Outer Space: Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, 69th session, 851th meeting
General Assembly
Date: 12 June 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/fr/asset/k1b/k1bjtf6xi8?lang=en
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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COPUOS · President [0:39]:

Good afternoon, distinguished delegates. I now declare open the 851 meeting


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [0:51]:

Thank you, Mr. President. Distinguished delegates, this afternoon we will continue our consideration of Agenda Item 5, General Exchange of Views. We'll continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of Agenda Item 7, Report of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee on its 63rd session pending the work of the working group on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. We will begin and hopefully suspend our consideration of agenda item 8, report of the Lagos Subcommittee on its 65th session, to hear the report by the chair of the Lagos Subcommittee on Monday We will begin and hopefully suspend our consideration of Agenda Item 9, Space and Sustainable Development, pending the outcome of the consultations on the Space for Development Initiative. 5 technical presentations are scheduled for this afternoon. Delegates are reminded that the full schedule of technical presentations is available on the session's webpage. Thank you. I would like to inform delegations that under the agenda item entitled Other Matters, delegations are invited to provide comments on the proposed program plan of the Office for Outer Space Affairs for 2027 and program performance for 2025 as contained in the document A/81/ Section 6. Section 6. This document is now available on the session's webpage as Conference Room Paper 27 or CRP 27. This follows the same procedure as our past sessions. This item is expected to be taken up early next week. 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 5, General Exchange of Views. I now turn to the list of speakers. The first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Sudan. Please, you have the floor.


Sudan [3:43]:

In the name of God, most compassionate, most merciful. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I would like to thank Mr. Rafiq Akram from the Kingdom of Morocco for his successful chairmanship of the 68th session, and I wish to congratulate Mr. Teodor Balenti, the head of the Italian Space Agency, for his election as Chair of the 69th Session of the Committee. We would like to align ourselves with the statements of Group of 77 and China and the African Group, and I would like to make the following remarks in my national capacity. Mr. Chair, Sudan maintains that exploration and use of outer space should serve the interests of all countries, especially developing and least developed countries, With particular focus on countries in conflict and post-conflict situations, we underscore the importance of equitable and non-discriminatory access to space benefits and the need to address the challenges faced by least developed countries. Mr. Chair, space applications provide transformative solutions to achieve sustainable development, especially in the areas of agriculture. Water resource management, mitigation of disasters, environmental monitoring, and climate resilience. Those tools are considered especially necessary for Sudan to address food security challenges and to narrow the digital gap and deliver our national development priorities aligned with the SDGs, the Space Agenda 2030, and the AU Agenda 2063. My delegation stresses that least developed countries should not be left behind amidst the rapid development in space activities. Thus, we call for strengthening international cooperation, including bilateral, North-South, South-South, and triangular cooperation, whilst remaining focused on capacity building, technology and knowledge transfer, exchange of best practices, and long-term fellowships. In this context, my delegation solicits support from UNOSA and copious member states, especially developed countries, in Sudan's recovery and reconstruction, including by contributing to the rehabilitation of the National Center for Aerospace Research and the Remote Sensing Authority, providing technical assistance and capacity building, and applying space technology to post-conflict reconstruction, infrastructure development, restoration of agriculture, and environmental rehabilitation. Mr. Chair, my country firmly believes that COPUUS should remain a key international platform invested in strengthening international cooperation in the field of the peaceful uses of outer space. We urge UNOSA and member states to provide more support to foster scientific and academic links and cooperation between national and regional institutions, and to double their efforts to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the Office's mandate, especially under the current liquidity constraints. Mr. Chair, in closing, CEDAW continues to be bound by the peaceful uses of outer space, multilateralism, and consensus-based results. We call for putting more effort into holding UNISPACE IV. And we wish that this session would promote equitable benefit sharing and ensure outer space remains exclusively a province of peace cooperation for all countries, especially least developed countries. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [7:44]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Sudan for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Côte d'Ivoire. Please,


Côte d’Ivoire [8:02]:

Monsieur le Président, permettez. Chairperson, on behalf of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, I would like to express my warmest congratulations to you on your election to chair the 69th session of the Committee on the peaceful uses of outer space. We would like to assure you of our full cooperation with you as you discharge your duties. We would like to express our gratitude to the Office of Outer Space Affairs for all of the organizational arrangements made for this session. Our thanks also go to them for their unwavering efforts to strengthen international cooperation and to facilitate equitable access to space technologies. We fully align ourselves with the statements by the G77 and China and the African Group, and we make the following comments in our national capacity. Chair, as you know, almost 6 months ago, Côte d'Ivoire officially joined the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. We take this opportunity to express on behalf of our government our sincere thanks to all member states for their support to us in joining this very important committee for promoting outer space, one of the driving forces of sustainable development. We would therefore like to call on those states that have not yet done so to join the COPROS. We recognize the role of— the strategic role of space technologies as a catalyst of sustainable development. With that in mind, on the 4th of June, 2025, we adopted a decree on the establishment of the Côte d'Ivoire Space Agency, ASCI. Our new space agency is placed under the auspices of our Ministries of Higher Education and Scientific Research as a public administrative establishment of a scientific and technological Its program activities will contribute to strengthening our national capacities in Earth observation, natural resource management, disaster prevention, and also enhance our telecommunications and meteorological services. ASKI's headquarters will be located at Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute in Yamoussoukro. Scientific, technological, and economic activities have already started there with the training of our future space engineers and researchers. I'd like to pay tribute to the fruitful cooperation between Côte d'Ivoire and Tanzania. The Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute in Yamoussoukro and the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology were jointly selected as awardees in the 8th round of the Kibo Cube program for nanosatellite deployment. I take this opportunity to congratulate the awardees of the 9th round of the program, El Salvador and Thailand. This cooperation is made possible by UNOOSA in collaboration with JAXA. My country is grateful to both JAXA and UNOOSA for this foundational project, which has allowed Côte d'Ivoire to make progress in nanosatellite manufacturing in line with our ambition to build our national satellite technology capacity. Another of our strategic scientific cooperation partners is CSUM, the University of Montpellier Space Center, where our space experts receive training. Our country is seeking to become a continental space hub in Africa by building a complete ecosystem composed of technical and infrastructure competencies and an adapted regulatory framework. By way of example, we've hosted major events, including the 2nd edition of the New Space Africa Conference in April 2023, and the 1st edition of the African Space Solutions Market, MASS, in May 2025. This year, we will host African experts and experts from all over the planet for the 2nd edition of MASS, which will take place between 7th and 9th July 2026, and Africa Space Expo 2026, ASPEX, from 24th to 26th September. These events are organized together with the African Union via its African Space Agency, AFSA, in which we're a member. And it points to the African nations' resolve to invest in the space industry and strengthen the African space economy. Outer space activities therefore occupy a priority place in the government of— the policy of my government, which is led by our president, His Excellency President Ouattara. Space is a flagship project for our president, fully aware of the benefits of using outer space for our economies. My country is also moving forward with its geospatial national program led by our geographical and digital information center. It highlights the importance of geospatial data for national planning and resource management. One notable achievement concerns the publication of a historic map on land use to combat deforestation and to promote sustainable agriculture practices. So space technology is very important in responding to environmental and agricultural challenges. Chair, delegates, space industry in Côte d'Ivoire is expanding at a fast pace, buoyed by a strong political will and a vision for the future geared towards technological innovation and sustainable development. I'd like to reiterate that we attach great importance to international cooperation, technology transfer. Also, these are crucial to allowing developing countries to fully benefit from the opportunities offered by space. Côte d'Ivoire supports initiatives that seek to build technological and scientific capacity, notably in Africa. We thank you and USAID for the efforts made here. As space activities step up, we underscore the need to promote the responsible, safe, and sustainable use of outer space, and we welcome international efforts to seek to mitigate space debris and to bolster the normative framework for long-term sustainability of outer space activities. We also insist on the importance of equitable access to outer space for all states to ensure that space is developed in line with international law. Thank you.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [14:37]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Côte d'Ivoire for the statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Argentina.


