Outer Space: Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, 62nd session, 1032 meeting

Good afternoon, distinguished delegates. I now declare open the 1032nd meeting of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful uses of outer space. Distinguished delegates, we will suspend the plenary meeting so that the Working Group on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities can hold its 3rd meeting. We will then resume the plenary and continue our consideration of Agenda Item 10, Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities, with a view to endorsing the report of the Working Group on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities, And we'll hopefully conclude our consideration of this item. We will continue our consideration of agenda item 17, report to the committee on the peaceful uses of outer space. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule? I see none. Distinguished delegates, we will now suspend the plenary meeting so that the working group on long-term sustainability of outer space activities The Committee on Economic and Social Activities can hold its 3rd meeting. The meeting is now suspended. Distinguished delegates, we will now resume the plenary meeting of the subcommittee. I'd like to continue and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item 10, long-term sustainability of outer space activities, with the view to endorsing the report of the working group on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. I would like to give the floor— in a second. I'd like to give the floor to the Chair of the Working Group on Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities, Mr. Umama Heshwaran Raman of India, to present the report of the Working Group to the subcommittee.

You have the floor.

Thank you, distinguished Madam Chair, distinguished delegates. I am pleased to have This opportunity to inform you of the outcome of the work of the Working Group on Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities at the present session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. At this session, the Working Group held both formal and extensive informal consultations. During which it considered the substantive proposals before it and discussed the draft outline and indicative content for its final report, which according to the working group's terms of reference, methods of work, and work plan is to be submitted to the subcommittee at its next session in 2026. Distinguished Chair, at its meeting held earlier today, the Working Group adopted its report at this session, document A/AC.105/C.1/LTS 2025/L.1. With your permission, Chair, I hereby submit the working group's report to the subcommittee for its action. Thank you very much.

I thank Mr. Umamaheshwaran Ramon for the report. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to proceed to endorse the report of the Working Group on Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities, as contained in document A/AC.015/C.1/LTS/2025/L.1. Do I take that the subcommittee endorses the report of the Working Group on Long-Term Sustainability of Space Activities?

The report of the Working Group on Long-Term Sustainability of Space Activities is endorsed.

We have now concluded our consideration of Agenda Item 10, Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities.

We will continue.

Distinguished delegates, we will now continue our consideration of Agenda Item 17, Report to the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. I'd like to remind delegates that due to ongoing liquidity crisis, our session must conclude by 6 PM tomorrow, on Friday. I count on your support. I'd also like to remind the delegates that there is a need to keep the report concise, and there is a word limit on each document. That being said, delegations should have before them the draft report as contained in document A/AC.105/C. C.1/L.420, as well as its addenda from 1 to 6. We will now continue by adopting the draft report paragraph by paragraph. This morning we have reviewed documents L.420 and addenda 1 to 4, so we now look at addenda 5, Addendum 5, paragraph 1.

Adopted.

Paragraph 2.

Russian Federation, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. We would like to request you to delete our country from the list of delegations since we did not take the Thank you.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 2 as amended? Adopted.

Paragraph 3.

Adopted.

Paragraph 4.

Adopted.

Paragraph 5.

Adopted.

Paragraph 6.

Adopted.

Paragraph 7.

Adopted.

Paragraph 8.

Adopted.

Paragraph 9.

Adopted.

Paragraph 10.

Adopted.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts the document A/AC.105/C.1/L.420/Addendum 5 as amended as a whole? Adopted.

Delegation should have in front document A/AC.105/C.1/L.420 addendum 6, paragraph 1.

Adopted.

Paragraph 2.

Adopted.

Paragraph 3.

Adopted.

Paragraph 4.

Adopted.

Paragraph 5.

Adopted.

Paragraph 6.

Adopted.

Paragraph 7.

Adopted.

Paragraph 8.

Adopted.

Paragraph 9.

Adopted.

Paragraph 10.

Distinguished representative of Kazakhstan.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

First of all, let me commend your able stewardship throughout the work of the conference. I also would like to thank our colleagues from the UNUSA for the great cooperation. We would like to add one paragraph. A separate one, which we submitted through the Secretariat, if you could display it on the screen, which is basically derived from the statement of our head of delegation and also the technical presentation made by our experts coming from the capital. We think it would be beneficial and timely to establish a regional center for space situational awareness in Kazakhstan, which would be affiliated to the United Nations. We have a favorable geographical location, good austroclimatic conditions, and developed scientific infrastructure capable of providing unique observation data inaccessible from other places on the globe. This is something that we have been doing before and providing the data and the services for the countries of our region of Central Asia. And we think that the establishment of a regional SSA center will facilitate cooperation between the countries of Central Asia, promote regional cooperation in space activities, the growth of competencies in the region on the issues of growing problems in near-Earth space, and effective interaction with other SSA systems in the world. I thank you.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 10 bis as proposed and seen on the screen? Adopted.

