Outer Space: Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, 62nd session, 1017 meeting

Good morning, distinguished delegates.

Good morning, distinguished delegates.

Distinguished delegates, may we start? I now declare open the 1017th meeting of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Distinguished delegates, this morning we will continue our consideration of Agenda Item 3, General Exchange of Views. We will begin our consideration of Agenda Item 4, Space for Sustainable Development, Technology and Its Applications, Including the United Nations Program on Space Applications. We will then suspend the plenary meeting so that the Working Group of the Whole can hold its first meeting.

Okay.

Following the adjournment of the Working Group meeting, we will then resume the plenary to proceed with technical presentations. There will be 4 technical presentations this morning. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule?

I see none.

Distinguished delegates, I would now like to continue our consideration of agenda item 3, general exchange of views. Before I move to the list of speakers, I'd like to appeal to distinguished delegates to kindly focus on substantive issues so that we make the most of our time together in a constructive manner. I'll now turn to the list of speakers. The first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Peru. You have the floor.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. On behalf of the delegation of Peru, I would like to express to you our gratitude for and support for your conduct of this session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of COP+ We're certain that under your leadership, this session will be successful and productive. We would also like to thank the Director of UNOSA, Ms. Arti Olamaini, and her staff and her team for the excellent organization of this meeting. Peru aligns itself with the statement of G77+China, and in our national capacity, we would like to highlight the following topics. Our country was one of the pioneer states in the region in joining the Outer Space Treaty in 1967, along with the other 4 space-related treaties. Along these lines, it carries out space activities only for peaceful purposes and believes it is crucial to build confidence, consensus, and international cooperation to guarantee the equitable access to the benefits of space. As part of this cooperation, we'd like to highlight that in 2024, Peru had the honor of co-organizing together with UNOSA, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates the UN World Space Forum held from the 3rd to the 5th of December last in Bonn. We believe that this forum was a significant platform to go into greater detail on dialogue within COP, which arises from COPOS and its 2 subcommittees in terms of space governance. Particularly the 2024 meeting had as its motto Sustainable Space for the Sustainability of Earth. In this framework, for the first time, there was an opportunity to We are grateful to the delegations who backed us and actively participated in this forum. At the same time, we would like to thank the co-organizers of this event for presenting the conference room paper with the key results of the forum with regard to the implementation of Action 56 of the Pact for the Future. Peru aligns itself with the goals of the UN with the main points and conclusions set forth in this document. One thing we believe is crucial is to strengthen space governance, especially with regard to space traffic management and space debris and resources. At the same time, we firmly support the need to build on existing mechanisms within COPUOS and to make progress towards establishing new normative frameworks As is indicated by Action 56 of the Pact for the Future. We also believe or agree with the need to involve all interested stakeholders including academia, civil society, the private sector, and particularly young generations. The World Space Forum and other similar events are crucial to bring together the different perspectives and to enrich the debate. on space governance. Integrating these voices is essential to ensure that COPUAS continues to be relevant and meets the changing needs of the space sector. On another point, Madam Chair, please allow me to refer to the initiative of carrying out the Unispace 4 conference in 2027. Peru believes that holding this conference is timely and necessary in order to discuss and take decisions at the highest possible level on critical space issues for our development. Along these lines, we share the vision that UNISPACE 4 should focus on the 3 key topics identified in Action 56 of the Pact for the Future: space traffic, space debris, and space resources. It should also address the integration of space governance in the post-2030 development agenda. Therefore, we believe it is crucial that in this subcommittee and in the COP+ session this year, all states take a decision, a specific decision with regard to the holding of this conference so that the Secretariat has the resources and time necessary to organize it. Finally, Madam Chair, I'd like to reaffirm Peru's commitment to the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space to benefit all humanity. We align ourselves with the call of other member states to strengthen international cooperation and to guarantee the sustainability of space activities for future generations. We stand ready to actively contribute to the work of COPOS and its subcommittees to achieve these goals. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Peru for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. You have the floor.

Gracias. Thank you, Madam Chair. On behalf of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, I'd like to congratulate you and the team by your side when it comes to chairing the work of this subcommittee. My country promotes public policies to develop space activities and for the peaceful use of outer space. Our determination is to promote technological independence, well-being, and social inclusion. It is the Minister— Ministry for People's Power for Science and Technology, through the Bolivarian Agency for Space Agent Activities, which provides satellite remote sensing services through the VRSS 2 satellite and also develops activities for education and training in areas of science and technology. We would like to express our gratitude for the support of UNOSA and the German Aerospace Center and the Center for Applied Space Technology and Microgravity of the University of Bremen, who, uh, for these, ensured that the Venezuelan team selected for the 9th of the Drop Tower Experiment Series carried out its experiment in the framework of the project titled Microstructural Behavior of Aerospace Aluminum Alloy During a Procedure of Soldering in Conditions of Microgravity. The VRSS, Venezuelan satellite, has provided, together with the the satellite VRSS-1 have provided more than a million satellite images, which are destined to facilitate the management of the Venezuelan states in the strategic areas, as well as the sustainable use of its natural resources. The ABAE has joined its capacity to support evaluation, surveillance, and management of one of the main hydrological resources of the Venezuelan territory. Together with joining the Venezuelan institutions, which under leadership of the FAO has carried out the Conservation Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity in the Rio Caroni Basin program. We have also continued to focus on raising awareness and promotion of innovation through the Space Ignition program aimed at training teaching children about space science and technology. Following the government. Guidelines that ABAE has been part of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters since 2016. It has provided 1,799 images in responses to activations of the charter, and the ABAE provided space data in 2024 to address disaster response in Brazil, Uruguay, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Kyrgyzstan. It also participated in work to generate value-added products to contribute to effective and swift management of disasters. Venezuela welcomes the entry into force of the treaty establishing the Latin American Caribbean Space Agency, ALCE, which took place in October 2024 following its promulgation in 2021. The Latin American Caribbean Space Agency, ALCE, is an international— a regional international organization which promotes cooperation and exchange between countries in the region. It also promotes their participation in the international environment. Its aim is to peacefully use outer space. Madam Chair, I'd like to highlight the difficulties faced by our country. As a consequence of unilateral coercive measures imposed on the Republic, have had an impact on the development of the Venezuelan space program. Nevertheless, the national government, led by the constitutional president Nicolás Maduro Moros, will continue with its efforts in order to overcome each one of these obstacles, certain that space activities are a driver triggering productive sectors in the country and ensuring the benefits of its applications for the well-being of the Venezuelan population. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela would like to reiterate its commitments to the utilization and exploration of outer space for peaceful purposes, as well as to the principles established by the General Assembly on outer space on equitable conditions for all states, independent of their level of scientific, technological, and economic development. The non-appropriation of outer space, including The Moon and other celestial bodies, there should be no claim of sovereignty over them, nor should they be occupied by any other way. And we support the non-militarization of outer space, and it should be exploited only in order to improve living conditions and consolidate peace on the planet. Finally, on behalf of my government, I reiterate our readiness and cooperation to contribute to a productive

Thank you, Representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, for the statement.

The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of China.

Distinguished delegates, Chair, the Chinese delegation will, as always, support the work of the Chair and actively participate in the activities of the session. We thank the Secretary for the efforts made for the session and wish the session a complete success. China supports the G77 statements under this item. China also always supports the unique role played by the COPUS in promoting the global governance of outer space and strengthening international outer space cooperation. We are here to genuine multilateralism and advocate for maintenance of international outer space. Order underpinned by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. In 2024, China again set a new record of launches, completing a total of 68 launch missions, which sent into orbit over 200 spacecraft of various types. China Lunar Exploration Program launched Xueqiao-2 relay satellite and Chang'e-6 lunar probe, which successfully completed the world's first sample collection and return mission from the far side of the moon. 1,935.3 grams of samples were successfully collected from the far side of the moon. China manned space program successfully carried 2 manned spaceflight launches, 2 cargo spacecraft launches, and 2 manned space return missions. Shijie-19 reusable and retrievable experimental satellite and the ocean salinities detection satellites successfully launched. The atmospheric environment monitoring satellite and terrestrial ecosystem carbon monitoring satellite were put into operation. The construction of the internet satellite constellation of Guo Wang and Qifan has started. In 2025, China's Deep Space Exploration Program plans to launch Tianwen-2 probe for a near-Earth asteroid exploration and sample return mission. The manned spaceflight missions will continue to be carried out, and manned moon exploration will be continued as planned. In 2024, China carried out vertical takeoff and landing flight test. On 3 types of rockets. LM-3B rockets broke the U.S. record of 100 times and the only type of Chinese rocket that reached that number. This year, there were 12 commercial space launches. On the 30th of November, China's first commercial launch site, Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, was put into service. It completed its first launch mission and successfully launched 2— a new type of rocket, LM-12. In 2024, China actively responded to the mechanism of international charter and provided 1,394 scenes of civil and commercial remote sensing satellite data for 97 international disasters, including the 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, and the floods in Brazil, and oil spill in Yemen, and landslide in Papua New Guinea. China continued to continue our cooperation with Nicaragua and Thailand. The satellite was successfully— a jointly project between China and France was successfully launched. European Space Mission Max Planck Institute Accelerators of Physics and Canis successfully launched into orbit. To observe the exploration phenomena in deep space universe, the cooperative development of China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite 06 was progressively smoothly. The scientific data of Macau Science One satellite, China's first high-precision geomagnetic field detection satellite, is open to the world. The Shijian 19 retrievable satellite successfully carried payload of member states of Lanshan-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism and ABSKO effectively implemented the action plan. We thank our international partners for their trust and support for China's space industry. In 2024, China will host the first Forum on China-Latin America and Caribbean Cooperation in Wuhan to promote a high-level space cooperation between China and Latin America. China CNSA actively participated in the UN Conference on Sustainable Lunar Activities. The meetings of the heads of G20 space agencies was held in Brazil, and the meeting of the heads of BRICS space agencies was held in Russia, and the Apsco Council and other international conferences were held supporting the development of application of space technology. Chair, looking ahead, China will continue to uphold the principles of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful uses and inclusive, inclusive development and carry out extensive international space exchanges and cooperation with other countries so that achievements with science and technology can better serve the social and economic development and benefit all humankind. In the course of the session, the Chinese delegation will provide more detailed information and presentations on China's space activities under various agenda items. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished delegate of China for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative Representative of the Dominican Republic, you have the floor.