Argentina [14:52]:

Thank you very much, Vice Chair. Given that this is the first time that I'm taking the floor on behalf of the Republic of Argentina, I'd like to begin by greeting you and congratulating you upon your election as Vice Chair. Similar congratulations go to the Chair of the Committee, and we offer to both of you, to all the officers, our support. We'd also like to thank the Director and Secretariat of the UNOSA and supporting corps, as they do so ably and so unwaveringly. Chair, delegates, and representatives of observer entities, my delegation would like to underscore once again the importance of international cooperation and multilateral dialogue as vital tools to ensure that the use and exploration of space is for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and is carried out in a safe, peaceful, and inclusive manner. In that understanding, it's important that we spend no effort to avoid an arms race in space. Our satellite missions are available to address the needs of the international community, and the same holds true in the field of education, where we will happily open up our various different courses, university projects, and research projects to interested parties. In speaking of international cooperation, I wish to highlight this major role played by COPUOS as the global forum for identifying and nurturing consensus to feed into understanding and the governance of space activities for peaceful purposes. This session is once again taking place in the throes of the liquidity crisis, which is having an adverse impact on the functioning of the committee. We nonetheless hope that with regard to the agenda that we have before us at this session, which involves decisions on the future of space activities, we will be able to pursue a constructive dialogue inspired as ever by the Vienna spirit. On this point, my delegation would like to once again reiterate the importance of multilingualism in the United Nations. It's a sine qua non for peaceful communication and understanding between the peoples and a vehicle for diplomacy, inclusive dialogue, and understanding. We will continue to participate in the discussions of the Working Group on the Whole and contribute to all debates and discussions in a constructive manner. Vice Chair, Argentina has taken major steps forward this year, the product of a long-running engagement in the space and nuclear spheres. I would like to share with all of you that we participated in the workshop organized jointly by the Working Group on Nuclear Nuclear Power Sources, part of the STSC, and the IAEA. At that workshop, we shared with participants Argentina's progress and projects in the area of nuclear power sources in space with an eye to future space missions. Our work and research here is the fruit of a joint approach between the public sector, academia, and industry. Vice Chair, distinguished delegates, to conclude, my delegation would like to expressly reference that we have disassociated ourselves from the Pact for the Future and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development, which is not a legally binding instrument. For that reason, it cannot be accepted as a benchmark or reference point for our country. In this understanding, to save on speaking time and other points of the agenda, we hope that it will be taken as read that this point applies to all other agenda items debated in the plenary, in the working groups, and in all other bodies that will meet and have discussions during this session. And where appropriate, we hope that this point will also be reflected in the minutes and the final report of


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [18:12]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Argentina for the statement. So the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Egypt. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You have the floor.


Egypt [18:51]:

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, Egypt fully aligns itself with the statements of the G77 on China, as well as the Africa Group, and would like to make the following remarks in its national capacity. Since the establishment of the Egyptian Space Agency in 2018, Egypt has pursued an ambitious space program aimed at harnessing space science, technology, and applications in support of sustainable development while contributing to space-related cooperation in Africa and the Arab region. Egypt has transcended its Earth observation capabilities, continuing to coordinate the Africa Development Satellite Project with Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Sudan, and Nigeria, and it's participating with Bahrain in the development of a lunar hyperspectral camera for China's Chang'e 7 mission, marking an important milestone for Egypt's and Africa's participation in lunar exploration. In April 2026, Egypt, Kenya, Uganda successfully launched the ClimateCam payload to the International Space Station, providing a practical example of an African cooperation in space technology, climate monitoring, disaster risk management, and capacity building. The integration of the African Space Agency in Cairo represents a major step in consolidating the African cooperation in a peaceful use of outer space and advancing the objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063. Egypt calls on international partners, including UNUSA, to strengthen cooperation with the African Space Agency through capacity building, technology transfer, and support for African space programs. In parallel, Egypt continues to support training opportunities for African specialists, promote inter-Arab cooperation in space technology, including through its role as a chair for the Arab Group for Space Cooperation since November 2023, and encourage public-private partnerships through its technology park in support of the Egyptian space program. Mr. Chair, Egypt would like to highlight the following points, which applies to this agenda item as well as other agenda items of this committee. Egypt believes that the exploration and use of outer space must remain firmly guided by international law, and the United Nations Treaties on Outer Space, particularly the Outer Space Treaty. This includes the principles of peaceful use, non-appropriation, due regard, equitable access, and the use of outer space for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their level of scientific and economic development. Egypt reiterates that any governance or regulatory framework relating to outer space should aim at improving the outer space environment for the benefit of all states, and should not limit or restrict the ability of any state, particularly developing countries, to fully utilize space activities, applications, and benefits. In this regard, Egypt stresses the continued relevance of the Space 2030 Agenda and its implementation plan. Egypt also notes the increasing role of non-governmental and private sector actors in outer space activities and welcomes that role, and recalls the continued relevance of Article 6 of the Outer Space Treaty, including the responsibility of states parties for national activities in outer space. Egypt further believes there is a need to develop innovative and flexible frameworks to consolidate the principle of benefit sharing in outer space, including through international cooperation mechanisms that provide technical assistance, capacity building, technology transfer, and where appropriate, financial or in-kind support to developing countries. In this regard, Egypt supports the endeavor to ensure that UNISPACE 4, which will be held in 2027, will be— will have action-oriented outcomes and produces practical deliverables that reflect the interests of all member states, taking into consideration the interests of developing countries. In the same vein, Egypt allies the initiative entitled Space for Development: International Cooperation and Implementing Benefit Sharing in Space Activities, initiated by the African Group together with Brazil, Iraq, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, and now also supported by Germany, the Dominican Republic, as well as Colombia. This initiative aims to advance a consensual and flexible framework for international cooperation in space activities, including different forms of assistance, and to enhance the sharing of benefits arising from the exploration and the use of outer space. Egypt looks forward to continuation of the consultation of this initiative facilitated by UNUSA, and invites all member states to engage constructively in this process. Egypt also stresses that any discussion on the future role and methods of work of the Committee must remain consistent with the rules of procedure of the United Nations General Assembly and must preserve the intergovernmental nature of the Committee and its subcommittees. I thank you, Mr. Chair.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [23:30]:

I thank the representative of Egypt for this statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished Observer for Cambodia. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


Cambodia · Observer [23:48]:

Mr. Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, on behalf of the delegation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, I extend our warmest congratulations on your election to preside over the 69th session of the COPES. We are confident that under your capable leadership, this session will achieve fruitful outcomes. My delegation also wishes to express our sincere appreciation to the Director of UNOSA, Madame Athi Hola Maini, and to the Secretariat for their dedication and excellent work in preparing this session. Cambodia is honored to participate in this committee for the second time as an ad hoc observer. Our continued engagement reflects our growing recognition of transformative role that space science and technology and application can play in advancing sustainable development and improving the lives of our people. We therefore attach our great importance to the work of this committee as a unique multilateral platform that fosters dialogue, mutual understanding, scientific cooperation, and the peaceful exploration and the use of outer space for the benefit of all countries irrespective of their level of development. Mr. Chair, as a nation that has experienced profound consequences of conflicts and war, Cambodia remains firmly committed to the principle of peace, cooperation, and multilateralism. We reaffirm our conviction that outer space should remain a peaceful, secure, safe, and sustainable domain dedicated exclusively to the peaceful purpose and the advancement of humankind. In this regard, Cambodia supports international efforts aimed at promoting responsible behavior in outer space, strengthening transparency, confidence-building measures, and preserving the long-term sustainability of the outer space activity. We believe that cooperation rather than competition must continue to guide our collective endeavor in space. Mr. Chair, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Cambodia is actively advancing the kingdom digital transformation through the implementation of the digital government policy and other digital initiatives. Building on the progress in digital infrastructure and services, Cambodia increasingly views the space sector as an important driver of the future national development. To support the vision, Cambodia is supporting its first national space policy. As part of this effort, we express our sincere appreciation to you and USAID for its Space Law Technical Assistance Mission and the workshop that held in Cambodia in past March, which provide a valuable guidance for the development of our national space policy as well as legal framework for space activity. At this stage, our primary focus is capacity building and human resource development. We are also undertaking institutional preparations to establish a dedicated national body to coordinate the development of the space sector. In parallel, we continue to engage in regional and international space initiatives, including the Kibo ABC program. We continue— we contribute to strengthening knowledge, technical skills, and awareness among our young professionals and future generations. Mr. Chair, Excellency, distinguished delegates, Cambodia highly appreciates the implementation of the Space 2030 Agenda and the progress made toward the midterm review and the realization of its objectives. Cambodia also follows with great interest in the committee discussion on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, space and sustainable development, space situation awareness, and the use of space application for disaster risk reduction and climate resilience. Finally, Cambodia believes that global space governance must remain inclusive and responsive to the needs of all countries. In this spirit, Cambodia intends to deepen its engagement with the committee and look forward to pursuing membership in COPUSS in the near future. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [28:08]:

I thank the distinguished observer from Cambodia. for this statement. The next speaker on my list is the distinguished observer for Moon Village Association. Please, you have the floor.


Moon Village Association · Observer [28:25]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates. It is an honor for the Moon Village Association as an observer organization to address this session of COPUS. The MVA delegation extends our sincere congratulations to Professor Valente on his election as chair, and we also thank Director of UNUSA, Dr. Arti Holomeni, and her dedicated team for the excellent organization and conduct of this meeting. MVA is the oldest and most comprehensive global organization dedicated to lunar activity. activities, fostering peaceful international cooperation, and supporting the work of UN-COPUS. MVA's activities over the past year are detailed in the conference room paper submitted for this meeting, and we refer members and observers to that report. We highlight here 4 of MVA's planned activities in which distinguished delegates, observers, and stakeholders are invited to participate. The 10th Global Moon Village Workshop and Symposium will take place in Bangkok, Thailand on 26th and 27th of October of this year alongside the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum and the Thailand Space Expo, making it one of the largest integrated space gatherings in Southeast Asia. The event is hosted by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency under Thailand's Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovations. The call for papers and registration are currently open through the MVA website. In addition, MVA, in partnership with the Vernwell Group, is also pleased to announce the Global Expert Group on Sustainable Lunar Activities Symposium as a dedicated moonshot program at the Quantum Innovation Summit in Dubai, UAE, from the 28th to the 30th of September of this year. This will be the first gathering specifically dedicated to exploring the application of quantum technologies to lunar exploration and utilization, and we warmly invite all interested delegates and stakeholders to participate. Uh, to further strengthen international cooperation on lunar activities, the Moon Village Association has launched the Moon Village Centers initiative. These centers are envisioned as world-class facilities dedicated to advancing the MVA's vision and activities while fostering synergies with national priorities, local stakeholders, and the broader international space community. We thank China and Bulgaria for their submissions to this program, and we look forward to receiving proposals and expressions of interest from member states and the wider lunar community. Finally, the 5th International Moon Day will be celebrated this year. One of the flag— flagship IMD events, will take place on July 20th in Bogotá, Colombia, and is expected to bring together a broad range of participants from across Latin America to discuss the role of lunar exploration and development in the region. The event will be livestreamed to enable global participation. The call for IMD 2026 global events beyond the one in Bogotá that I mentioned, remains open for submissions for activities and events to take place between July and October 2026. Again, we invite all member states, observers, academic institutions, industry representatives, and really all interested stakeholders to join this global celebration by organizing events and outreach activities Thank you for your attention.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [32:45]:

I thank the distinguished observer for the Moon Village Association for the statement, and the next speaker on my list is the distinguished observer for Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization.


APSCO · Observer [33:04]:

Mr. Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, on behalf of Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, APSCO, I congratulate you on your election as chair of this session. We are confident that under your leadership, the 69th session of the Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space will yield meaningful outcomes. We also express our sincere appreciation to the Director of UNWUSA and the Secretariat for their excellent arrangement. In 2025, EBSCO continues to advance regional collaboration, technological innovation, and talent development under the guiding principle of openness, inclusiveness, cooperation, and pragmatism. EPSCO cooperative projects show steady growth and smooth progress, with 3 projects in the space science domain, 4 projects in the space technology development domain, 11 projects in space technology application domain. These projects and their implementation will bring tangible benefits in areas such as food security, climate change, disaster mitigation, and the future sustainability, in particular space traffic management. Apsco Project Asia-Pacific Space Science Observatory has completed 2 observatories and 2 data centers installation in China and Mongolia. And 2 new telescopes will be installed in Pakistan and Thailand this year. EBSCO's Data Sharing Service Platform project continues to support member states in disaster monitoring, climate assessment, agriculture management, and environmental protection. In 2025, 8 new DSSP applications projects were officially launched. Capacity building remains a core priority in 2025. EBSCO organized the 6th in-person short-term training programs. The EBSCO degree education program continued to grow with 25 new graduate students admitted this year, bringing the total number of EBSCO-trained master's and doctoral students to 385. These activities demonstrate that regional strength, through collective action among our member states, generates universal impact for the peaceful use of outer space. Mr. Chair, in 2026, ABSKO remains committed to serving its member states and contributing to advancement of space capability in Asia-Pacific region in innovative ways. On May 27th to June 5th, EBSCO launched the first high-level administrative training on national space development strategy and the commercialization plan across 5 cities, featuring 33 expert lectures, support from 16 leading aerospace enterprises. And a blend of class learning and field visits, which has equipped the participants with comprehensive insights into space ecosystem establishment, especially for emerging commercialization plan, and provide the pragmatic solutions for EBSCO member states and the partner. EBSCO is implementing a city— city mayor training course on space-enabled smart city and digital governance in August. EBSCO CubeSat Competition Summer Camp will be held in August. Yesterday, cooperation with the UN's wider Beijing office, Wuhan University, and the UN University Institute for Work, Environment, and Health has formally launched the 4 to 6 weeks online training course on Earth observation for sustainable development, harness the power of Chinese satellite available to all users free of charge. One thing worth mentioning is that EBSCO, together with the European Space Agency, the African Space Agency, and the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency, will host a plenary session with the with the international, international regional space agencies at the 77th ISA in Antalya on 7 October 2026, titled Intercontinental View of Space Governance from Regional Space Organization. The preparatory meeting of Regional Intergovernmental Space Agency hosted by the ESA was successfully held in Netherlands on 12th and 13th May 2026. We believe this initiative will have a meaningful impact on the peaceful use of outer space, and we invite all delegates to join us in October. In addition, we will host the 4th Apsco Leadership Development Forum in Nanning of China from November 20th to 22nd, and the Apsco Space Education Symposium in Hainan of China in December. We hope proposes the country will leverage of Apsco platform to further propose practical and feasible cooperation plans for nations in the Asia-Pacific region, enabling space technology and space education to contribute to the region's economic and social development. Regional strength, universal impact— this is not our slogan, it's our commitment. Mr. Chair, APSCO remains fully committed to the peaceful uses of outer space and to ensuring that international cooperation is a daily practice, not merely a concept. Thank you.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [39:28]:

I thank the distinguished observer for Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization. And we will continue our consideration of agenda item number 5, General Exchange of View, on Monday morning. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of agenda item number 7, Report of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee on its 63rd session, pending the work of the working group on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. Pursuant to the agreement of the subcommittee, as reflected in the document A/AC 105/1253, Thank you. According to Resolution 279, paragraph 238, the coordinator of the Space and Global Health Network is invited to share the updates of the work of the network. I therefore give the floor to Ms. Hawa Babington Ashaye on behalf of the coordinator of the Space and Global Health Network, Mr. Antoine Ghezbouler, to provide updates of the work of the network to the committee. Please, Mr.— Miss, sorry, Awa Babington-Ashaye, you have the floor.


