, with advantages such as short revisit cycles and wide swath imaging. They will meet demands for disaster prevention and mitigation, earthquake monitoring, land resource exploration, application across marine water conservancy, meteorological, agricultural, environmental protection, and forestry sectors. Regarding marine environmental observation, the Ocean Sanitary Monitoring Satellite and the new generation Ocean Color Satellite will become operational in 2025. The Ocean Salinity Monitoring Satellite employs a globally pioneering 1D and 3D combined aperture active-passive joint detection system. It can accurately acquire global ocean salinity data around the clock and in all weather conditions, achieving global coverage with 3 days with a detection accuracy of 0.1 PSU. This fills the gap in China's high-precision global ocean salinity monitoring capability and provides some important support for global marine resource development, disaster prevention and response, and environmental monitoring. The new generation ocean color observation satellite is It's the world's first high-precision satellite designed for global multi-water body observation using multiple detection methods. It enables large-scale continuous dynamic monitoring of sea— of ocean color, water temperature, sea ice, suspended water, and aquatic ecosystems across the oceans, coastal waters, near shores, islands, and ports. This satellite provides spatial— spatial Information services of major shipping routes, maritime hotspots, and key ports. In 2025, China will continue to provide high-resolution Earth remote sensing imagery free of charge to member states through DSSP project of AFSKO. The UN Regional Center for Space Technology and Education in Asia-Pacific hosted by China has further advanced internationalization of space science education. It has enrolled 70 graduate students from 23 countries. It has also hosted senior management course on space project management commissioned by UNOSA, engaging more than 200 participants from 51 countries and contributing to the enhancement of space project management. Chair, the Chinese government attaches great importance to the vital role of COPUS S&T Subcommittee in advancing space technology for sustainable economic and social development and commends its achievements. China stands ready to further expand cooperation and exchange with all countries in this field, jointly promote progress in related work, and make positive contributions to global sustainable development. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of China for his statements. We will continue We will continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of Agenda Item 5, Space for Sustainable Development, on the technology and its applications, including the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, tomorrow morning, and pending the discussion of the Working Group of the whole. Distinguished delegates, I hope you're not tired now. We have one more hour to go. So I would like— I would now turn to proceed the technical presentations. At this meeting, we will have 3 technical presentations. I kindly remind that the technical presentation should be limited to 10 minutes in length. And before I move on to the technical presentation, I would like to advise all the presenters that should they wish to have interaction to questions and answers after the presentation, they may wish to finish their presentation a few minutes earlier than allotted time of 10 minutes. The first presentation on my list is on Timeline and Remaining Steps of Force-Based Sustainability by the University of Japan.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Chair. Good afternoon. I'm Nobu Okada and founder CEO of Astroscale. And today I will offer a hopeful and practical path toward space sustainability and not a doomsday story. All the member states want to continue using space safely and profitably, and I will explain how we can achieve that. Sorry, the next slide, please. So the clicker doesn't work. Can somebody help move to the next slide? Thank you. So let me start with one clear point, and space sustainability is not an environmental issue. It is an infrastructure gap. Next slide, please. Think of roads. When traffic increased, we did not tell drivers to stop. Instead, we develop traffic rules, traffic monitoring systems, and roadside services. And we need the exact same infrastructure to keep our orbital highway safe and sustainable. For rules, it's a combination of treaties, international guidelines, domestic regulations, norms, best practices, and industry standards. For monitoring, it's SSA data sharing, and for the roadside services, it's satellite servicing. So there are various terms such as OOS, IOS, and ISAM. And I know SSA expert group will discuss ways for SSA data sharing, so today I will focus on satellite services because services turn rules and then SSA data sharing into the— to reduce risk reduction. Next slide, please. For satellite operators, the risk is rising and the return is falling. We all see more objects and more conjunctions in orbit. So we have seen real damage to crewed spacecraft and fragmentations of satellites and rocket upper bodies. And now insurance market is struggling to calculate proper risk. So current system is not sustainable operationally and economically. Next slide, please. And we must change the current