Paragraph 11.

Adopted.

Paragraph 12.

Adopted.

The United States.

Thank you, Chair. The United States had a proposed paragraph that we sent to the Secretariat, so it would be 12. BIS or 13 BIS, I'm, I'm not sure exactly where you want to place it, um, but, uh, I can read it. Uh, one second. Oh, that's it, you got it.

Shall I read it?

Yes.

Okay.

Some delegations expressed the view that conducting hypothetical asteroid impact tabletop exercises with international participants helped assess the global community's ability to respond effectively to the threat of a potentially hazardous asteroid or comet. The delegations expressing this view were also of the view that these exercises bring together key members in planetary science and government representatives of the international planetary defense community and other areas of expertise, such as emergency response, to explore how a global response to a future asteroid impact threat might be conducted. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Distinguished representative of Japan.

Thank you, Madam Chair, for giving me the floor. My delegation supports the new paragraph proposed by the distinguished delegate of the United States. As stated in the statement of my delegation, as one of the first activities of the newly established planetary defense team of JAXA, we participated in the tabletop exercise organized by NASA, FEMA, and the Department of State. We have found it very inspiring and beneficial. This has let us and enabled us to further commit ourselves in the field of planetary defense, including our support for the designation of the International Year of Asteroid and Planetary Defense as proposed by the distinguished delegate of Romania, Ivor St. Pege, and our engagement in outreach activities through Sentinel Asia. Therefore, I thank the distinguished delegate of the United States for inviting us to join this significant event, and once again, we support the proposed new paragraph with appreciation. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 12bis as proposed?

Adopted.

Paragraph 13.

Adopted.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts document A/AC105/C1/L.420/Addendum 6 as amended as a whole? Adopted.

Delegations should have before them document A/AC.105/C.1/L.420/addendum 9. And I will give the floor to the Secretary.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. This Addendum 9 contains part of the deliberations under this agenda item on the future role and the method of work of the Committee. Besides this Addendum 9, there are 2 other addendums. One contains the deliberations on the ATLAS Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultative rotation, and the other part contains the deliberation on the proposal to hold the Unispace 4. So those 2 parts are still on their way, and this part is just one part of the deliberation on this agenda item. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Paragraph 1.

Adopted.

Paragraph 2.

Adopted.

Paragraph 3.

Adopted.

Paragraph 4.

Adopted.

Paragraph 5.

Adopted.

Paragraph 6.

Adopted.

Paragraph 7.

Adopted.

Paragraph 8.

Adopted.

Paragraph 9.

Adopted.

Paragraph 10.

Adopted.

Paragraph 11.

Adopted.

Paragraph 12.

Adopted.

Paragraph 13.

Adopted.

Paragraph 14.

Adopted.

Paragraph 15.

Adopted.

Paragraph 16.

Russian Federation.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. My delegation would like to insert a new paragraph, 15 bis. I will read it out. I'll read it in English slowly. It's short.

It was expressed that the idea to establish the United Nations Information Platform on Space Objects and Events Should be further considered. Thank you.

Thank you.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 15bis as proposed? Adopted.

Paragraph 16.

Adopted.

Paragraph 17.

Adopted.

Paragraph 18.

Adopted.

Paragraph 19.

Adopted.

Paragraph 20.

Adopted.

Paragraph 21.

Distinguished representative of France.

Merci beaucoup.

Thank you very much, Madam Chairperson. We would like to slightly modify This— the view is expressed that grouping technical presentations by topic—

Topics and, yeah, and allowing time, blah, blah. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 21 as amended? Adopted. Paragraph 22. Adopted. Paragraph 23.

Adopted.

Do I check that the subcommittee adopts document A/AC.105/C.1/L.420/Addendum 9?

Aye.

As amended.

As a whole.

Adopted.