Space and Global Health Network · Awa Babington-Ashaye [41:19]:

I'm pleased to address the committee today on behalf of the Space and Global Health Network. As this is the first time that we're taking the floor, Allow me to congratulate you for your able leadership during the session. I would like also to recognize the strong spirit of collaboration that drives the Space and Global Health Network today. We are grateful to UNOSA for providing such platform that enables dialogue and cooperation, and to members and partners whose collective efforts continue to support the implementation of Resolution 77 120 on Space and Global Health. Network brings together 215 members from around the world representing a diverse and multidisciplinary community committed to advancing the space and global health agenda. Guided by our 10-year strategy, we have continued to focus on awareness raising, capacity building, international collaboration. Among our key achievements this year, the network is presenting for the first time During this session, a policy brief developed by the network. This milestone publication provides practical recommendations to support member states in leveraging space technology for more sustainable, equitable Asian health systems, including as well access to space-derived data, anticipatory and capacity building, and enhanced regional cooperation. We're also working towards the development of a Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC, building on the space and global health curriculum presented here in February during the STAC. And this is going to help to broaden access to knowledge and training opportunities worldwide. In addition, we have continued advancing our priority on space-based exercise viable to hear about new initiatives with our partner UNOSA that seeks to enhance the of Earth observation data for health and public health decision-making. These achievements reflect the commitment, we believe, and collaboration of our members and partners and demonstrate the growing maturity of the global space and health community. Professor Antoine Ghez-Boullor, the coordinator of the Space and Global Health Network, will provide detailed perspective on strategic importance of these efforts and the future directions during a technical presentation next week on June 15th. As we move forward, we encourage member states, institutions, and experts to engage with the network, helping to expand our collective efforts to advance the use of space technologies for health and sustainable development. Thank you for your attention, and I wish the committee every success in this important work during the session. Thank you.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [44:15]:

Thank you very much, and I thank Ms. Awa Babington-Ashaye on behalf of the coordinator of the Space and Global Health Network for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. Chairperson,


Russian Federation [44:43]:

distinguished colleagues, we once again would like to draw your attention to the fact that a visa— an Austrian visa has not been issued to our head of delegation, the special coordinator of our Foreign Ministry on issues related to the use of outer space for peaceful purposes, Sergei Belousovko. The politicized motivations here harm the work of this committee and of Vienna as a whole. We would call for Austria to refrain from such practices in the interests of promoting multilateralism. Distinguished Chairperson, the Russian delegation regrets that the STSC failed to adopt a substantive report following its 63rd session. The committee should pay very clear attention to addressing and eliminating, eliminating the reasons for this. Our view is that the committee and its subcommittees need full and substantive reports that reflect the full spectrum of delegations' views and proposals with respect to the tasks at hand. We believe that reflecting the positions of groups and individual states would increase the practical value of the document. We underscore the need for strictly following the principle of consensus in the work of the committee and its subcommittees in accordance with established practice dating back 5 decades. This allows member states to reach mutually acceptable decisions. We also call on delegations to display a constructive spirit and to refrain from politicizing the work of the committee and its subcommittees, to focus on developing practically valuable solutions rather than making empty statements. We share the concern of the international community at the hazards caused by space debris formation, the risks that are caused by space debris space debris are exacerbated by small satellites. These— the deployment of small satellites leads to many problems. Additionally, the increase in small satellites is done without due account to the interests of all participants in space activities. It calls into question equitable access to space. This is at variance with the This should be reflected in the LTS guidelines. We will continue actively participating in shaping an international system for space traffic management so as to reduce risks for spaceflight and populations on the ground. We believe it's important to develop agreed rules and procedures for space traffic management. Thank you. Coordination and space traffic management. All of that needs to happen only in the context of internationally agreed procedures and in line with international law. It's also important to achieve— to focus our LTS activities on practical solutions. We need to work on improving the existing LTS guidelines. The LTS guidelines should reflect the issues that we face. We need to develop solutions also. We also need other— we need to have a full compendium of long-term sustainability guidelines. We need to have a section on this in the LTS guidelines that details the challenges, The compendium should also indicate procedures for modification of the guidelines and also ways to implement how they are implemented. We believe that the SGSC should continue to be the key role— the key platform for discussing all issues related to scientific and technical support for activities in outer space. We need to— ensure that the STSC, or rather the committee and its subcommittees, need to preserve that very valuable role. Thank you. Thank you. I thank


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [49:37]:

the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Japan. Mr. President, distinguished


Japan [49:53]:

delegates, Japan regards the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee as an indispensable forum to advance the peaceful uses of outer space and international cooperation. We commend the chair and the secretariat for their leadership. At its 63rd session in February, Japan contributed to the committee's discussions, including through a side event co-hosted with UNOOSA titled Shaping the Future of International Norms for Space Debris. A collaborative approach, which highlighted the importance of collaborative norm building. Chair, Japan underscores the importance of the LTS guidelines and encourages member states and international organizations to further advance their effective implementation. Japan commends the professional and impartial work of the chair and the secretariat, welcomes the working group's support, and remains committed to actively contributing under the extended mandate, including to the expert group on space situational awareness. In parallel, through the Global Space Law Project with UNOOSA and APRSAP's National Space Legislation Initiative, Japan supports capacity building, including the development of national space legislation and the establishment of international norms in the Asia-Pacific. Chair, addressing increasing space debris risks is among the most urgent challenges we are facing today in outer In Japan, Astroscale, in partnership with JAXA, has conducted successful proximity operations with target debris, an important step toward ADR. Policy frameworks must keep pace with these technological developments. Japan will continue to share best practices and contribute to discussions on debris mitigation and remediation. Chair, Japan also recognizes the importance of asteroid exploration and international cooperation on planetary defense. Japan reiterates its firm support for the UNGA resolution declaring 2029 the International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defense. Our revised implementation plan of Basic Plan of Space Policy commits us to advancing cooperation, including an exploration program that leverages the unique opportunities presented by Apophis in In this regard, we are pleased to inform you that in order to advance planetary defense activities through international cooperation, JAXA and ESA have entered into a new partnership on the joint Ramses mission to asteroid Apophis. Chair, JAXA recognizes that SDSC has been a driver of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. We encourage all members and observers of this committee to be engaged in international cooperation. For its part, Japan will continue its efforts in research, exploration, and international cooperation for the benefit of humankind. Thank you. Thank you. I thank the distinguished


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [53:03]:

representative of Japan for the statement, and the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom. Chair, distinguished delegates. The


United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [53:18]:

United Kingdom would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Pakorn Apafan of Thailand for his successful leadership of chair of the 63rd session of the Science and Technical Subcommittee. The collaborative approach taken by you as chair alongside the Secretariat helped advance key areas of work and create an environment where we can start to consider new approaches to work more effectively as a subcommittee. The 63rd session of the Science and Technical Subcommittee continued to highlight our growing dependence on space to deliver critical services and how space technology is providing benefits to communities across the globe. With a greater appreciation and reliance on space infrastructure, the work performed by UN COPUS and its subcommittees becomes increasingly important as a unique multilateral forum to allow exchanges on critical topics necessary for our joint advancement in outer space. In particular, the United Kingdom has appreciated the significant progress that is being made under the expert group on space situational awareness, under the excellent leadership of the United Arab Emirates. The engagement from a wide variety of member states to advance constructively the approach to sharing data, particularly spacecraft operator information, has been particularly pleasing to see. Facilitating this type of broad involvement across a diverse set of stakeholders, both member states and the private sector, shows the critical importance of this type of discussion occurring within COPUS, and we look forward to seeing the continued progress of the expert group. The United Kingdom also attaches great importance to the work being performed by the working group on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. Alongside the guidelines developed by the working group, the recently agreed report provides key insights into the emerging topics and challenges facing the sustainability of the space environment. We hope that at this session we can look to agree the work plan to the extension of the working group, which hopes to facilitate expert discussions on these topics. At this point, the United Kingdom would like to express our sincere thanks to the former chair of the working group from India, Dr. Uma Maheshwaran R. Under the leadership of Dr. Uma Maheshwaran R, the working group made clear progress, and this was made possible by the former chair's constructive handling of the member states' views, innovative ideas to progress the discussion, and his patience alongside the hard work of the secretariat. We look forward to working with Dr. D. Ghoshri Sankar and express our thanks to the Indian delegation for their continued support for this important work. Thank you, Chair. Thank you. I thank the distinguished


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [56:04]:

representative of the United Kingdom for the statement, and the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea. Mr. Chair, the Republic of Korea would


Republic of Korea [56:21]:

like to first appreciate the chair of the subcommittee and the secretariat for the successful organization of the 63rd session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. Our appreciation also goes to the chair of the Working Group on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities and to UNUSA for their dedicated efforts throughout the working group's 5-year mandate. We welcome the adoption of its 5-year final report and the decision to extend its mandate for 3 years with the continued leadership of the current chair. In this regard, the Republic of Korea expresses its expectation that this session of the committee will reach agreement on a new work plan for the working group. In addition, we warmly welcome the establishment of the Space Situational Awareness Expert Group and would like to extend our appreciation to the chair for her leadership. We firmly believe that addressing this space debris challenge requires comprehensive international cooperation encompassing observation, data sharing, risk mitigation, and the implementation of international guidelines. As we have nominated qualified national experts for this expert group, we, we stand ready to contribute to the establishment of an effective international SSA cooperation framework. As part of these efforts, we're pleased to inform this Committee that Republic of Korea has formally commenced the development of its National Space Situational Awareness System, the KSSA, this year. This initiative aims to overcome the limitations of ground-based observation and includes the development of space-based space surveillance infrastructure, namely the Space Owl, to provide more accurate monitoring of collision risks in the increasingly congested low Earth orbit environment. Thank you. Mr. Chair, the Republic of Korea is actively participating in the work of the International Asteroid Warning Network and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group, contributing to related observation and technology development activities. We welcome the UN General Assembly resolution designating 2029 as the International Year of Planetary Defense, and we stand ready to actively support international efforts ahead of Apophis close approach. Moreover, as a member of the Group of Friends of the Dark and Quiet Sky for Science and Society, the Republic of Korea recognizes the importance of protection of dark and quiet skies. We are supporting international efforts to explore practical mitigation measures to ensure a safe space environment while engaging with space industries, academia, and international community. To conclude, the Republic of Korea remains firmly committed to the work of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. We pledge our full cooperation to advance the shared goal of ensuring the long-term sustainability of outer space activities for the benefit, benefit of all nations. Thank you. Thank you. I thank the distinguished


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [59:15]:

representative of the Republic of Korea for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of France. Thank you, Chairperson. Chairperson,


France [59:33]:

distinguished delegates, France welcomes the progress that was achieved during the 63rd session of the STSC, and we thank Dr. Pakorn Apaphantov of Thailand for his effective leadership. We would like to mention our priorities regarding some of the key points from the discussions of last February. Firstly, I'd like to thank the chair of the Working Group on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities, Mr. Umam Maheshwaran, for the work done over the past years. We wish his successor, Mr. Govrisankar, every success. Thank you. We will continue actively participating in the work of the working group. The issues at hand are more critical than ever. France welcomes a 3-year extension of the LTS working group's term, and we call for rapid completion of the work program that will guide our endeavors through to 2029. We also wish to welcome the progress achieved by the working group on MPS in outer space following the agreement of its work plan last year. The discussions took place in the framework of the work plan for 2024 to 2028, and we welcome the work of the chair, Leopold Sommerer. We also call on the members of the committee to continue their efforts to pursue the highest possible standards of safety, security, non-proliferation by working together with this group. The joint seminar held with the IAEA last Tuesday was an excellent of the relevance of Copernicus's work, conducted in perfect synergy with the private and public space corporations. We welcome the remarkably fruitful first few months of the work of the Group of Experts on Space Situational Awareness. We thank the Chair for her commitment and energy. During the September Space Summit, we will be building on the work undertaken and bringing high-level political impetus to the sustainability of space activities and space traffic coordination. Chair, I'd like to reiterate the importance that France attaches, as one of the founders of the LTS Working Group, to the long-term sustainability of space activities. We therefore welcome the prospects of the Unispace 4 conference, which will give new momentum to the work of this committee. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:02:02]:

of France for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Canada. Thank you, Chair. Canada would like to express


Canada [1:02:16]:

its gratitude to the chair of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, Dr. Pakorn Apathan of Thailand, for his leadership in steering a productive session that tackled many important issues. Regarding the Long-Term Sustainability Working Group, we commend the former chair, Dr. Uma Maheshwaran, for his dedicated leadership and the tireless work of the Secretariat over the past years. We are particularly grateful for his efforts in advancing the work of the Working Group, including the preparation of a draft work plan for its extension. We welcome the new chair, Dr. Gauri Sankar, and look forward to his leadership. Thank you. We encourage member states to work constructively to come to an agreement to advance the substantive work. In particular, Canada supports the proposal to hold focused discussions around thematic areas identified in the report, recognizing the resource and time constraints of many delegations, including our own. With the growing challenges to the long-term sustainability of the outer space environment and increasing dialogue on space sustainability, across several forums. This will ensure the important discussion continues within UN COPUUS and will support its role as the central UN body for discussions on the peaceful uses of outer space. Chair, we welcome the ongoing work under the Space Situational Awareness Expert Group, and we wish to express our thanks to the chair for her work and proactive approach. We are pleased to see the recognition of the growing challenges posed by congestion and debris And the emphasis on collective solutions grounded in transparency, coordination, and information sharing. Canada is of the view that the survey and the extracted recommendations are a solid start to this conversation. We believe this cooperative approach is essential to maintaining the safety and sustainability of the space environment. We also wish to recognize the important efforts on copious working methods being led under the SDSC Working Group of the Whole. and we'll address these under our future role and methods of work statement during this session. Finally, Canada is continuing to actively participate in the work of the Action Team on Lunar Activities consultations and looks forward to the development of a clear set of recommendations. We welcome the collaborative and inclusive nature of this process, which supports, which supports shared understanding as lunar activities continue to expand. We commend the co-chairs for their thoughtful stewardship and effective leadership in guiding the important work of the Action Team. We also thank delegations that shared their planned lunar activities during the last year for the constructive and inclusive dialogue, and look forward to continuing these fruitful exchanges and results-oriented deliberations in the upcoming meetings. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:04:57]:

Canada for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Italy. Thank you, Chair. Mr. Chair, Italy commends the work


Italy [1:05:13]:

of the Chair of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, as well as all delegations and the Secretariat, for the successful conduct of the session under particularly challenging circumstances. Italy reaffirms its strong support for the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee as the principal technical forum of the COPUOS for advancing international cooperation and promoting the safe, sustainable, and responsible use of outer space. Italy welcomes the report of the Working Group of the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities and supports the decision to continue its work under the current chair, Dr. Govindankar from ISRO. We encourage all delegations to engage constructively and with flexibility in order to reach consensus on a new work plan and ensure continuity in the implementation of the LTS guidelines. Italy also actively contributes to the work of the expert group on space situation awareness and welcomes the significant progress achieved since its establishment. We support the ongoing development of practical recommendations aimed at enhancing transparency, safety, and international coordination in space activities. In this regard, Italy welcomes the briefing on the United Nations Satellite Operators Contact App and considers that a distributed data sharing architecture represents the most appropriate approach for strengthening international coordination while preserving the autonomy, responsibility, and operational capabilities of participating actors. Italy also wished to highlight the growing importance of preserving dark and quiet skies as an emerging issue at intersection of space sustainability, scientific research, and the common heritage of humankind. We support maintaining this topic on the agenda of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and encourage continuing expert-driven discussions aimed at balancing the benefit of expanding space activities with the protection of astronomical observations and the night sky for science and society. Italy remains committed to working constructively actively with all delegations to strengthen the scientific and technical foundations of international space governance and to ensure that outer space activities continue to be conducted in a safe, sustainable, and cooperative manner for the benefit of present and future generations. A more detailed version of this statement will be made available on the website of the COBOS. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, I thank the distinguished representative


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:08:03]:

of Italy for the statement, and the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of China. Chair, the 63rd session of the subcommittee held in February


China [1:08:21]:

this year adopted its report. China wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Pakong, Chair of the Committee, for his China regrets that the committee was unable to achieve more substantive outcome due to the unreasonable conduct of certain countries. In 2025, China's space activities achieved new milestones with a record 92 launch missions successfully completed throughout the year. The Tianwen-2 probe was successfully launched and entered the transfer orbit, marking the commencement of China's first asteroid exploration and sample return mission. Thank you. China's human spaceflight program successfully completed 4 crew launch missions and 2 return missions, and successfully carried out the emergency response mission for Shenzhou 20. The 59th and 60th Beidou navigation satellites were successfully launched. The Ziyuan-304 satellite was also successfully launched, further enhancing China's 3-dimensional Earth observation capabilities. In April this year, the China National Space Administration hosted 11th China Space Day in Chengdu. China appreciates the congratulatory message delivered by President Lula da Silva of Brazil on this occasion, in which he recommended the achievements— commended achievements of China's space program. In May this year, the SMILE satellite jointly developed by China and ESA was successfully launched. The satellite entered its designated orbit as planned, enabling for the first time the comprehensive imaging of large-scale structure of Earth's magnetosphere and providing an innovative observational tool for advancing our understanding of the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere. In the second half of this year, China will launch the Chang'e 7 lunar probe. Chair, the S&T Subcommittee of COPUS serves as an important platform for consultation on global space governance issues, including the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, space traffic management, and the coordination of lunar activities. It is also an important mechanism for promoting international cooperation and addressing common challenges through dialogue. We have submitted a report to the long-term sustainable developments. China attaches importance to the space debris mitigation management In order to protect outer space environment, long-term sustainable outer— stability of outer space activities, China plans to conduct mitigation. We'll continue to work with the international community. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of China for the statement.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:10:59]:

And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative Thank you very much, Chair, and thank you very much for taking the effort


Argentina [1:11:14]:

to pronounce Argentina correctly. Argentina. I appreciate it. Chair, distinguished delegates, at the 63rd session of the subcommittee, the Working Group on the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space, the NPS Working Group, agreed that on the 9th of June, 2026, a day before this COP+ session began, a workshop organized jointly with the IAEA and co-chaired by the chair of the working group and the representative of the agency as well. That date having been and gone, we're delighted to be able to share with you that Argentina participated in said workshop with a delegation comprising representatives of the public sector and the private sector, including from industry, in the context of an inter-institutional initiative of national scale. Our country has a decades-long experience in the development of complex projects in both the space and nuclear sectors. On that basis, in a move spearheaded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 2025 we set up an inter-institutional group bringing together stakeholders from the public and private sector covering both sectors, nuclear and space, for the purposes of further embedding and consolidating national capacity for the supply of energy to future cislunar and deep space missions where solar energy is not a viable source. This work was structured around a holistic approach encompassing both the technical aspects of the design of nuclear energy sources for space missions, as well as the bolstering of the security, safety, protection, regulation, licensing, and oversight protocols and frameworks. In that understanding, we are currently studying specific use cases of of nuclear electric propulsion using radioisotope thermoelectric generators or radio voltaic batteries via— for CubeSats in deep space, and radioisotope heating units for guaranteeing the long-term survival of, for example, lunar rovers. Likewise, we're currently assessing the advantages and disadvantages to pinpoint the sweet spot between cost and performance. This is performance comparing tritium, a low-energy emitter, and cobalt-60, a high gamma energy emitter usually produced at an industrial scale by operational nuclear reactors, at least in Argentina. For the purposes of greater power, we're currently analyzing the development of fission surface power microreactors. The conceptual assessment is focused on a solid core design passively refrigerated by sodium heat pipes and fueled by low enriched uranium. The concept is designed to be completely safe and to enjoy a lifespan of 30 years. These compact microreactors open new and significant opportunities in space to support surface habitats, high-power communication hubs, long-term robotic missions, and science stations that can operate during the lunar night. The future of space exploration requires new energies, which represents both a technical challenge as well as a safety, security, and regulatory challenge. In that understanding, The workshop that I referred to earlier was a highly enriching experience, and we'd like to thank UNOSA and the IAEA for the opportunity. To conclude, my delegation would like to underscore the importance of continuing to make headway in the dialogue that is taking place on long-term sustainability, and we will continue to participate in said discussions. Thank you very much indeed, Chair, and distinguished delegations, for your kind attention. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Argentina for


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:14:33]:

the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Germany. Thank you, Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates. We congratulate Mr. Pakorn


Germany [1:14:50]:

Apathand of Thailand for his able leadership as Chair of the STSC this year. He managed to guide us to a successful outcome despite challenging circumstances. circumstances, and he did so with great compassion and humor. Mr. Chair, every year for the past years, we have seen an increase in the number of objects in outer space, especially in low Earth orbit. As the benefits of space become greater, so do the challenges to navigate the space environment in a safe and sustainable manner. It is therefore important that our work at Copius supports the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, and that we can achieve meaningful progress on this goal at this session of the committee. The LTS Working Group was very close to adopting its new work plan at the STSC session earlier this year, and we consider it crucial that we can get it over the finish line here at COPUS. Germany welcomes that expert-based working methods are contained in the current draft. We also support capacity building and international cooperation as important elements of the new work plan. We hope that our discussions over the next days will lead to a successful adoption of the new work plan, and we look towards the guidance of our new Chair, Mr. Gautham Sankar of India, to help us get there. We also want to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to Mr. Uma Maheshwaran of India for his successful leadership of the LTS Working Group over the years. The new expert group on space situational awareness has met the high expectations member states have placed onto it, as it has conducted a survey on SSA information exchange amongst the nominated experts, and based on the outcomes of this survey, has produced the first set of draft recommendations to improve, to improve global space traffic coordination. We also welcome that you now MUSA aims to facilitate quick coordination among operators and SSA providers in the event of a critical conjunction through the establishment of a dedicated point of contact hub. We look forward to a fruitful and productive discussion on these important issues under the leadership of our chair, Ms. Fatima Al-Shamsi of the United Arab Emirates. Finally, we welcome the joint workshop of the NPS Working Group and the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, on the future of nuclear power source applications in outer space that was held earlier this week. The workshop played an important role in ensuring the safe use of nuclear power sources in outer space as more and more plans arise to use NPS for deep space missions to further explore our solar system. We support the continued exchange of information among member states I thank the distinguished representative of Germany for the statement.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:17:51]:

Before suspending our consideration of agenda item number 7, having heard the report of the Chair of this subcommittee, I would like to seek the committee's agreement on actions relating to recording documents and reporting under this agenda item. There are 3 actions. The first one concerns the invitation to member states to submit annual reports on their space activity. Do I take it that the Committee recommends that the Secretariat continue to invite member states to submit annual reports on their space activities? Any objection? Thank you. I see no objection, so it is so decided. Thank you. Second action relates to the reports and research on space debris. Do I take it that the committee agrees that member states and international organizations having permanent observer status with the committee should continue to be invited to provide reports on research on space debris, the safety of space objects with nuclear power sources on board, problems related to the collision of such space objects with space debris, and the ways in which debris mitigation guidelines Are there any objections? I see no objections, so it is so decided. And thirdly, in relation to the observer for ITU presenting an annual report concerning the contribution of ITU to the peaceful use of outer space, including the use of geostationary satellite orbit and other orbits. Do I take it that the committee invited ITU to continue to submit the annual report of the Radio Communication Bureau I move to refer the report of the Working Group of ITU on the use of geostationary satellite orbit and other orbits to the subcommittee. Are there any objection on that? I see no objection, so it is so decided. Now, distinguished delegates, I would like to begin our consideration on agenda item number 8, report of the Legal Subcommittees on its 65th session. We will invite the chair of the Legal Subcommittee, Mr. Pablo Adrián Rocha Olabuenaga of Mexico to report on the outcome of the 65th session during this session. The Secretariat informed me that in view of his schedule and circumstances, he will report to the Committee on Monday or next 15 June. Now, the fourth speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. Please take the floor. Distinguished Chairperson, distinguished colleagues. We would like once


Russian Federation [1:22:23]:

again to draw your attention to the non-issuance by Austria of an entry visa for participation in this session of our head of delegation, Special Coordinator from our Foreign Ministry on Space Cooperation and the Exploration and Use of Space for Peaceful Purposes, Mr. Sergei Beloushko. This politically motivated decision harms the professional operations here at the committee and in Vienna as a whole. We call for refraining from such an approach in order to ensure that constructive dialogue can be pursued in this multilateral format. We would like to take this opportunity, Chairperson, to draw your attention to the address by the Russian cosmonaut on the International Space Station in connection with Russia Day today. We were the first launchers of a satellite into space, the first spacewalk. We also launched the first space station. Chairperson, we regret that the Legal Subcommittee failed following its 65th session to adopt a substantive report. The practice of adopting procedural reports is, in our view, counterproductive for the LSC. The committee and its subcommittees need a complete and substantive report that should reflect the full spectrum of delegations' views voiced for each agenda item during the session. That would give readers a clear and detailed picture of the course of the discussions. We believe that reflecting the positions of individual States and groups of States enhances the value of the report. We underscore the need for strict compliance with the principle of consensus in the work of the Committee and its subcommittees in line with the more than 5 decades of established practice. This allows States Parties to come to mutually acceptable decisions. We also call on delegations to remain constructive and to refrain from politicizing the work of the committee and its subcommittees. We believe that the LSC should continue to be the key forum for discussions and decision-making on all issues related to space law. We believe that the LSC should continue to have this unique role. Thank you. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:25:11]:

for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Japan. Chair, distinguished delegates, Japan places considerable importance on the Legal


Japan [1:25:27]:

Subcommittee as it provides a unique platform to discuss various legal aspects of the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Chair, Mr. Pablo Adurian Arocha Olabuyanaga, for his able leadership and unwavering commitment in steering the Legal Subcommittee through constructive deliberations and toward a consensual outcome. Chair, Japan believes that the development of international rules and norms governing activities related to the exploration, extraction, and utilization of space resources would greatly contribute to the long-term sustainability of future space exploration activities. To this end, Japan remains actively engaged in discussions on an initial draft set of recommended principles for space resource activities within the Working Group on Legal aspects of space resource activities under the able leadership of its chair, Mr. Stephen Freeland, and its vice chair, Mr. Ayman Ahmed. We remain firmly committed to advancing the work of the working group and to achieving a meaningful outcome through intensive and constructive discussions by 2027, in accordance with the work plan set out in the mandate. At the national level, Japan enacted the Space Resources Act in 2021, establishing an authorization framework for special provisions on licensing under the Space Activities Act in order to authorize private sector activities related to exploring and developing space resources and specify the rule for the acquisition of ownership of such resources. Towards the safe and sustainable use of outer space, Japan established new national guidelines in 2025 aimed at preventing the collisions of space objects. These guidelines set out concepts and space— concepts and specific measures to avoid collisions with satellites and space debris, or to minimize the risk of such collisions to the greatest extent possible. We underscored that national space laws not only ensure the orderly conduct of space activities at the national level, but also contribute to shaping emerging international norms and strengthening the broader framework governing space activities. Japan reiterates the importance of further strengthening the rule of law in outer space to ensure the safe and sustainable use of outer space. In this respect, Japan has collaborated with UNOOSA on the Global Space Law Project since 2021 to support capacity building in Asia-Pacific countries, particularly emerging spacefaring nations. Japan considers it critically important for such countries to develop and implement national space legislation consistent with international space law and to ensure the appropriate authorization and supervision of both governmental and non-governmental space activities. Chair, last but not least, we would like to express Japan's respect for international norms in outer space and the important role played by the Legal Subcommittee in ensuring the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. Thank you for your attention. I thank the distinguished representative of Japan for the statement. And the next speaker


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:28:51]:

on my list is the distinguished representative of Germany. Thank you, Chair. Honorable Chair, distinguished delegates, activities in outer space are becoming


Germany [1:29:05]:

increasingly important, as is the preservation of outer space as a global commons beyond national jurisdiction. The work of the Legal Subcommittee has therefore once again been highly important. It is essential that we deliver meaningful and substantive outcomes, ensuring that our work effectively feeds into COPUOS and the UN General Assembly. We congratulate the chair, Pablo Arocha, for his excellent leadership in guiding the adoption of a report. At the same time, we note that the report does not fully reflect the progress achieved under the various agenda items. Among these, the growing intensity of space activities requires urgent attention. Protecting the space environment is essential to safeguarding its benefits for all. The legal and policy implications call for further results-oriented work within the Legal Subcommittee. We thank delegations for their written submissions and active participation in the informal consultations on possible areas of work. As requested by several delegations across regions, we urge the committee to continue the information collection on legal and policy aspects of space traffic that was agreed last year, and to task the Secretariat with analyzing the contributions to identify appropriate next steps. Chair, important work was also carried out by the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resources Activities and the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultations. Abley led by their respective chairs, the fair and sustainable use of resources on celestial bodies while protecting scientific interests, sites, and preserving future opportunities is essential. Information sharing on space activities under Article 11 of the Outer Space Treaty is also a cross-cutting issue. Grateful to all delegations for their engagement in the working group on the status and application. Of the 5 United Nations treaties on outer space and to observers for submitting written contributions. We encourage continued active participation in the consultations ahead of next year's finalization of the work plan. Lastly, we would like to commend UNUSA for its continued efforts to promote the application of the UN space treaties and other copious instruments, including through capacity building and space law policy. We also thank IISL and ECSL for hosting an insightful symposium that supports capacity building and informs our discussions. In conclusion, effective implementation of the Outer Space Treaty remains central to our efforts. Several practical ways to strengthen and operationalize its provisions were discussed during this year's LSC session. We therefore encourage COPUOS to take the necessary steps to support the further development of international space law and global space governance. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Germany for the statement, and the next speaker on my list