practice of space operations. Let's, let's think about cars, airplanes, and even laptops. All have post-sales service and support, but space has been a throwaway culture. No refuel, No repair, no refurbishment, no reuse, no recycle, and no removal. So these lead to a crowded space environment and a high total cost of ownership for operators. So that missing value chain is on-orbit servicing, or OOS. People have discussed its importance for years, but the required technology did not exist, and prices were unknown, but that is now changing. Next slide, please. Here's good news. Uh, the— and then the key enabling technology is rendezvous and proximity operations, or RPO technology, for non-cooperative objects, essentially approach and capture technologies. And it requires highly complex system design, trajectory design, and safety design. But once you master it, you can refuel, repair, refurbish, remove, and one day reuse and recycle. Next slide. And here is the good news. Over 100 companies worldwide have announced to enter OOS market. So these are companies just examples. And as more capital is invested and technology advances, RPO technology will mature and price will become predictable. This is how every critical infrastructure begins. Next slide. Here is a concrete example of technological progress. So last year I reported at COPUS That Astroscale achieved the world's first rendezvous with existing debris object. Our satellite, Adras-J, approached just 15 meters with a 6-degree-of-freedom stationkeeping and had a safe fly-around. We have proved technology to approach any fast-moving objects in space from the ground. With uncertain orbit parameters of the client. So this RPO technology opened the door for on-orbit servicing. Next slide, please. Also, rules for RPO— next slide, please. Also, rules for RPO is emerging in multiple countries including Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. These countries have incorporated safety and transparency requirements for OOS into their domestic mission licensing frameworks. So such frameworks help prevent unsafe or non-transparent operations and contribute to building trust. Next slide, please. And also, OOS business is emerging now. For example, Astroscale are beginning to see concrete OOS projects and contracts with customers around the world. But among various on-orbit servicing, debris removal is just unique in its economics. Other services like inspection, refueling, life extension, repair, refurbishment, all offer clear and direct benefits to the customers, which makes them commercially viable. That's why we have a contract with them. But in contrast, debris removal involves significant externalities. If one company or one country pays for the removal, the benefits are shared by all the satellite operators. So this makes it difficult to frame a sustainable business model. By the way, debris removal has 2 components. One is mitigation, which is preventing creation of new debris. In multiple regions in the world, policies are emerging, mainly based on the polluter pays principle. And the second one is remediation, which is removing existing large debris This requires domestic and unilateral initiatives, as well as global initiatives led by the UN and/or other international bodies. Next slide. Let me turn to the economics of the debris removal. So recent NASA modeling shows that if a 3-ton object at 800 kilometers altitude suffers catastrophic catastrophic fragmentations, the 10-year losses across LEO could be, uh, $4 billion by collision avoidance and direct damage by small and untrackable debris. Next slide, please. By contrast, Astroscale is working with JAXA on the ADRAS-J2 mission, which aims to remove 3-ton debris at cost of around $80 million. So this does not include adjacent costs and the cost for prior inspection mission. However, this figure provides you rough image of cost of a single large debris removal mission. Next slide, please. The next question is, what objects should we remove? And a paper presented at IASC last year shows that removing the top 50 high-risk debris objects could reduce risk significantly, and the total cost will be large but finite, not infinite, and far smaller than the long-run cost of doing nothing. So total mass of top 50 debris is more than 250 tons, So it may cost around $10 billion or so, but if we split by 10 years, annual cost will be around $1 billion. For comparison, climate change, the Green Climate Fund alone raised more than $2 billion per year, so with much less funding we can make real practical progress toward long-term space sustainability. Next slide, please. And then also, WEF recently announced analysis about inaction, cost of inaction, which is up to $42 billion. Next slide, please. Summary. Space sustainability is shifting from concept to practice. By around 2030, I envisage broader agreement on SSA information sharing, at least a couple of ADR-capable commercial companies emerge, and more and more member states adopt safety and transparency rules for RPO. In early 2030s, one option could be to explore the establishment of a global funding mechanism to support removal of high-risk space objects with open and fair international procurement. My final comment is it is hoped that UN platform provides an opportunity to advance discussions on innovative funding mechanism toward realization of space sustainability. Thank you.