I'd like to go back to document A/AC.105/C.1/4.420/Addendum 2, and I would like to ask the distinguished delegate of Japan if you have, um, you can consider the paragraph 10.10, please.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Oh, okay, thank you very much. Uh, could you show us the draft? Ah, thank you very much. Uh, we, we heard the proposal from French delegations, and we would like to slightly modify the 10.10.TAR. The first part is the same as written. I would read out loud. Some delegations expressed the view that priority remains the mitigation of space debris considering that active debris removal measures retain many uncertainties at economic and technical levels. And we would like to end that sentence here. And then we continue with some delegations also expressed the view that the technical level at this stage does not address effectively— Sorry, the second part is start with some delegations, not the delegations. I'm sorry. So I would repeat the second sentence again. Some delegations also expressed I express the view that the technical level at this stage does not address effectively and urgently this crucial issue. I support the view expressed by the Sorry to interrupt, but the second part, we would like to have some delegation instead of the delegations.

Thank you. I would like to give the floor to the Secretariat.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I just would like to ask the clarification from the delegation of Japan whether that second sentence, the delegation, And some delegations expressing a view, the second part, exactly the same delegations as the first part of the delegations. If that is the case, the reporting language would be normally the delegations expressing this view, referring to the first part of the paragraph, would follow. I wonder if that's the case.

Yes.

Thank you for your clarifications. And of course, we are understood the intention, but this is our intention too. I understand the logic, but here we wanted to make it clear that still there is a diversion. So that's why that— yes, so that's why that we started— it is not, you know, it's not well reflected. We say that some delegations Also express the view that it's another sentence.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the secretary.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. If that is the case, I wonder if the second part. Can be a different paragraph. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

That's, that's okay for us.

Do I check that the subcommittee— distinguished delegate of India.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, essentially, that sentence, when it was there in the previous paragraph, it got tied up to the active debris removal, and there was a meaning in that sentence. So now, when it moved as a different sentence, It reads like this: Some delegations expressed the view that the technical level at this stage did not address effectively, urgently, this critical issue. This critical issue is actively the active debris removal, so it needs to be tied up with that. So probably if you can remove that this and put that active debris removal, it will make sense, meaning.

Thank you.

Do I take that subcommittee, France?

Thank you, Chairperson. I am having difficulty understanding here. I understand splitting, no problem, but I think we need to have some delegations express the view that active debris removal, or that the technical level of active debris removal—

Do not address— does not address effectively and urgently this crucial issue at this stage.

Yeah.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 10 ter as proposed?

Adopted.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 10, quote, As proposed.

Adopted.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts document A/AC.105/C.1/L.420/Addendum 2 as amended as a whole?

Yes.

Adopted.

I have been informed by the Secretariat that there are another 4 documents being uploaded just now, so I would propose delegates here to take a break until 4:30, that is 20 minutes in order to have a look at the documents and then continue with the report.

Thank you.

Distinguished delegates. Delegates should have before them the— another part of Addendum 10 on future role and method of work of the committee, the part on Action Team on Lunar Activities consultation.

That is document A/AC.105/C.1/L.420/Dandleton. We will proceed with adopting paragraph by paragraph.

Paragraph 1.

Adopted. Paragraph 2.

Adopted.

Paragraph 3.

Adopted.

Paragraph 4. Adopted. Paragraph 5.

Distinguished delegate of the United States.

Thank you, Chair. We just wanted to add a couple words in the first sentence of paragraph 5. It would read, the subcommittee noted with satisfaction that an increase increasing number of states have provided contributions to the action team and appointed their representatives? Because we recall that the subcommittee also noted that the contributions that were provided to UNUSA, they thanked the member states for those contributions and for those member states who appointed their representatives. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 5 as amended? Adopted.

Paragraph 6.

Adopted.

Paragraph 7.

Distinguished delegate of Italy, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. And since we have the reference to the mandate of the, of the action team, in the first, very first paragraph of this, of this addendum. I was wondering if all delegations are agree— are in agreement on, um, just stopping this paragraph, um, at the 3rd line when, when we say, uh, to advance discussion on the work plan of the action team, full stop. I don't think that it's necessary to recall part of the mandate. Here we took note of the mandate in the first paragraph of this document, and that would— that will be clearer in our view and, and, and more streamlined. And I, I would ask to delete all, all the, all the rest of the paragraph.

Thank you. Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 7 as amended? Adopted.

Paragraph 8.

Distinguished delegate of the United States.