Good morning, everyone. Thank you very much, Chair. On behalf of the Government of the Dominican Republic, I'd like to thank you and your team for your work for this subcommittee. We would also like to thank Madame Holamaini, the Director of UNOUSA, for her commitment to continue out work falling under her mandate— continue work in her mandate, in particular promoting international cooperation in outer space and ensuring that the benefits of space technologies are available to all countries, in particular developing countries like mine. The Dominican Republic would like to endorse the statement made by the distinguished Ambassador Laura Gil, the PR of Colombia, as the chair of the G77 in China. And we'll make the following comments in its national capacity. We reiterate our commitment to Space 2030 and a vision of the future promoting the peaceful uses of outer space with cooperation in R&D and space technologies for the management of disasters, agriculture, education, and health, training and transfer of technologies to support developing countries in building capacity Through teaching, as well as knowledge transfer and technical assistance when it comes to space technologies, as well as the implementation of the Agenda 2030, leveraging space technology so as to attain the SDGs. Chair, the government of my country is implementing a foreign policy in outer space in line with COPUOS's goals. GO-BUOS ensures the peaceful uses of outer space, contributing to its member states with the fundamental principles of equal and universal access to outer space for all countries. We are sure that the peaceful use of outer space should be seen as a transformative aspect of sustainable development, where space and science and technologies are fundamental in the management of natural disasters. Here, satellite imagery and monitoring means that we can prevent, mitigate, and address in a more appropriate manner our condition as an SID when it comes to climate change, which have adverse— which has adverse impacts on national development, tourism, and the economy in general. Chair, when it comes to agriculture and food security. As was mentioned by the Director, satellite imagery are now part of our daily life. Access to this imagery in more, in more technical manner means best management of crops as well as water resources and mitigating climate change. Also, we use satellite observation to monitor vulnerable ecosystems, preserve biodiversity, and combat deforestation. deforestation through satellite data, of course. In this regard, our delegation welcomes the initiatives spearheaded by this subcommittee so as to build capacity in developing countries. We would like to see intensified efforts so as to ensure equitable access to the spinoff benefits of outer space activities. The Dominican Republic reiterates here the importance of ensuring the long-term Sustainability of outer space activities and welcomes the draft report of the working group thereon. We believe that it is of utmost importance that there be international standards so as to prevent the proliferation of space debris and protect outer space such that it can continue to be accessible for all. In this connection. what we think it is important that the subcommittee deal with is space debris mitigation, GNS, the use of nuclear power sources in outer space, global health, and international cooperation. These were all adopted through UN resolutions. When it comes to education and training, for my country, teaching is the backbone of our strategy for development of outer space. We think it is important to ensure training in physics and space sciences for youth, as well as build cooperation between our institutions and universities nationally and international. Here we welcome opportunities for cooperation provided UNOSA when it comes to training scholarships and access to satellite data. We reiterate our support to the UNGA mandate for the Working Group of the Whole on the introduction and participation of women and girls in the space sector, which is very important for its social and economic and gender-related aspects. We highlight the importance of women participating in outer space and its resources, ensuring equitable development here. Chair, by way of conclusion, we reiterate our commitment to to actively participating in the work of the STSC and promoting the use of outer space and its peaceful, peaceful uses of outer space for all. We welcome Unispace 4 in 2027. It will be a time to take decisions and adopt recommendations at a high level regarding the legal and scientific aspects of outer space, moving forward in the governance of outer space so that we can attain the SDGs.

Thank you.

The distinguished Representative of the Dominican Republic for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran. You have the floor.

Distinguished Chair, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, STSC, plays a vital role in promoting the exchange of scientific and technological knowledge and fostering collaboration among member states. The successful implementation of sustainability principles requires a common understanding of their guiding frameworks shaped by experience gained through voluntary application. Therefore, a state must be given adequate time to implement these principles, assess their challenges and opportunities, and work toward the shared vision. We stress the significance of international cooperation and capacity building efforts in promoting space sustainability through knowledge sharing, best practice, and technological advancements. In this regard, we commend the efforts of the relevant working group under the CAPEL Chairman— under its CAPEL chairmanships in addressing these challenges. However, we caution against prematurely developing new principles before truly discussing the existing ones. We support extending the mandate of the current Working Group or the establishment of the new Working Group to ensure a comprehensive and well-informed approach. Furthermore, the scope and focus of the current Working Group or a possible new Working Group should not be predefined but rather determined collaboratively by its members. We will present our detailed views on this agenda item during the discussion under that Some projections suggest that space debris is doubling every 10 years. While mitigating and addressing space debris must be a collective effort, it is undeniable that a few nations have contributed to the vast majority of these debris. These states must bear primary responsibility and take proactive measures to enhance international cooperation by sharing scientific and operational expertise, expertise, data, and relevant technologies. Collaboration is essential, particularly with developing countries, to ensure that all space actors can contribute to debris mitigation and removal. In this regard, the STSC has an important role to play in examining the scientific and technical aspects of this issue and facilitates meaningful dialogue. Third, the rapid development of large satellite constellations Necessitate an urgent examination of their technical and scientific implication. Considering the legal policy and technical challenges that these constellations can pose to the sovereignty of states, we emphasize that any assessment of such constellation must be based on respect for state sovereignty. The development of satellite constellation must be subject to authorization and consent from the states over. whose territory they operate. In this regard, we reaffirm our sovereign rights to approve any satellite constellation operating over our territory and reserve the right to take appropriate steps to addressing this issue of any unauthorized satellite constellation operating over the Islamic Republic of Iran. Fourth, I would now like to present a brief Update on Iran's key space activities since the previous STSC session. First, the Chamran first small satellite was successfully placed in in a 550-kilometer orbit by the QM-100 launch vehicle, marking a milestone in Iran's space industry by enabling precise and repeated orbital maneuvers for the first time. Second, in addition to deploying a CubeSat. The Simorgh launch vehicle was used to demonstrate the Salman-1 orbital transfer stage. Third, for the first time, a private Iranian company successfully launched 2 indigenous CubeSats, Khodhod and Kauthar, into sun-synchronous orbit through international cooperation, making significant steps toward private sector involvement in Iran's space industry. Fifth, given that this committee focuses on scientific and technical matters, it is important to address this impact, the impact of the unilateral coercive measures purely from this perspective. In an ecosystem with limited actors, any progress or regression in a space program inevitably affects the global space community. The consequences The consequences of the UCM extend beyond individual nations and have broader implications. For example, UCM increases risk of space collisions due to the inability to access precise and up-to-date space situational awareness data, and limited orbital maneuvering capabilities potentially worsening the problem of space debris. Before concluding my statement, I must address the misuse of satellites and outer facilities in the Israeli invasion against the people of Gaza, which was a matter of grave concern, resulting in unprecedented destruction and loss of civilian life. Residential areas, schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure have been reduced to rubble, leaving thousands displaced, injured, or killed. Furthermore, the role of the foreign assistance in enabling this devastation cannot be overlooked. The provision of satellite and space-based technologies by certain nations has facilitated indiscriminate, brutal action by that regime, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The principle of international law and outer space treaty must be upheld, ensuring that space technologies serve peaceful purposes and the advancement of humanity rather than being weaponized against innocent lives. In conclusion, in concluding my statement, the Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation in the peaceful use and sustainable development of outer space. We urge the global community to uphold the principle of fairness, inclusivity, and non-discrimination in space governance, ensuring that space remains a shared resource for the benefit of all. benefits of all mankind. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Argentina. You have the floor.

Chair, distinguished delegates, distinguished observers, this is the first time I take the floor As the PR of Argentina for the STSC, and thus I would like to express our congratulations and our support. We would also like to thank UNOSA for the preparation of these sessions and the work of its staff. We express our condolences to the delegation of Poland upon the death of Mr. Mistal. Colleagues, space activities are advancing at breakneck speed in line with technological development and a growing number of involved states included in the committee— the COPUOS and subcommittee activities. It's important that outer space activities globally have seen a growing participation from non-state actors and commercial players with new missions.

Yes.