Also, thank you for your presentation. If anyone have any question, you can directly ask— talk to the presenter later in— after the meeting. So the next presentation is the A New Approach for Fragmentation Modeling on the Way to European Spacecraft Breakup Model by the representative of Germany.

Please.

Yes, thank you. Thank you to get the opportunity to present the research currently conducted at Fraunhofer IMI and funded by the German Space Agency. So, we are developing a new software framework that uses numerical simulations to provide data for future spacecraft breakup models. This work is motivated by satellite fragmentation events in orbit. So, this video shows an example of a large geostationary satellite and ground-based telescope, it normally appears as a single steady point of light. During the fragmentation, the reflected light increases and you may see smaller objects moving away from that point. This event was observed in 2019, but a similar bus fragmented in late 2024, and just a few days ago there was another such event observed in a geograyfield orbit. The problem with these events is the generation and release of a large number of debris fragments. In fact, satellite fragmentations contribute the largest number of space debris objects to the space debris environment. The left graph shows, um, the number of cataloged objects in Earth orbit by object type as cataloged by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network. The largest individual contribution comes from fragmentations, shown in magenta. Fragmentation debris originates mainly from tank or battery explosion and from intentional fragmentation such as anti-satellite tests, which cause sharp jumps in the curve. Decreases are caused by objects reentering the atmosphere from lower orbits. Also remarkable is the sharp increase in the number of spacecraft shown in light blue. This increases the probability of unintentional collisions, which are expected to dominate the future populations. Can you click on, please? One back, please. Yeah, thank you. The right graph shows the European Space Agency predictions for catastrophic collisions. And you see clear increase. And of course, in addition, increasing militarization in orbit and developing technologies for on-orbit manipulation, uh, does not really help to ease this situation.

Uh, next slide, please.

The catalog objects are observed from the ground using radar systems like the one on the right from my colleagues and by optical telescopes, just as in the initial review. Both have detection limits and leave an observational gap for most objects in the millimeter and centimeter size range. Space-based detectors are being developed but are not yet operational on a routine basis. As a consequence, the distribution and characteristics of fragmentation objects in this size range are not measured directly but are represented by models.

Thank you.

Even these smaller objects can be mission-critical. At Fraunhofer IMI, the shields of the ESA's Columbus module on the ISS were tested to withstand impacts of space debris objects of about 1.5 cm in size at 7 km/s, and similar levels are required for, for the other modules. Non-shielded satellite structures such as sandwich panels are typically fully perforated by a few millimeter-sized impactors. As shown in this high-speed video. Behind the wall, the fragment cloud can damage mission-critical equipment such as onboard computers or harnesses. This may prevent successful end-of-life disposal and expose the failed satellite to catastrophic collision fragmentation events. In another possible scenario, debris impact may directly trigger a fragmentation by damaging tanks. The video illustrates that explosion like the one shown at the beginning might be caused by objects of unobservable debris. To assess the risk of space debris impact, all space debris environment models rely on breakup models to represent the fragments generated by past fragmentation events. The standard model in use is, is the NASA breakup model. Its strengths is its simplicity. It uses only 3 parameters, the masses of the colliding objects and the collision velocity, and one independent variable, the characteristic fragment size. It is empirical, based on a limited number of observations and ground experiments. However, we know from observations that it does not always represent the wide variety of possible fragmentation scenarios. Can you click, continue clicking?

Thank you.

NASA's Deep Reset experiment was carried out to update the model for new materials, but all the effort taken adds a well-characterized but still only one more collision scenario. So, we aim to contribute to breakup model development not only with complex ground experiments, but mainly with numerical simulations. These simulations allow us to vary the conditions over a wider parameter space and to include effects not covered by the current models. Here you see the simulation's model of 2 colliding objects, a 2-ton spacecraft and a 12U CubeSat of 10 kilograms. They collide at 11 kilometers per second with impact— with the impact location on one of the upper panels of the large spacecraft. In one scenario, the CubeSat perforates the panel in an almost vertical direction. In the second scenario, its velocity vector is directed towards the geometric center of the larger satellite. As you can guess, the outcomes are very different. In the first, more peripheral collision, the CubeSat and parts of the impacted panel are fragmented, but the fragment cloud missed most of the spacecraft, of the larger spacecraft. In the second scenario, this initial fragment cloud hits the main body of the large satellite and triggers a fragmentation cascade. Ultimately, both satellites are completely destroyed. This is highlighted when studying the damage after impact. In the first scenario, the large satellite remains intact and can continue its mission with decreased performance and also, uh, complete the mission disposal maneuver. Only a small number of fragments were generated. Whereas in the second scenario, both satellites are fully fragmented Adding a huge number of debris fragments to the environment. While the current breakup models treat both presented scenarios as essentially the same event, simulations like these allow us to distinguish them and to quantify the different fragment clouds. This video of the catastrophic scenario shows only the first millisecond of the event. Even for this very short time, A full-scale simulation can take several weeks on a computing cluster with about 500 cores because the spatial and temporal discretization must be fine enough to resolve millimeter-sized fragments and short-term shockwaves. This is a very— this very high computational cost limits the applicability of such simulations for systematic breakup studies. Our focus is therefore to develop new approaches that reduce the computational cost of full-scale simulations while preserving sufficient accuracy. One result of this ongoing work is shown on the left. The same scenario is computed over a much longer timescale in only 2 days using the same computational cluster. A short view on the numerical methods. Typically, we start from continuum-based numerical methods that solve the conservation equations for mass, momentum, and energy. The spacecraft is represented by a finite element mesh, which is very efficient for structural deformations. When deformations become extreme, as in a breakup, the mesh becomes highly distorted and the simulation unstable. Classical finite element methods then reach their limits. For such cases, we use smooth particle hydrodynamics, or SPH, where the continuum is approximated by particles instead of a mesh. The physical variables are calculated using weighted sum of neighboring particles, so-called kernel function. SBH is well suited for fragmentation, but it is computationally expensive. Normally we therefore combine both methods and automatically replace highly distorted elements by SBH particles. This hybrid FEM-SBH method was used in the earlier simulations shown with the 2 scenarios. As the new method, we are developing a discrete element method in which the material is modeled as interacting particles rather than a continuum. The particles are linked by spring forces which are compressed or extended up to a limiting point when they break. The spring characteristics are calibrated using experimental data. We have shown that DEM can reproduce high-probability impact fragmentation at a much lower computation cost due to parallelization. Still, the accuracy is limited for lower distortions like mechanical deformation. That is why we are currently developing a coupling approach between DEM and FEM to overcome this weakness. Like in the FEM-SPH coupling, finite element meshes are converted to DEM particles when fragmentation Finally, we are also developing SPH-FEM framework to exploit modern graphic processing units, GPUs, in order to speed up large-scale simulations. And first results have shown very promising results. We can reduce the computational time by a factor of 100 just using one GPU. To conclude, We are developing numerical methods for full-scale satellite fragmentation simulations within a project funded by the German Space Agency. These methods and the data generated with them and systematic parameter studies are intended to support the development of improved breakup models. In view of the rapidly increasing collision probability in orbit, breakup models that accurately reproduce on-orbit fragmentation events are needed both to avoid such events and and to predict consequences. Thank you.