Thank you, Chair. The United States would like to include a 7 bis paragraph that would say the subcommittee noted that the action team reflects the subcommittee's shared commitment to safe, responsible, and transparent behavior in space— safe, responsible, and transparent behavior in space, comma, to preserve the outer space environment, comma, and ensure a sustainable future in space for all. And I, I sent this— these words to the Secretariat also. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Distinguished representative of Russian Federation.

Я благодарю вас, что вы дали мне.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson, for giving me the floor, and I'm grateful also to the distinguished representative of the U.S. for the proposal. Distinguished colleagues, everybody knows what the Russian Federation thinks about responsible behavior. In outer space. Probably no point here in spending time once again conveying our position. Additionally, we don't believe that there are any responsibilities within the subcommittee with respect to that. So if there's no objection, we would like to reformulate the beginning of the, uh, sentence. We would change it from the subcommittee to some delegations.

Thank you, distinguished representative.

No? Okay.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 7bis as proposed? Distinguished delegate of the United States.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you to the distinguished delegate of the Russian Federation.

We—

that works for us. I just wanted one kind of grammatical fix on my initial contribution. It should say that some delegations expressed the view that the action team should reflect.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 7bis as proposed? Adopted.

Paragraph 8.

Adopted

paragraph nine.

Adopted

paragraph ten.

Adopted.

Paragraph 11.

Distinguished representative of the United States.

Thank you, Chair. 10 bis to reflect views that we shared in the informals and also the contributions we provided to UNUSA. We wanted to say some delegations expressed the view that the action team ensure that the views and activities of private sector actors are adequately considered and reflected. You can just drop the rest of it and just—

Okay.

After reflected, you can just delete the rest of that.

Yeah.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Do I take that the subcommittee adopts paragraph 10 bis as proposed? Adopted.

Paragraph 11.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I would like to add another paragraph before 11, actually, to reflect points of view that has been expressed on the role of non-governmental organizations and private sector in space.

Thank you.

Some delegations expressed the view that the action team should conduct its work in accordance to Article 6 of the treaty. We express a view that the role of private sector and non-governmental organizations should be in line with Article 6. And then there was another paragraph that was kindly suggested by our colleagues from the United States. If we can go up a bit, I think it was 7 or 7 bis.

Yes.

So, on the subcommittee shared commitment to all of these principles, I know that was expressed by some delegations, but also my delegation, as long as with other delegations, express a view that this should shared commitment that should be reflected is also full adherence to the OST. So, if we can add this to the list, I am okay with the placement at the beginning or at the end. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Chair. We wish to come back to para 7. And here we just wanted to ask if we could keep the second sentence starting from the subcommittee until para 3, as we consider that these topics should be reminded here explicitly in the document and that they're important to mention and also reflecting our discussions. Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you very much. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Actually, our comment was going to— was also going to be on the same paragraph. We were going to kindly ask the Secretariat to include the subcommittee also recalled that its work was to be without prejudice because it is important and We understand that Italy, the distinguished delegates of Italy, removed these parts because they are already in the terms of reference. But there is also another paragraph which was in the terms of reference, but it was preserved. So we think that this is important, these 7Bs, and we agree with the Belgian delegation. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can we back to paragraph 1? I think our name was missed in— because under this agenda item, we Made a statement, the future rule. Oh, sorry, sorry. Maybe it's late time and I made a mistake. Thank you.

Thank you, Chair. We would like to propose 5bis with wording from our statement which we have done under this agenda item, and we have sent the text to the Secretariat, and I would like to read it out. The view was expressed that the planned UNISPACE 4 conference would be an important milestone to concert efforts to anchor space on the next global agenda at international level beyond 2030. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair. So can we go back to number 5, please? Can we make there— can you hear me? Yes. Can you hear me?

Yes.

Can we add 5Bs or 5 there? Saying that the view was expressed— Wait a second, sorry.

Sorry.

So the view was expressing—

Yes.

Disagreement, or there was a view expressing disagreement regarding the use of—

Start again.

Yes, we start again. Sorry. The view was expressed disagreement— in disagreement, sorry— in disagreement regarding the use of the Back to the Future in this context.

Oh, it works!