And more presence. The saturation of outer space, as well as increase in debris and launches and large satellite constellations, as well as the exploration and use of space resources, just like the life of— human life in outer space, are present and forthcoming challenges. That is why we highlight the importance that the STSC be the unique forum in which knowledge is exchanged, as well as opinions, experience, and news in science, technology— space science and technologies to ensure that space is used in a safe, long-lasting, and equitable, as well as peaceful manner with confidence and transparency. My country reiterates its belief that international cooperation is a fundamental pillar of outer activities and outer space diplomacy as an important tool to these ends. Since 2023, Argentina has been part of the Artemis Agreements through working meetings and high-level meetings with signatories. We'd like to thank the distinguished delegation of Canada for having hosted and organized the annual meeting of 2024. Chair, The Argentine Republic continues to promote the use of space information on Earth for satellites through its mission SAOCOM, as well as polarimetric SAR and Bend-L satellites, as well as promoting the participation of the private sector in the space sector— space industry. This is important for health, agriculture, and the environment, also for providing proof in various legal proceedings, and covering various emergencies and natural disasters, as well as man-made ones. As we've expressed on other occasions, the sustainability— long-term sustainability of outer space activities for outer space and celestial bodies, and the possible use of resources, as well as the management of space traffic with respect to the Moon and Mars, space debris, and the management— as well as maintaining dark and quiet skies are important for Argentina. We continue to follow this nationally. We think that this is the right place to discuss internationally these topics. This is where everyone can express their opinion, share what they see as reality, as well as their vision of each state. The Argentine Republic has made significant headway in building capacity through the work on the National Commission of Space Activities. Konai, as well as national universities and research centers across the country. Here there are— there is a plethora of research undertaken having to do with near-Earth objects, epidemiologically— epidemiology, and biodiversity, just to mention a few. We think that the capacity for testing, technology stations, and laboratories offered by the country means that training is already at quite an advanced stage. We will provide additional information on this in writing. Chair, distinguished delegates, we eagerly await the work to be carried out over these next 2 weeks. We are— we assure you that we will participate in a constructive manner at all times. Thank you.

Thank you, Argentina, for her statement. Next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Mexico. You have the floor.

Señora presidenta. Madam Chair Botesato, Mexico would like to express its gratitude to you for your work in leading the subcommittee and wishes you very much success in this second. Session under your leadership. We'd like to reiterate my country's readiness to cooperate with you on such important work. We'd also like to thank the Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, Professor Arti Holomaini, for her firm commitment in leading the office. And we'd like to express to her our interest in continuing to work closely with the UNOSA to progress the space agenda. Mexico will share its position on the various topics on the agenda of this session of the STSC. Nevertheless, we'd like to take this opportunity to draw the attention of the subcommittee to the following relevant issues: the importance of addressing the issue of space debris, which will increase with megaconstellations and which will limit the access of missions to outer space due to a lack of security. Mexico would like to affirm its support to the initiative on dark and quiet skies promoted by the permanent missions of Chile and Spain. Mexico is also a party of the Group of Friends on this important topic and would like to reiterate how important it is to preserve dark and quiet skies to benefit astronomy, one of the most ancient sciences of humanity which underpins our exploration and use of space. The reference to space observation in Mexico goes back to the era of the Mayans with their great observatories, which we can still see and admire in Chichen Itza in the south of our country. We'd like to express Mexico's interest in working with the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group in seeking and identifying measures which allow us to mitigate the effects of an impact of a near-Earth object. Relating to space weather, I'd like to highlight that Mexico has a space weather service, one of the early warning services of the Institute of Geophysics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM. Its work includes distributing products and services on a regional level on space weather and to the international community, and compiling information in real time on conditions in the Sun, solar wind, the magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere, which can affect the operation and reliability of technological systems on land and air, which could imperil infrastructure in our country. We'd like to express the support of Mexico to the group— the Working Group on Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities. This addresses issues of safety in space activities. Mexico is currently implementing the 21 guidelines. These need to be approved by the Mexican Congress. Thank you. Moreover, and as a position of principle, Mexico would like to reaffirm its support to the peaceful use of outer space, the Moon, and other celestial bodies. My country opposes any form of militarization of outer space. Mexico would also like to highlight the crucial importance of the principle of non-appropriation of the Moon and other celestial bodies. Mexico would like to reiterate its support to the 2030 space agenda adopted by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 7676 and expresses its interest in promoting its content and its implementation plan. Mexico is promoting the implementation of the Latin American Caribbean Space Agency, ALCE, following the entry into force of its— the treaty establishing it in October 2024. ALCE has amongst its various tasks the task of planning and implementing activities related to the exploration and peaceful use of outer space, the Moon, and other celestial bodies, as well as strengthening and supporting space capacity in Latin America and the Caribbean. Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, finally, I'd like to share with you that the Government of Mexico has recently established the new Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications. This includes in its structure the Mexican Space Agency and the Mexican Satellite System. This initiative seeks to unify and strengthen the technological capacity of our country in order to make progress towards a modern and efficient space infrastructure which contributes to sustainable development and security. At the same time, I would like to inform you that under this new agency, we're developing the Mexican space program. Its aim will be to strengthen space infrastructure, national security, and digital inclusion. With these measures, the Government of Mexico is seeking to promote the creation of technical and scientific talent through technological transfer programs, maintaining open and ongoing dialogue with the academic and scientific community making progress on issues relating to space. And thank you very much for your attention and for giving me the floor, Madam Chair.

The distinguished representative of Mexico for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Kenya. You have the floor.

Madam Chair, OPA, Allow me to begin by congratulating you on your effective chairmanship and to assure you of my delegation's full support and cooperation. I also want to take this opportunity to extend Kenya's appreciation of the efforts and work done by the UNOSA Director, Ms. Ati Holomaini, and indeed the Secretariat in organizing this meeting and supporting the work of this subcommittee, including the organization of the UN Space Sustainability Days last week. The discussions and exchanges held there were invaluable in fostering a deeper understanding on space traffic coordination, particularly for many of us in missions who are non-experts. on space matters. Madam Chair, Kenya aligns itself with the statements made by the group of G77 and China and by the Africa Group, and I would like to add a few remarks in our national capacity. Space-based technologies are increasingly playing a pivotal role in advancing sustainable development across the globe and driving progress towards achieving the SDGs. While the benefits of integrating space technologies with sustainable development are clear, challenges such as space debris, data privacy, and the digital divide can hinder progress. Moreover, ensuring equitable access to space derived data for developing countries is crucial for a balanced global approach to sustainability. International cooperation, robust regulatory frameworks, and investments in capacity building are essential to overcome these challenges and fully harness the potential of space technologies to realizing a sustainable, equitable, and resilient world. In this regard, Kenya remains committed to international cooperation for the peaceful and mutually beneficial use of outer space and views the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee as a vital platform for exchanging ideas and best practices on space-related scientific and technical matters to support the safe, stable, and sustainable use of outer space. As an emerging spacefaring nation, Kenya greatly appreciates the vital role played by the Office for Outer Space Affairs in promoting space science and technology in developing countries, particularly through the Access to Space for All joint initiatives. Kenyan institutions have directly benefited from these efforts, participating in the Hypergravity/Microgravity Track, Satellite Development Track, and Space Exploration Track initiatives. These collaborative programs— excuse me— have been instrumental in enhancing our national capabilities in space systems engineering, satellite operations, and space science. We therefore look forward to enhancing our collaboration with the Office for Outer Space Affairs and call for enhanced funding and support to empower UNOSA to expand its programs, reach a broader audience, and facilitate even greater technological and scientific advancements in developing countries in particular. This is because we believe that long-term sustainability The security of outer space is better assured when no one is left behind. Madam Chair, in Africa, regional cooperation in space activities is gaining significant momentum, providing the much-needed resources to implement innovative projects and develop robust space capabilities across the continent. Kenya is actively participating in the African Development Satellite initiative alongside Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda as a joint collaborative effort to build capacity across the participating nations, leveraging on each nation's strengths. This collaborative effort aims to build capacity in space systems engineering and space operations by developing a small Earth observation satellite. By pooling expertise and resources. This initiative will not only strengthen the technical skills of participating nations but also enhance Africa's collective ability to harness space technology for sustainable development. We hope that this will catalyze similar collaborative initiatives in the region under the auspices of the African Space Agency. Madam Chair, Kenya strongly supports the enhanced participation of women in space science, technology, and policy. In this regard, we are proud to have hosted the 5th edition of the Space for Women Expert Meeting, which took place in Nairobi from 27th to 29th November 2024 under the auspices of UNOSA Space for Women Initiative. This landmark event hosted in Africa Africa for the first time served as a platform to raise awareness among women, particularly those in the Global South, on the opportunities available in STEM as well as space-related fields, and encourage their participation in developing innovative solutions to socioeconomic challenges using space technologies and space-enabled technologies. It is— it also provided a for empowering women in space science research and leadership roles worldwide. Madam Chair, in ensuring the outer space remains safe and usable for all countries, Kenya notes with deep concern the dramatic increase in space debris, which is becoming an ever more serious threat to human safety and global security. The recent incident in which a half-ton separation ring from the upper stage of a launch rocket fell into Kenya underscores the urgent need for enhanced international collaboration on space debris mitigation and space situational awareness, and the need for actors responsible for creating the debris to play an active role in cleaning and clearing activities. Needless to say, had this debris impacted a populated area, the results could have been catastrophic, endangering lives and property. As I conclude, Madam Chair, I confirm Kenya's commitment to meaningful partnerships with the international space community for the promotion of space science and technology for sustainable socioeconomic development. I thank you, and I apologize for going over time.