Thank you for your presentation. And the 3rd presentation for today is on U.S.-based debris environment and activity updates by the representative of the United States. Please.

Chair and distinguished delegates, it is a pleasure to share this presentation with you this afternoon. Could you please bring up the presentation?

Thank you. Okay.

I will review the state of the near-Earth space environment, including launch activities, orbital debris population, increase, reentries, NASA mission collision avoidance maneuvers, and several major orbital debris-related highlights. Global space activity in 2025 continued the trend of rapid increase in recent years. A record number of 315 launches were conducted with more than 4,200 spacecraft deployed. As the global community expands space exploration in the near-Earth space environment, it is imperative to increase efforts to address the orbital debris problem to ensure the safe operations of future space missions. The US Space Force, using the Global Space Surveillance Network, currently tracks close to 50,000 large objects in space and maintains most of the orbits in the US satellite catalog. This chart shows the historical increase of the catalog objects over time. The top curve is the total. The 4 curves below the total represent the population breakdown, including fragmentation debris in magenta, spacecraft in blue, rocky bodies in green, and mission-related debris in orange. Spacecraft, the blue curve, have significantly surpassed fragmentation debris Approximately 12,400 spacecraft were operational at the end of 2025. The recent rapid increase in spacecraft is driven by CubeSats and large constellations, and the trend is expected to continue, likely at an even faster pace in the coming years. The orbital debris population follows a power law size distribution, meaning there's more small debris than large debris. Catalog objects shown here only represent the tip of the iceberg of the orbital debris population. Mission-ending risk to spacecraft is dominated by small untracked debris. It is critical for the orbital debris community to understand the small debris environment so operators can properly protect their spacecraft from small orbital debris for the safety of their missions. This chart shows the mass increase over time. The top curve is the total, and the 4 curves below the total show the same breakdown. As expected, most of the mass is in spacecraft and rocky bodies. The total amount of material in the near-Earth space environment has exceeded 15,400 metric tons, and more than half of the material is in low Earth orbit, which is the region below 2,000 kilometers.

Thank you.