Thank you so much. Apologies to the Secretariat who actually started running then. So we've been in discussion, I think, in the margins about this issue in general, about the view being expressed or whether it was expressed or not. And I think we have a solution in other places where this is an issue. So maybe we could put this in square brackets for the moment, but go to those other places and maybe solve them, and maybe that will help us to solve this as well. This is just a suggestion, Madam Chair. Of course, we're in your in your hands, but I think it's the issues on— in some of the other addendums that we could move to. This is just my humble suggestion, and then we could fix that and come back here and fix this as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Chair. Can we put in brackets for now this paragraph 6? Thank you.

I propose to move on to paragraph 7.

Thank you. Thank you, Chair. Regarding paragraph 6, my delegation would like to include 6 Bs because it's directly related to 6. And it will read, the view was expressed in disagreement with the above-mentioned views. Unless a mother tongue English delegations could help us improve the language, it will be more appreciated. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair, and my delegation has requested to keep this paragraph in particular open. Because we have different views and would like to make the following proposals. We'll read: The subcommittee noted that the committee and its subcommittees, with the support of the Office for Outer Space Affairs, had a fundamental role to play in promoting international cooperation and capacity building in support of— and then this is a change— Support in disseminating information and knowledge on space applications and in support of socioeconomic development, full stop. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Then we'd like this part that were suppressed to be reflected in the wording, some delegations. So it will read as follows: some delegations expressed— I mean, no, no. You can keep what the distinguished delegate of Argentina just said. You add a bis, 8 bis, and it will be like some delegations expressed a view that— and you reproduce always what's said and what's deleted. That the committee— yeah, everything here. But with everything that was supported. Yeah, and you have to add socioeconomic development, empowering women and young people. But you can also put in disseminating information and knowledge on space application, everything. I think you have to reaccept what was suppressed, copy then, and then put it in the paragraph. Yeah. And delete again for paragraph 8.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I was going to make nearly the exact same comment. So we're happy with it as it is on the screen. And now, if others can't live with the subcommittee noting those specific aspects.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It seems that right now 8 and 8bis are completely the same piece of language. We don't use to work like that, so they should be different. There should be no 100% duplication of 2 subsequent paragraphs. So my humble suggestion would be to work further on these 8s, please.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Yes, in line with the proposal by the Russian delegations. If I may, I would suggest to say that 8 should read, some delegations expressed the views that the committee and its subcommittees, with support of the Office of Outer Space Affairs, had also a fundamental role to play in empowering women and young people in the space sector and in removing barriers and advancing inclusive and equitable development in space in support of people with disabilities, period. So then you have, you know, the first one, you know, has all the elements that everybody supports, and 8B has the elements that some delegations like mine, we have some issues. So if you get both together, you have all the concepts. But this is just a suggestion to the UK delegations whether, you know, if they find it helpful. Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't want to add to the complexity of this issue, but I would like to remind our distinguished colleague from Argentina on paragraph 8. So in this because Iran has always had a very clear position on gender, and we always try to pursue that one. However, in this paragraph 8, what we have— what is important for us, empowering women and young people— we never had a problem with that one. And actually, it was some sort of the compromise solution in order to handle that issue. My humble My suggestion to our distinguished colleague from Argentina is that if it's possible that we can get back to that one, empowering women and young people, but it's up to— Tough discussion on this issue once more, and then we always were in favor of empowering women and young people. while we have some specific interpretation about the issue of the gender. That was a humble request to Argentina, but we are flexible as they follow their own national instruction. Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm afraid to say that we are not in a position to go along with that. The current structure of 8 and 8B reflects correctly the views, at least in the sense that there is no consensus to include the mention of empowering women and young people as a language of the subcommittee. Committee itself, and therefore have to be as several delegations or many delegations. You can, you can work with that, but you cannot just put it that that's the view of the entire subcommittee because this does not reflect the reality in the, in the room. Thank you. Discussions. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Before agreeing on this, on this text, can we please scroll it from, from the beginning to the end? Because I think I'm a little bit lost with all the additions that we introduced. Thank you.

With the indulgence of the Chair and other delegations, if it's possible, on 6, it should read, the view was expressed in disagreement with the above-mentioned frameworks, not to repeat views and views frameworks, because this is what we're talking about. Thank you.

Thank you. Could it be possible to, to pull a full stop in world space for 2024, please.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think in this case, this line is not a substantive point on, on the substance of the paper, but rather just the title of the paper. that we chose. So I hope that it's possible to reflect— it's the title, yes. So I hope it's possible to reflect it in the way it was published. Thank you.

Thank you.

Just to clarify, do we adopt it without the brackets, right? Yeah, thank you. Then it's fine.