My apologies.

Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kenya for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the United States. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The U.S. delegation appreciates your leadership during this 67th session. We thank Director Holomaini and her team for their tireless work over the past year to bring the world together to advance our efforts in space. Since this is our first time taking the floor, we would like to express our sincere condolences to the delegation of Poland for the loss of Ambassador Anjay Mishra. Ambassador Mishra served as co-chair of the LSC's Space Resources Working Group and did so much to advance the peaceful uses and exploration of space. Chair, America's space program continues to make giant strides to explore, discover, and inspire, all while bringing tangible and substantial benefits to humanity. Consistent with our 2020 National Space Policy, the United States space program is deepening the commercial and international partnerships that will help NASA lead humanity back to the Moon and then to the red sands of Mars. New missions were launched to study our solar system and our universe in captivating new ways. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the entire U.S. civil space community observed our changing Earth through our eyes in the sky, our ever-growing fleet of satellites and instruments, and shared the that data with all of humanity. And we open the doors to new breakthroughs on International Space Station and to new wonders in space travel. Chair, NASA and its commercial and international partners continue moving forward with its Artemis campaign, including progress toward its first mission around the moon with crew in more than 50 years and advancing plans to explore more of the Moon than ever before. Since our last meeting, 19 more countries signed the Artemis Accords, committing to the safe, transparent, and responsible exploration of space with the United States. As of today, 53 countries have now signed the Accords. The United States delegation congratulates the committee for establishing the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultations, ATLEC, and looks forward to actively and constructively contributing to its success. Achieving peaceful and sustainable activities on and around the Moon will require transparency among moonfaring entities to ensure a safe and sustainable future in space for all. Closer to home, in 2024, a total of 25 people lived and worked abroad— aboard the International Space Station, helping to complete science for the benefit of humanity, open access to space to more people, and support exploration of the Moon in preparation for Mars. A total of 14 space spacecraft visited the microgravity laboratory, including 8 commercial resupply missions as well as international partner missions delivering almost 20,000 kilograms of science investigations, tools, and critical supplies to the space station. Chair, NASA and our partners are unlocking the mysteries of the universe. In October, NASA's Europa Clipper embarked on its long journey to Jupiter, where it will investigate Europa, a moon with an enormous subsurface ocean that may have conditions to support life. A joint effort with the European and Canadian space agencies, the James Webb Space Telescope marked more than 2 years in space, transforming our view of the universe by studying the most distant galaxies ever observed, while raising exciting new questions about the atmospheres of planets outside our solar system. The United States makes its Earth observation data freely and openly available. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, together with partners in Europe, Japan, Korea, and India, India provide access to observations that help decision makers better understand and predict environmental threats. NASA's Earth Information Center provides critical data to the world. The USGS National Land Imaging Program proved its worth once again with new Landsat-derived land cover information projects and science contributions. contributions and was validated by a report estimating the Landsat mission's economic value at $25.6 billion. That progress includes preparing for the upcoming NASA and USGS mission Landsat Next with support from our international partners. Chair, we urge COPUS and its subcommittees to strengthen its focus on expanding international cooperation between countries in the peaceful exploration of and use of space. As the committee continues to grow, members will need to carefully review new proposals for COPUOS and its subcommittees to ensure they leverage the committee's unique strengths within the UN system. Consideration of proposals for new work also should take into account the respective mandates of other UN fora. Chair, in closing, the United States welcomes Latvia and Djibouti to COPOS, bringing the total number of member states to 104. The growing size of the committee and the increase in space activity around the world further underscores that as the number of space actors and activities continue to accelerate, the work of the committee is more important than ever. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of the United States for the statement. It was the last speaker under this agenda item 3, General Exchanges of Views, for this meeting this morning. Distinguished delegates, we have received a request to exercise the right of reply from the distinguished representative of Israel. I would therefore like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Israel before closing this agenda item at this meeting. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. I'm exercising my right of reply. I will do this briefly. Since October 7th, Israel has been operating to defend itself fully within the framework of international law in its fight against the Hamas terrorist organization, which is fueled by its puppet master, Iran. Israel will continue to defend itself and its citizens— Jews, Arabs, Christians, Druze, and more, as it is its right and obligation. That is in accordance with international law and in the face of multiple fronts, all originating by the Iranian regime operating all of its terror militias across the region and risking the entire Middle East.

Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished delegate of Israel for exercising the right of reply. We will continue our— I'd like to give the floor to the distinguished delegate of Iran to exercise his right of reply.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will be very brief since we have expressed our points in our statement. We don't want to take the time of this august body and enter into this pinpoint policy of the right of reply, but we have expressed ourselves clearly in our statement. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished delegate of Iran. I'd like to remind the delegates that it has been the practice in the work of the committee that the member states cannot request the right of reply more than twice on the same agenda item at a given meeting. We will continue our consideration of agenda item 3, general exchange of views, this afternoon. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to begin our consideration of agenda item 4, space for sustainable development. Technology and its applications, including the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. Before I turn to the list of speakers, I'd like to announce that a non-paper by the chair of the subcommittee is being prepared and that the non-paper would contain a proposed text for inclusion in the ministerial declaration of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to be held in July 2025. The non-paper is being prepared in response to requests received from some delegations who stressed the need to promote the benefits of space technology and its applications in the major United Nations conferences and summits for economic, social, and cultural development, and to promote the fundamental significance of space science and technology and their applications for Sustainable Development process, including through efforts in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as reiterated by the General Assembly in its Resolution 79/87, paragraph 38. Delegations may recall that the subcommittee in the past years has provided similar contributions to the Summit of— on the SDGs in 2023 and to the HLPF in 2022 and 2024. The theme of the forum this year is Advancing Sustainable, Inclusive Science and Evidence-Based Solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for Leaving No One Behind. And the forum would focus on the selected Sustainable Development Goals namely SDG 3, SDG 5, SDG 8, SDG 14, and SDG 17: good health and well-being, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, life below water, and partnerships for the goals. It is my intention to circulate an own paper with a proposed text following this meeting and to open our initial discussion discussions on the non-paper after all delegations have had time to familiarize themselves with the draft text. I will now turn to the list of speakers. The first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Philippines. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. The achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals requires a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach that harnesses the transformative power of technology. Space applications such as global navigation satellite systems and Earth observation are increasingly recognized as critical enablers of sustainable development, offering innovative solutions to global challenges. As space technology evolves, its role in achieving SDG targets must be actively promoted to ensure inclusive accessibility, and long-term sustainability. Expanding connectivity is fundamental to fostering education, economic resilience, and disaster preparedness. Recognizing this, the Philippines is working to enhance digital access for remote and underserved communities, enabling e-learning and lifelong learning opportunities. By investing in future generations of scientists, engineers, and decision-makers, we contribute to a global space space sector that is inclusive, knowledge-driven, and sustainable. To promote space science education, we have organized space science camps across multiple high schools and collaborated with the Department of Education to integrate space science into learning standards. We have also hosted the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, ISPRS, Technical Commission 5 on Education and Outreach midterm symposium. Facilitating knowledge exchange on geospatial technologies under the theme Insights to Foresights via Geospatial Technologies. Madam Chair and distinguished delegates, recognizing the need for global talent development, we actively promote space-related scholarships such as the Fulbright FILSA Program Award in Space Science, Technology, and Applications, and the advanced degrees for for Accelerating Strategic Space R&D and Applications, or Ad Astra Scholarship. These initiatives aim to strengthen the global pool of experts in nanosatellite technology, remote sensing, and space research. Beyond capacity building, space applications continue to drive sustainable solutions. In 2024 alone, we generated 13,400 maps using remote sensing to support agriculture, fisheries, water resource management, infrastructure monitoring, and air quality assessment. Through the FILSA Integrated Network for Space-Enabled Actions Towards Sustainability, or PINAS project, we provide open-access space data to local communities, reinforcing the role of space in evidence-based policymaking and disaster risk reduction. International collaboration remains a key pillar of our approach. We recently convened the UN-Philippines workshop on the applications of GNSS in partnership with UNOSA and the International Committee on GNSS, reinforcing our commitment to advancing global cooperation in space applications. Additionally, we have successfully completed the installation of 4 air pollution monitoring under the Pan-Asia Partnership for Geospatial Air Pollution Information Project, or PAPGAPI-PAN, supporting regional climate resilience in partnership with the Republic of Korea and UNSCAP. The National Copernicus Capacity Support Action Program for the Philippines, or COPPHIL, launched in October 2024 with the support from the European Union, enhances our capabilities in satellite-based environmental environmental monitoring. By expanding access to Sentinel satellite imagery across Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific, we continue to regional— we contribute to regional efforts in climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable resource management. Space data is also integral to global climate action. As part of the Space Climate Observatory, we are advancing drought early warning systems and hazard assessment tools through the USPH and NOAA projects supporting climate adaptation strategies in vulnerable regions. The outcomes of the UN Climate Change Conference 29 reaffirmed the necessity of space technologies in climate finance and disaster response. The recent host country agreement for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage highlights the importance of geospatial data in assessing climate-induced damage and mobilizing international support. In closing, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening international cooperation in space science, technology transfer, and data sharing. By fostering partnerships and leveraging space applications for the common good, we aim to ensure that space remains a force for sustainable development, benefiting present and future generations alike. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Philippines for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Thailand. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Over the year 2024, Thailand leveraged its space capabilities toward achieving priorities in 4 areas: space applications for people, for farmers, for policymakers, and for services of the future. First, space applications for people. One of the challenges threatening Thai people's health is air pollution. Air quality index accessed from information measured by satellites and remote sensing systems stand as indispensable factors for pollution management. And short-term prediction of the pollution. Air quality derived from satellite data has been released publicly and through a mobile application, Shakefund. Moreover, Thailand is one part of the Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality, or AsiaAQ. The program has collected essential atmospheric and air pollution data by airborne missions Thai researchers have teamed up with the international scientists from United States, Republic of Korea, and others to identify air pollution sources and pollutant gradients across the region. The delivery of Thailand's comprehensive report on the origins of the pollution will be launched within March 2025. In addition, the geospatial data has been in our health map platform, LifeD, for warning of diseases. Last year, we started with respiratory disease, the illness that associated with air pollution, and then expanded to include heat stroke and dengue fever. In the next year, the mission will bring a new service for elderly and disabled persons to keep them updated on the existing facilities activities in public area. These projects are examples in using space applications to enhance healthcare and well-being sector in the country. Second, space applications for farmers. Agriculture is our vital economic engine. Space technology is an effective tool to increase value of agricultural yields and minimize cost of production. The platform SG Farm allows community engagement in providing input on agricultural activities. It is equipped with GIS QR code traceability and climate change information. The platform promotes community in accessing geospatial data and insights that are tailor-made for their farms and fields. The platform has been allowed to serve neighboring countries and obtain data input provided from them. The active collaboration in space for agriculture makes a stronger food security in the region. Third, space application for policymakers. Among the priorities of the policymakers is the extensive utilization of space-based application in addressing and tackling carbon-related challenges. The Carbon Atlas A green and forest monitoring system has been developed in with the intention to gather environmental data measured by satellites for assessing green areas and carbon sequestration, leading to fair carbon trading. On the top of that, the satellite data also plays an important role in the implementation of Clean Air Management Act as the vital factors for the definition of airshed covering the whole country, which will be adopted for air pollution management and warning mechanism. Fourth, space application for services of the future. By leveraging our remote sensing capability, for instances mobile mapping system, LiDAR scanner, and GNSS, we have gathered 3D position data of buildings, road shape and area surrounding in selected cities. The database of flood history, which is a seasonal disaster in Thailand, has been integrated in the platform. The convergence of various geospatial information could promote smart city in the country. Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, the report Thailand made reflects key highlights of using space application in the 2024, which mostly has been undertaken continuously for many years. Thailand still remains commitment on enhancing space application for better community, better life, and better future of our people. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Thailand for her statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia. You have the floor.