Low Earth orbit has the highest concentration of orbital debris and the highest concentration of operational spacecraft. The landscape of the low Earth orbit has dramatically changed over the past 2 decades, as shown by the distributions of the catalog objects at 3 different epochs on this chart. The increase from 2005 to 2015, from the black curve to the blue curve, was driven by fragmentation debris from 2 major breakup events: the anti-satellite test conducted by China in 2007 and the accidental collision between Cosmos 2255 1951 and the operational uranium-33 in 2009. Fragments from those 2 events more than doubled the catalog population below 1,000 kilometers altitude, and many of the fragments remain in orbit as of today. The increase from 2015 to 2026 from the blue curve to the red curve in the region below 600 kilometers altitude was due to the proliferation of CubeSats and the deployment of large constellations, including SpaceX Starlink constellation, with concentrations at altitudes around 480 and 550 kilometers. The Starlink large constellation currently has close to 9,500 spacecraft, and the number will continue to go up in the coming months and years. More than 1,900 reentries of spacecraft, launch vehicle upper stages, and other catalog debris were detected by the US Space Surveillance Network last year. Among the reentered objects were 108 upper stages, about 2 per 3 days, and 1,003 spacecraft, including 672 Starlinks and many CubeSats. The total mass of objects reentered in 2025 exceeded 570 metric tons. Fortunately, there was no documented personal injury or significant property damage from any survived debris. For on-orbit fragmentations, several minor events were observed by the Space Surveillance Network last year. NASA had developed conjunction assessment protocols for human spaceflight, including the International Space Station and maneuverable robotic spacecraft to avoid accidental collisions with objects tracked by the U.S. space surveillance network. The ISS had conducted 41 collision avoidance maneuvers since 1999, including one maneuver last year. The plots to the right show the ISS maneuver frequency in red histogram and solar activity in black dots. There is a very strong correlation between solar activity and conjunction risk from the tracked objects to the International Space Station. NASA also carried out or assisted in the execution of 16 collision avoidance maneuvers by robotic spacecraft during 2025. NASA conducted several major modeling studies last year. They included one on long-term evolution of orbital debris populations in low Earth orbit to quantify the cost, risk, and benefit associated with different post-mission orbital lifetime limits. For regular missions and large constellations, and for risk from mission-critical millimeter-sized degradation debris. Another modeling study explores the stability and instability of orbits around the Moon for potential future mission disposal consideration. The study results will be published soon, to support potential updates to the current orbital debris mitigation best practices and the development of new best practices for future missions to the Moon. Fragmentation debris population is dominated by exploding fragments, and many of them were results of battery explosions. To mitigate this problem, NASA organized a workshop with participants from industry, U.S. Space Force, and NASA to address challenges to limit accidental battery explosions during mission and battery preservation at the end of mission operations for small satellite operators. NASA also organized a panel to share the lessons learned from the workshop at the popular International Small Satellite Conference. This was another example of the U.S. leadership to improve orbital debris mitigation with the international community. Orbital debris has been a priority for the United States and has been included in every national space policy since 1988. The early focus was on minimizing the creation of orbital debris, and it expanded over time to include more specific efforts, such as developing orbital debris mitigation standards and best practices with the international community, pursuing research and development of technology and techniques to characterize and mitigate risk from orbital debris, to the most recent executive order to enabling sustainability of space operations through effective and responsible approaches to space traffic management, orbital debris mitigation, and remediation. The consistency in our national space policy on orbital debris over the past 4 decades underlines the commitment of the United States to address the orbital debris problem and collaborate with the international community to preserve the near-Earth space environment and sustain the safe operations of future space missions. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you for your presentation. Again, if you have any questions, you can ask the presenter anytime after the meeting. Distinguished delegates, I will shortly adjourn the meeting. Before doing so, I would like to inform the delegates of our schedule of work for tomorrow morning. We will meet promptly at 10 AM. We will continue our consideration of Agenda Item 4, General Exchange of Views. We will continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of Agenda Item 5, Space for Sustainable Development, on technology and its application, including the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. If time permitting, we will begin our consideration of Agenda Item 6, the Space Debris. We will have the 3 technical presentations tomorrow morning. Delegates are reminded that the full schedule of technical presentations is available on the session webpage. I'd like to inform delegates that the informal consultation of the International Asteroid Warning Network Iwan will be held tomorrow. The informal consultation is scheduled to be held in Conference Room M6 tomorrow from 10 AM till 6 PM. The informal consultation is available to join with the MS Teams hybrid connection available to Iwan members respectively. I would now like to give the floor to the Secretariat to provide information on the event.

Please.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Distinguished delegates, I would like to inform distinguished delegates that tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM, there will be a side event entitled Live Streaming of Kibo Cube Satellite Deployment from the International Space Station, co-organized by Japan, Mexico, and Office for Outer Space Affairs.

This event will take place in Conference Room M5.

The schedule of all the side events is available on the webpage of this session. Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair. Thank you.

The schedule for the consultation is available on the webpage of the session. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule? I see none. Distinguished delegates, this meeting is adjourned until 10 AM tomorrow morning.