Madam Chair, we are all striving to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and space offers creative solutions to existing challenges. Space acts as an enabler for development, with its impact growing alongside scientific advancements. Interdisciplinary technological innovations, and the modern world's need for sustainability. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has recognized the benefits of harnessing space to serve its developmental goals and aspirations, which include human well-being, safety, security, quality of life, environmental sustainability, and the availability of valuable employment opportunities in alignment with the objectives of Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia has adopted a comprehensive approach to leveraging the promising space sector by establishing the necessary enablers to unlock the potential benefits of space. These enablers include developing a highly skilled workforce of both— for both genders, identifying national priorities, providing support for research, development, and innovation, and creating an optimal ecosystem for a comprehensive space sector. This includes financing tools, legislative frameworks, and raising awareness among stakeholders to embrace space-based innovative solutions. While traditional applications in satellite communications, navigation, and Earth observation play a fundamental role in the Kingdom's transformation journey and benefit various public and private sectors, we also observe and increasing adoption of space and artificial intelligence-based solutions. In line with the Kingdom's space sector strategy, a global initiative has been launched to provide innovative solutions to real-world challenges in multiple fields, fostering entrepreneurship and creating high-quality jobs. These challenges include utilizing Earth observation from space to assist urban planning experts in detecting urban heat islands in cities and supporting development plans within the Quality of Life Program. Additionally, space data is being used to monitor the progress of major projects across the Kingdom, support infrastructure development, track vegetation coverage, and combat desertification under Saudi Green Initiative. AI is being employed to analyze vegetation characteristics, and space data is being utilized to monitor Saudi Arabia's progress towards reducing emissions, aiming for zero net emissions by 2060. Madam Chair, the sustainable advancement of space applications and exploration depends on a capable workforce that can push the boundaries of innovation. Saudi Arabia places great importance on developing human capital in this field for both genders. Educational institutions are incorporating space-related science, knowledge, and concepts into curricula across various academic levels as part of their development plans. Meanwhile, the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission provides specialized professional programs year-round in collaboration with the universities. The Saudi Space Agency has launched the SARI initiative, targeting students from more than 40 universities across the Kingdom to compete in the development of small satellites. Participants will be provided with a comprehensive learning environment, including experts of their vision, training programs to develop scientific and engineering skills, and access to necessary technical resources to ensure high efficiency. Project execution, culminating in the launch of satellites by the winning teams. The economies, the economies and jobs of the future are a core element of Vision 2030. The space sector is witnessing increasing local and international investments, keeping pace with economic and technological transformations. Additionally, the number of local and global startups in Saudi Arabia's space sector is on the rise. As part of its role in empowering the space sector, the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission launched the Space Entrepreneurship Alliance in 2023 to promote growth and sustainability in the sector, establish an entrepreneurial ecosystem, and build a robust infrastructure to support entrepreneurs in the Kingdom. The alliance includes academic institutions and national programs to support innovation. By the end of 2024, the alliance has helped launch 20 pioneering space startups for 7 countries worldwide, contributing innovative solutions in Earth observation, orbital sustainability, and artificial intelligence applications. Madam Chair, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host a side event on Wednesday, February 5th, in Hall M2 to showcase its experience in stimulating the space economy under the title Space Up: Unlocking the Space Economy. The event will highlight key lessons from this experience. We invite you all, distinguished delegations, to attend. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of China. You have the floor.

Thank you. Distinguished delegates, Madam Chair, for a long time the Chinese government has attached great importance to the important role played by science and technology in space, social and economic development, and has continued to make use of space technology in the service of sustainable economic and social development. China has more than 900 satellites operating stably in orbit, including more than 400 remote sensing satellites, and the application of space technology has become an indispensable and important means of economic and social development, resource and environment protection, disaster prevention, mitigation, and As well as nurturing of new industries, in terms of remote sensing capacity building, in 2024, Fengyun 3G and F satellite launched by China were formally put into operation, and they were grouped with Fengyun 3D and E satellites in order in orbit for observation. In terms of climate change monitoring, the atmospheric Environmental monitoring satellites was put into operation in July 2024, providing important data support for addressing global climate change. The satellite is the world's first high-position atmospheric environment remote sensing satellite using laser active detection means, which can carry out large-scale continuous dynamic all-day comprehensive. monitoring of atmospheric fine particles, pollutant gases, greenhouse gases, et cetera. In terms of terrestrial ecological monitoring, also in July 2024, the Carbon Monitoring Satellite for Terrestrial Ecosystem was put into operation. The satellite, also known as JiuMan, is The world's first remote sensing satellite for joint active and passive observation of forest carbon sinks. In terms of marine environment observation, in November 2024, China's first ocean salinity detection satellite was successfully launched. The satellite adopts the world's first one-dimensional, two-dimensional integrated aperture active-passive joint detection system and acquires high-precision global ocean salinity information in round-the-clock and all-weather manner. In terms of data sharing and application, in 2024, Fengyun satellite provided 150 TB of data services for international users in 132 countries and regions and provided data services support for 45 emergencies for major meteorological disasters in 20 countries around the world. China has responded to the requests of other countries and provided satellite platform and promoted the realization of Sustainable Development Agenda. China's Sustainable Development Scientific Satellite-1, which was launched in 2021, has cumulatively shared more than 410,000 views of image data with international users. In 104 countries. In last year, we have shared 88 views and 220 GB of data. In terms of international cooperation, China participated in hosting the 4th International Forum on big data for sustainable development and carried out the first batches of Belt and Road meteorological visiting scholar programs. China continued to support the United Nations Program on Space Applications. In 2024, the center enrolled 51 postgraduate students from 19 countries in 4 specialties, namely remote sensing and geographic information systems, satellite navigation, and small satellite technologies. Madam Chair, the Chinese government attaches great importance to the role of Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of COPUS in guiding the application of space technology to sustainable development and social development. And appreciates the achievements that have been made. China is willing to engage in broad cooperation and exchanges with the relevant countries in this area and to make great contributions. Thank you.

We will continue our consideration of Agenda Item 4, Space for Sustainable Development, Technology and Its Applications. We will now suspend the plenary meeting so that the Working Group of the Whole can hold its first meeting. Following the adjournment of the Working Group meeting, we will then resume the plenary with a view to proceeding with technical presentations. Thank you.

Distinguished delegates, now we will— we announce that the plenary will resume at 12:10 to Now, yeah, of course.

Okay.

Now at 11:55 to hear the 4 technical presentations. Thank you.

Thank you.

Distinguished delegates, I would like to give the floor to the Secretariat.

Distinguished delegates, I apologize for this intervention because it's very important for the delegates to know the arrangements that we have made for the informal consultations on Unispace 4, which takes place from 1:15 PM. I would like to inform the delegates that informal consultations on Unispace 4 will be held in hybrid format from 1:15 PM 15 PM today. And for delegates who wish to participate online, please use the link that we have established for the working group of the whole. The MAS Teams link is contained in the information circular dispatched on 23rd January 2025, correspondence reference CU-2025- So, the link for the informal consultations for virtual participation for the Unispace 4 consultations is contained in the information circular dispatched on the 23rd of January for the Working Group as a whole. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Thank you, distinguished delegates. I would now turn to proceed with technical presentations. At this meeting, we will have 4 technical presentations. Presenters are kindly reminded that technical presentations should be limited to 10 minutes in length. The first presentation on my list is on global implementation of active debris removal by the representative of Japan. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Hello, I'm Nobuo Okada, the founder and the CEO of Astroscale. Can you show the slide, possibly? Thank you. Hello, I'm Nobuo Okada, founder and CEO of Astroscale. Space debris is a shared global threat that demands immediate actions. Active debris removal, or ADR, has long been discussed, but is the right timing to take off? And the role of the UN COPUOS and all the member states is significant. Let me explain. This is a visualization of trackable debris back in 2013 when I founded Astroscale, and all the red dots were trackable debris made of large pieces of defunct satellites and rocket upper stages. And there were millions of small, untrackable, invisible and detrimental debris caused by fragmentations. I realized space debris had already made the space environment unsustainable, and today the situation has intensified. Next slide, please. The left charts tell how much the number of satellites and trackable debris have increased over the last decade and that how much more congested the space environment will be by 2030. The right chart, blue line, explains the number of monthly near misses between satellites and trackable debris within 1 kilometer, highlighting that the risk is increasing and the return is decreasing in space, because satellites have to burn expensive fuels to move out of the way of debris. Now, it's standard procedure to have collision avoidance maneuvers, but this is not enough to protect your assets in space. Next slide, please. Major fragmentation events have occurred almost every month since last June and added thousands of pieces of new trackable debris and much more untrackable debris, just increasing the risk of collisions. So we have to clean up existing debris for remediation, otherwise the costs are going to be very expensive. Next slide, please. What are the costs associated with such fragmentations? There are 3 types of costs. The first, direct cost, which includes the cost of collision avoidance maneuvers with trackable debris and the cost of losing satellites with untrackable debris. But there are other costs too. The second one is the cost of cascading effects known as the Kessler syndrome, where debris from one fragment fragmentation causes— goes on to generate additional debris through subsequent collisions. And the third one is the cost of losing access to the satellite data on Earth. Our daily lives depends on satellite data for many applications, so that could have a significant impact on the global GDP of $100 trillion. Let's have a deep dive into the direct cost. Next slide, please. Last year, NASA published a well-researched document titled Cost and Benefit Analysis of Mitigating, Tracking, and Remediating Orbital Debris. Based on this model, we conducted a simulation assuming a catastrophic fragmentation of a 3-ton large debris in the highly congested orbit at 800 kilometers altitude. Please look at the upper right chart. The results showed that over the next following decade, this would result in a loss of $4,000 million, or $4 billion, across the entire LEO. Look at the center right. Interestingly, if we limit the scope of the damage to a 25-kilometer-wide region around 650-kilometer altitude, which is very preferred by the scientific missions, the loss is $200 million. In the bottom right, for the ISS at 400-kilometer altitude, the cost is $17 million. So these $200 million and $17 million are substantial, but not as big as the cost of entire layer of $4 billion. So this is a typical issue of global commons. The cost of $4 billion is distributed among many operators, so there's insufficient incentive for individual operator because the cost of taking taking no action on remediation is perceived to be much lower than the cost of taking action. Next slide, please. But there is hope. Commercial ADR solution is within our reach. Many companies are working on this technology, and a few countries are funding ADR technology development to commercial players. And companies like Astroscale are proving approach and capture technologies. Talking about our missions, the upper center is, uh, ELSA-D, the world's first debris removal technology demonstration mission. We launched a servicer and dummy debris 4 years ago and successfully proved technologies of absolute navigation, relative navigation, magnetic capture, and release release mechanism and autonomous tracking. The upper right is ADRAS-J, the world's first real debris inspection mission, partner with— partnering with JAXA. We launched one year ago, and achievements of ADRAS-J made headlines globally. We have other debris removal missions like Elsa-M for removing the multiple defunct satellites and ADRAS-J2 for moving 3-ton rocket upper stage, and both will be launched over the next couple of years. Next slide, please. These images are achievements of ADRAS-J mission. Left and the center images are world's first image of the real debris taken from 50 meters behind the client. Right one is a time-lapse sequence of fly-around And achieving this technology is— was no small feat. The debris is traveling around the Earth at a tremendous speed. So our next mission is to remove this 3-ton debris in a couple of years, and this capability can be the foundation of removing other large environmentally critical objects. Next slide, please. You might wonder how much the cost of ADR is. The cost-effectiveness of ADR is evident. We contracted the removal of 3-ton objects at around $80 million. So if no action is taken, the direct cost alone will be $4 billion, and the cost will be even higher when we consider long-term secondary or tertiary costs. However, market failure stance. The cost of taking actions belong to a certain country or company like us, but the benefit belongs to all the space actors. The cost of taking no action belong not only to the polluters but also to all the actors. So that's why the role of UN COPUs and member states are significant. Where else can we discuss this matter? Let's say we had $5 billion funding, it will likely be possible to remove the top 50 pieces of large debris. Next slide, please. In summary, there is urgent need of ADR, and collision avoidance maneuver help, but they are not enough. ADR missions are crucial for true remediation, and prevention is more economical and effective than the cure. Unfortunately, due to the market failure, commercial customers of 480R don't exist. The costs are borne by a few and the benefits are shared by all. So the UN, through platforms like UN Copious, can facilitate international cooperation, funding, and global standards for safety and transparency. Next slide, please. Let's stop the deterioration of space environment for the generation to come. The world is counting on you and us to solve the market failure of remediation. For the member states with multiple assets and objects in orbit, it's time to recognize the long-term long-term risk and economic value of ADR, and let's develop the necessary technology, policies, and funding schemes. And for all the countries, including the ones just beginning your spacefaring journey, please advocate your fellow member states to take the right steps and actively participate in the ADR discussions. We need your unanimous commitment and your leadership to address the market failure for ADR, and let's work together. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Japan for the presentation. The second presentation on my list is on China's Earth observation System Promotes Global Socioeconomic Sustainable Development by the representative of China. You have the floor.

Honorable Chair and distinguished delegates, I'm Gao Jing from the Earth Observation System and Data Center of China National Space Administration. Today, I'm going to present China's Earth Observation System Promotes Global Socioeconomic Sustainable Development. My presentation contains 4 parts: introduction, global Earth observation ability, sustainable development efforts that we have made, and finally, the future cooperation. Firstly, please allow me to briefly introduce the CNSA. The China National Space Administration is the governmental organization of People's Republic of China responsible for the management of space activities for civilian use and international space cooperation with other countries and performs the corresponding governmental functions. The Earth Observation System and Data Center, also known as EOSDC, of the CNSA is the overall project unit of China's high-resolution Earth observation system and civil satellite. It is responsible for organizing and facilitating international collaboration in the field of space emergency response, Earth observation and civilian remote sensing satellite data. To date, we have signed nearly 200 space cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries, regions, and also international organizations, over 40 of which pertain to the field of Earth observation. Next, I will provide an overview of the development of China's global Earth observation abilities. Currently, China has more than 900 satellites in orbit, over 400 of which are dedicated to Earth observation. Some of the major civil Earth observation satellites, including the High-Resolution Earth Observation System, the GF series, meteorological satellites, preliminarily the FY series, ocean observation satellites, the HY series, as well as land observation satellite series, such as the ZY and HJ satellite series. Since 2010, the High-Resolution Earth Observation System has been implemented for more than 10 years, And a series of Earth observation satellites represented by the GF-1 to GF-7 have been launched. These satellites cover both, both low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit, featuring advanced technology, diverse capabilities, and overall performance that meets international standards. Since 1988, China has successfully launched 21 civil meteorological satellites representing 2 generations and 4 types, including the FY-1, 2, 3, and 4 series. Currently, there are 9 FY satellites in orbit. As of now, China has launched 14 ocean monitoring satellites in the HY series for ocean observation, and the satellites form a comprehensive ocean observation network consisting of the HY-1 series for ocean color, the HY-2 series for ocean dynamic environment, the HY-3 series as the new generation of ocean color satellites. And the HY-4 series for the ocean salinity detection, as well as the China-France Ocean Satellites, the CFOSAT. And currently, China's civil land observation satellites preliminarily primarily include the ZY series, the HJ series, as well as the 2 L-band InSAR satellites, The LSTAR-01A and B, with a total of 30 satellites in orbit. China has adhered to the principles of openness and sharing in its Earth observation system development, collaborating with multiple countries and regions to launch satellites such as the China Brazil Earth resource satellites, the CBERS, the CFOSAT, the Changheng-1, and the Macau Science-1. These satellites provide valuable space-based data for resource monitoring, ocean observation, and electromagnetic monitoring. China is also progressing with the CBERS-5 satellites, a high-altitude meteorological satellite that will enhance global meteorological data collection. In addition, under supportive policies, China's commercial remote sensing sector has experienced rapid growth, developing high-quality satellite data resources in both optical and radar satellite domains. Over 100 commercial satellites have been launched, and their applications are already extensive, Moving forward, more commercial satellites, including optical, synthetic aperture radar, and multispectral satellites, will be launched, further expanding the commercial services. Next, I will focus on the applications and the efforts we have made in the field of sustainable development. The China National Space Administration has collaborated with BRICS countries to establish a BRICS remote sensing satellite constellation consisting of 6 satellites and 5 ground stations following nearly a decade of efforts. Since the formal formation of the constellation, substantial data exchange has commenced and domestic demonstration applications are being progressively developed. China receives satellite imagery data from both— from other BRICS countries and through a dedicated data platform offers data browsing and downloading services. As more countries join the BRICS community, we hope that constellation will continue to be enriched with new members, providing enhanced space-based information services for the sustainable socioeconomic development of the BRICS nations. Since the establishment of the constellations, we have utilized the BRICS data to conduct application demonstration in 6 major areas: the air pollution monitoring, carbon source and sink research, and water environment monitoring, agriculture production, environmental monitoring, and clean energy. These efforts provide critical science support for the sustainable socioeconomic development. During the 2023 Wenchang International Aerospace Forum, We officially launched the international version of the China Platform for Earth Observation System, also known as CP EOS, which is designed to provide global data sharing services. The CP EOS will leverage China's high-quality Earth observation resource in conjunction with advantageous policies for satellite data sharing. satellite data export in the Hainan Freeport to offer remote sensing satellite data and product services to international users. It will also provide multi-source remote sensing data to support international disaster reduction efforts. And the China and France Ocean Satellite, also known as C4SAT, collaboration has Advanced the research and application of satellite-based ocean remote sensing. The product it acquires, including sea surface and wind fields and wave spectra, wide swath of significant wave height, polar sea ice, multi-satellite integrated wind fields, and swell, provide new data source for ocean environment forecasting, marine disaster monitoring, and global climate change research. In the area of air pollution monitoring, we actively utilize the ICESat satellites, GF-5 satellite, and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Monitoring satellite, also known as TM-1, to conduct global monitoring of pollutants. such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide, and ozone. This has resulted in the development of a series of pollution gas monitoring products, providing crucial, crucial data for atmosphere environment monitoring. And in the greenhouse gas monitoring field, We also use the FY satellites, the Golf GF5 and the CM1, to conduct quarterly dynamic monitoring of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane. This includes calculating the column average mole fraction for these gases across various regions, providing important reference data for studying their emission patterns and distribution. And on September 10th, 2023, Hurricane Daniel made landfall along the Mediterranean coast of eastern Libya, causing widespread flooding in the Derna region. It resulted in more than 11,000 deaths and left over 10,000 people missing. To support the disaster response efforts, we utilized 5 satellites, including the GF series and CY series, to observe the affected areas. A total of 8 satellite imaging sessions were conducted, and we generated 14 valid datasets, which were promptly provided to the Charter for emergency coordination. And based on the high-resolution spectral information from the GF-5 Advanced Hyperspectral Imager, we accurately obtained precise land type information in the coastal area of Dubai, effectively serving ecological environment monitoring. water quality monitoring, marine environment supervision, and even fishery activity supervision. In the field of international disaster reduction, China officially joined the Charter Mechanism in 2007. Since then, China has actively activated the Charter Mechanism for 32 major domestic disasters and has provided over 6,000 remote sensing images from Chinese satellites to support disaster response in more than 80 countries, covering 280 instances of global disasters. This has contributed significantly to international disaster reduction and relief efforts, offering essential satellite data and services. Finally, I will discuss the outlook for future cooperation. Honorable Chair and distinguished delegates, looking ahead, our mission is to advance space technology, expand the sharing of EO data and promote the greater use in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. By enhancing the data accessibility and fostering international cooperation, we aim to address global challenges and drive sustainable development across all sectors. Our vision is to apply the Earth observation data in more scenarios, support global sustainability, and build a community with a shared future for humanity. Through these efforts, we will contribute to achieving the SDGs and create a more resilient, equitable, and prosperous world for all. In conclusion, let us continue to work together harnessing the power of space technology and collaboration to build a brighter and more sustainable future for all. And thank you for listening.

I thank the distinguished representative of China for the presentation. The 3rd presentation on my list is on current stage of space situational awareness development in Kazakhstan by the representative of Kazakhstan.

Dear Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, thank you for a very nice opportunity to talk about current state of SSA development in Kazakhstan. Next slide, please. Just shortly about history of SSA development. So it dates back to the end of '50s when the first satellite was launched in 1957. And since that time, we gained quite good experience in near-Earth object observations. And for today, as you know, we have few communication satellites and LEO satellites in Kazakhstan. And today, it's very relevant for Kazakhstan to develop SSA system.

Thank you.

And on this slide, you see also our new observatory, which is in the southeast part of Kazakhstan. And it's— for today, it is one of the, I would say, unique observatories in the world. If you consider light pollution, you will see it's one of the best locations. And also, if you consider geographical locations. Also talking about astroclimates, we have today around 1,500 hours for observations, not actually— not only for near-Earth object observation, also for distant objects in deep space. And for Today, we recently started to develop our own optical instrument in Kazakhstan, which are based on the wide field of view optical systems, which are mostly designed and developed and produced in Kazakhstan. So you see all these— not all of these, but part of our—

—systems.

optical instrument which we use for LEO, GEO, and other objects in near-Earth space. So you see essential difference. You see 2020 and 2025. You see, roughly saying, empty observatory in a sea You can see again, for today we have essentially a number of optical telescopes, including actually international— our international partners from different countries. So actually, this observatory is open for other international partners. Please, just welcome to our observatory. It's actually just for your— Attention, its elevation is about 3,000 meters above sea level. And today our instrument mostly used for resident space object catalog support for LEO survey and for follow-up observation of asteroids. And 2 years ago, became a member of International Asteroid Warning Network, which are under United Nations, as you know. Next, yes. Our capabilities. I would like to say about our capabilities, what we can do for SSA. On this slide you see a real observation of a near-miss event which happened last December. You see a flyby of one satellite, Intelsat, near horizon on these animations. Also, you can see meteorite 2024XA, which flyby last December over Russia, and we did this observation before this meteorite was disintegrated in Earth's atmosphere. Also last December, we did observation of Intelsat 33, which we remember was exploded, and we did observation of space debris of this satellite, which was quite crucial for our communication satellite, KasSat-3, which actually one of these space debris approached to our satellite, but fortunately it didn't impact our communication satellite.

Thank you.

Also here. Also on, on this slide, you see our capabilities to make observation of International Space Station. On the right part of this slide, you see International Space Station, which is quite interesting for— to, to test and develop our methodology for identification and other aspects of, uh, observation of space objects. And actually, for today, we use a direct mount, which are very fast, and it lets us to slew telescope something like 50 degrees per 1 second. Also, many works developed to spectrally spectroscopic and follow-up observation of asteroid in Kazakhstan. Here we see some example of scientific result which help us to identify and to work with material science, which are quite important today since a lot of— we have a lot of space debris, a lot of satellites which we have to And this mythology is quite good developed today in Kazakhstan. And ongoing projects, we have ongoing project today, and one of the main project is astronomical hub in Kazakhstan. And I mentioned before, so our observatory is open for all stakeholders. So please, just welcome to our observatory. And as I said, some international— our partner already presents in our observatory for SSA systems. So please just consider our invitation to be a part of this astronomical hub in Kazakhstan. And as also I mentioned, all this work we mostly doing for International Asteroid Warning Network. And still we are also working to wide, or to, how to say, to make a network of telescope which is for us scalable for today. So in few years we plan to accommodate around 90 small aperture telescopes in our observatory, including Kazakh and international telescopes. On this slide, you see our local production. It's for today, it's a piece production of mirrors which we use for our own optical instrument. And also, Also, we will complete this year a new wide field of view optical instrument. It's around up to 1 meter in aperture, which will be the biggest in this observatory for this year. And let me tell you about our very ambitious projects is projects about CISLUNA telescope. Last year, actually, I told you about our plans to proceed to this lunar telescope, and fortunately we got a state budget to develop this CISLUNA telescope along with Kazakh-French company GALAM, which is located in Kazakhstan, which is— which has assembling and testing facilities to to produce, to make spacecraft. And at this first stage, we are going to make a concept design technology. And next, next, next stage, we hopefully finish around 2028, '29, and it will be hopefully launched by 2029.

Thank you.

to solve many, many questions, especially connected with asteroid, maybe also with Apophis, which is going to be in 2029, which is quite very dangerous for geo-satellites, for geo-orbits, as we know. And actually, all points which will be considered by the Zvezda telescope also can fundamental astrophysics, and also near-Earth space objects. And for today, this project is just implemented by a Kazakh company, but also I would like to invite all international partners, all stakeholders who are interested in the CISLUNA telescope to join our project. And that's basically it, and thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kazakhstan for the presentation. The 4th presentation on my list is on Paraguay Space Agency, Advancing Space Technology and Geospatial Data, Paraguay's Journey Towards Innovation and Sustainability, by the representative of Paraguay. You have the floor.

Thank you very much. Distinguished Chair, Excellencies, delegates, and colleagues, it is an honor to address the 62nd session of the Scientific Technical Subcommittee on COPUS on behalf of the Paraguayan Space Agency. Paraguay is steadily advancing in space technology, geospatial data application, and international cooperation. This presentation highlights national initiatives, ongoing projects, and collaborative efforts to foster sustainable development through space-based technologies. The Paraguay Space Agency has 2 lines of development. One is related to space engineering, and the other line is related to Earth observations. To leverage satellite data data for environmental monitoring and disaster risk management and to advance in national satellite capabilities, both based on a strong capacity-building aspect. Next, please. In both areas, we created a laboratory. For space engineering, we created the Space Lab, and for Earth observation applications, we created a Geo Lab. Next, please. Next. The Geo Lab is the Earth observation and GIS laboratory that generates information based on geospatial data useful for decision makers in various areas.

Next, please.

We started in 2019 with the activation of the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters for the first time. We became project managers from that year in advance. That was our first experience and gave us the knowledge of how important it is to have our own capacity to analyze data, satellite data, and extract value information from them. From 2019, we started to grow our GEO-Lab activities, and we are producing periodically publications where is all the work and analysis collected and compiled. One of the key points on our advancement is our cooperation with JICA. We have a strong relationship with Japan. Let me remember that the first satellite of Paraguay was launched in 2021, thanks to the cooperation with Japan. Now, we are expanding this cooperation in other areas. areas in the space sector. And this project is the first space sector cooperation project in the region, the Latin American region, and the second project in the world in this area with JICA. The general objective of this project is to contribute to development of national skills in the space sector and to strengthen the social, economic, and technological development of the country. We have 3 aspects that we are developing with this project. The first is satellite development, especially satellite testing. The second is satellite data utilization in climate change impacts, agriculture, livestock, and disaster management. And the third is a strong component of capacity building in satellite development, satellite data application for agriculture and for disaster management. As a result, we have 2 pilot projects, one on disaster management and the other one in agriculture. Next. As you can see here, we have— this is our first result. We have selected the capital city of Asunción as a test area for implementing this pilot project in disaster management. This project will develop hazard map, hazard risk, and evaluation of evacuation route for Asunción City that is affected by floodings periodically. And we started a working group with 10 national institutions in order to implement this pilot project. Also, we developed a pilot project in agriculture with 12 institutions where we are implementing soybean acreage on the selected pilot sites. We're developing a procedure manual for establishing estimating cultivated areas using spatial data, and we conduct series of workshops for knowledge transfer. Part of this project also was a GEO-LAB training program in Japan due to a KCCP training program with JICA. We spent 1.5 months in Japan learning with academic institutions, data collection and field measurements with— for spatial data validation, training sessions in private companies and public institutions, and practical sessions in universities in Japan. Other ongoing projects also are the identification of fruit and vegetable production using remote sensing, to support economic planning and agricultural sustainability. And also we have another project, pilot project related to forests in watercourse areas. And finally, we have contributed with a Japanese company called ArcheAge Space in the development of applications, cell phone application to give spatial data information for agriculture producers in Paraguay. This is a very important project that we will present on February 19th in Paraguay. Other aspect that we are developing is space technology projects. In the Space Lab, we are working on the second satellite, the Guarani satellite. Sat-2, that is to promote, to increase Paraguay's space capacity, to design, build, test, launch, and operate Paraguay's second satellite. We have participation of organizations from many countries around the world. I'm sorry, something happened with the presentation. Can you please go back again in the— next. Thank you. This is explored by vision of the satellite that is in the first assembly now, the first integration, the main bus of Guaraní-Sat-2. We also have many other initiatives in order to expand this capacity.

Next, please.

As a high-altitude balloon competition with high schools.

Next, please.

We also participated with the Kyushu Institute of Technology in the Birds-X project. Next, please. And we collaborated with an Argentinian space company called InnovaSpace. Next, please.

Next.

And we also are participating in another project with the Kyushu Institute of Technology where we are participating in diverse RPM mission. The Paraguayan mission named CABUREI, Capacity Building Research and Innovation for Space.

Next, please.

Finally, we— Paraguay is committed to leveraging space technology for national and global benefit. We invite further cooperation with the global space community. Next, please. Distinguished delegates, Paraguay remains committed to strengthening its roles in the global space sector through innovation, research and international cooperation. We aim to contribute to the peaceful use of outer space. Thank you for your attention. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Paraguay for the presentation. The 5th presentation on my list is on the 3rd International Moon Day results and outlook for 2025 by the observer of Moon Village Association. You have the floor.

Greetings everyone, and welcome to International Moon Day. It's an honor for us to address the Science and Technical Subcommittee session. of the UN COPUS and present the International Moon Day 2024 review and future outlook. My name is Nasser Al-Sahaf, Chair of the International Moon Day Group, and this is a brief about the origins of the International Moon Day, its goals, themes, previous events, as well as our plans for the 4th IMD main event later this year. In 2021, the Moon Village Association, an NGO, proposed to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space the creation of an International Moon Day to commemorate lunar exploration missions of the past and humanity's planned return to the lunar surface this decade. This proposal was endorsed by COPOS and subsequently by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2021, officially declaring the International Moon Day to be observed on the 20th of July annually. The goals of the IMD are mainly to promote public awareness involving different countries, as well as industry, academia, and space agencies. With special emphasis on the sustainability of lunar exploration utilization and fostering global cooperation in the process. The IMD impact can only be understood when we look at the benefits it bestows upon stakeholders all over the world. You are all invited to organize events on this day, July 20th, to bring awareness and foster cooperation in sustainable lunar activity to achieve optimal solutions towards a balanced approach for the next generation of human presence on the Moon. An essential part of the IMD work model is to be globally inclusive by utilizing gig economy platforms to reach out for more refined lunar-based knowledge through contemporary knowledge management. And employing modern techniques. IMD will emerge as a platform by itself to foster new lunar science and technologies. From the outset of its inaugural year, the adoption of a theme has become an integral part of the International Moon Day. In 2022, its theme was Lunar Exploration, Coordination, and Sustainability, thus reflecting the trend by various stakeholders in the early years of the decade, and was hosted at the Drake State Community and Technical College in Huntsville, Alabama, USA. In 2023, the theme was Beginning the New Lunar Journey for Humanity. This was a clear signal of the multiple missions planned globally and launched in 2023, and was hosted by the Science Museum in Gwacheon, South Korea. In 2024, the theme was Illuminating the Shadows, a literal metaphor for illuminating the Moon's deep craters as well as planned exploration missions on the lunar surface by many global actors. This 3rd main event was jointly hosted by the Harbin Institute of Technology and the Chinese Society of Astronautics in Harbin, China. This slide shows the geographical spread of IMD 2024 global events, and we hope to grow this every year. One of the most popular global events was the Telerobotics Experience. 3 organizations— NeuroSpace from Germany, ICES from Hawaii, and Mission Control from Canada— made available rovers in a simulated lunar environment to be controlled remotely by students in 22 teams composed from 15 countries. Every year we see an increase in the number of participating countries and students in this specific category of robotics. You can find more information on our website as well as download the IMD 2024 annual report. This brings us to the selection process of the IMD main event. Every year is not without difficulties. Potential host countries or cities must apply to the IMD website well in advance for consideration of hosting this global event, normally immediately after the main event of the year, namely in July, or even earlier. If any are interested in hosting the 5th IMD Main Event, for 2026, I would strongly encourage you to apply now. A detailed proposal should include a proposed theme by the host city or country, in addition to a detailed plan or strategy of execution. Of particular importance would be the availability of budget for the event and international media coverage. And this brings us to this year's 4th International Moon Day for 20 July 2025. This year's IMD main event will be hosted at the Adnex Center in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, by the Emirates Council for Work Relations Development, with a theme of One Moon, One Vision, One World. I look forward to greeting all of you there. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished observer of Moon Village Association for the presentation. Distinguished delegates, I will shortly adjourn this meeting. Before doing so, I I would like to inform delegates of our schedule of work for this afternoon. We will meet promptly at 3 PM. We will continue our consideration of Agenda Item 3, General Exchange of Views. We will continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of Agenda Item 4, Space for Sustainable Development, Technology and Its Applications, including the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, pending the consideration of the draft contribution to the High-Level Political Forum and consideration of the item by the Working Group of the Whole. We will begin our consideration of Agenda Item 5, Space Debris. We will then suspend the plenary meeting so that the Working Group of the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities can hold its first meeting. Following the adjournment of the Working Group meeting, We will then resume the plenary to proceed with technical presentations. We will have 5 technical presentations this afternoon. Delegates are reminded that the full schedule of technical presentations is available on the session's webpage. I'd like to inform delegates that informal consultations on Unispace 4 will be held in Conference Room M3 from 1:15 PM today, a hybrid format. The MS Teams link is contained in the information circular dispatched on January 23rd, 2025, CU 2025/18. It is the same link used for the working group of the hall. I'd also like to inform delegates that the informal consultations on the Conference Room Paper 20 submitted by will be held in Conference Room MOE 26 from 1:00 PM today. The schedule of consultations is available on the webpage of the session. I would like now to give the floor to the Secretariat to provide information on the side events.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Distinguished delegates, I'd like to inform distinguished delegates that there will be a As a side event, at 1 PM in Coffee Area M01 on the first floor, a networking lunch will be hosted by the delegation of Thailand. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the Secretary for the information provided. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule? I see none. Distinguished delegates, this meeting is adjourned until 3 PM today.

Thank you.