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:32:13]:

is the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom. Please. Thank you, Chair. Distinguished delegates, the United Kingdom would like to extend its thanks to copious


United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [1:32:28]:

delegations who contributed to the discussions and the debate at this year's Legal Subcommittee. We would also like to thank UNUSA for organizing and facilitating the meeting, as well as the new Chair of the LSE, Mr. Pablo A. Aroca Obluanaga of Mexico, for his Thank you, Mr. Chair, for his hard work in presiding over the session. Following the adoption of its report, the UK would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the important progress which was made in areas of the subcommittee's agenda. The UK was pleased to take part in the Working Group on Space Resources discussions. The UK would once again commend the efforts and expertise of the Working Group's Chair, Stephen Freeland, and the Vice Chair, Dr. Ayman Ahmed, who have done so much to progress the work of the Working Group. The UK supports the proposal from the Chair to develop a new draft of the principles based on where consensus can be identified, and the UK would encourage all member states to show flexibility. These principles are a foundation to be built upon and should not try to foresee and resolve all possible future issues which humanity may encounter as we expand our horizons beyond our own orbit. It is important that these principles provide clarity to enable exploration and science missions around the unique environments found in space, such as the Moon. The UK stands ready to engage with all member states to enable this work to come to a positive outcome. Chair, the UK was also pleased to continue to engage in the work of the Working Group of the 5 UN Treaties and would like to thank the chair, Francisca Connors, for their able leadership. The UK is particularly pleased with the ongoing work to develop a voluntary template for submissions under Article 11 of the OST. The UK sees this work as vitally important for fostering greater information sharing on space activities, which is paramount to ensuring a sustainable space environment. Finally, Chair, the UK welcomes the views of all member states at COPUS, recognizing the important contributions from international, intergovernmental, and non-governmental organizations alongside the private sector who can provide valuable insights on the topics that we discuss here across the subcommittees and this plenary event. Thank you for your kind attention. I thank the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom for the statement, and the next speaker


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:35:17]:

on my list is the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea. Mr. Chair, the Republic of Korea would like to first express its appreciation to the chair of the subcommittee


Republic of Korea [1:35:31]:

and the secretariat for the successful organization of the 65th session of the Legal Subcommittee. The Republic of Korea recognizes the critical importance of space debris mitigation and space traffic management as essential elements for ensuring the long-term sustainability and safety of outer space activities. In this vein, we are actively pursuing both policy and technical measures to address these challenges in a comprehensive manner, including the establishment of our second master plan for preparing against dangers in space from 2024 to 2033, which provides a strategic framework for strengthening national capabilities and resilience in space operations. The Republic of Korea is also participating constructively in ongoing international discussions on space traffic management. In this January, we submitted our response to UNOSA on the legal aspects of STM, reflecting our commitment to contributing to the development of common understanding on this critical issue. At the same time, the Korean government has begun the development of the KSSA system this year. This system will be equipped with AI-enabled analytical capabilities to assess potential collision risks, detect abnormal operation patterns, and monitor other space safety-related situations. In doing so, it will contribute to strengthening timely decision-making capabilities aimed at reducing risk in space traffic. Considering the importance of space traffic management, the Republic of Korea actively supports international efforts to develop common standards and norms in this field. We will continue to play a constructive and responsive— responsible role in advancing discussions on STS with a view to promoting a safe, sustainable, and predictable space environment for all nations. Thank you. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea for the statement. And the next speaker


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:37:49]:

on my list is the distinguished representative of Brazil. Thank you, Chair. Brazil has asked for the floor under this agenda item on the report of the Legal Subcommittee on its 65th


Brazil [1:38:06]:

session, but would like to note that our remarks also apply to Agenda Item 7 concerning the report of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee on its 63rd session. We wish to thank the Secretariat and the Chair of this committee, as well as the Chairs of the respective subcommittees, for their continuous efforts in steering us towards consensus, which allowed for the adoption of both reports supported by Brazil. We also welcome the decisions reflected in these documents, which help reaffirm the importance and the capacity of this committee to provide guidance for the governance of outer space activities. Nevertheless, the outcome reached on both occasions fell far short of what this committee and its subsidiary bodies can and should deliver. Brazil noted with deep concern the non-acceptance in both reports of a term that's firmly established in multilateral practice and remains essential for us developing countries. Removing this term from our reports will not resolve existing technological asymmetries, disparities in space capabilities, unequal access to outer space, or gaps in scientific and technical knowledge. We should not look the other way when faced. With these challenges. We need to address them through strengthened international cooperation, capacity building, transparency, information sharing, dialogue, and the effective sharing of benefits. The discussion around this concept during both the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and the Legal Subcommittee has consumed energy that should instead be directed towards ensuring the free exploration of use of outer space for the benefit of all countries. Countries, including those that most need support in building their capacities. A historic multilateral forum such as COPUS cannot afford to move backwards on language that has long served to recognize concrete inequalities in access, capacity, and participation. The legitimacy of this committee depends not only on its ability to reach consensus, but also on its ability to ensure that consensus remains meaningful, inclusive, and faithful to the principles of space law. For this reason, Mr. Chair, Brazil urges all delegations to work together in a collaborative and constructive spirit to avoid such a setback. We remain fully open to dialogue and committed to seeking a solution that preserves the inclusive character of this committee. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I thank the distinguished representative of Brazil for the statement, and the next speaker on my list Is the distinguished


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:40:32]:

representative of Canada. Merci, Monsieur le Président. Thank you, Chair. The Legal Subcommittee plays an important role in studying the nature of legal


Canada [1:40:45]:

issues arising from the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. Building a common understanding of these legal issues is of paramount importance to maintaining outer space. Space for peaceful purposes. This year's session of the Legal Subcommittee was shortened due to the liquidity crisis, but was nonetheless still a very productive one. The Secretariat deserves full credit for efficiently organizing the work of the 65th session and for implementing procedures that allowed all the items to be considered on an expedited basis. Canada commends the Chair of the Legal Subcommittee for his leadership throughout the session and his efforts to broker a compromise that resulted in the adoption of the report. Said compromise produced a report that captured the critical and key decisions and conclusions of the Legal Subcommittee. Meanwhile, the various views expressed by different delegations were duly recorded in a Chair's Summary. Canada views this I see this report as a positive outcome, one from which lessons can be learned so that future report writing consumes less time without sacrificing the essential role of such reports in the UN system. This session of the Legal Subcommittee confirmed that the 3 most important legal issues for space exploration today are: 1, space traffic; 2, space resources; and 3, space debris. These are the issues the Legal Subcommittee should devote its resources towards addressing in future sessions. The Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities made further progress on the initial draft set of principles relating to space resource activities over several formal and informal meetings. The active participation of many delegations was a promising sign. The chair and vice chair were tasked with the responsibility of condensing lengthy member state inputs down to the basic basic elements upon which most delegations can agree. Canada looks forward to this condensed revised draft and encourages all delegations to focus on those basic elements that enjoy broad consensus so the Working Group can achieve the objectives as set out in its work plan by 2027. The Working Group on the Status and Application of the 5 United Nations Treaties also made substantive progress at this year's session, including the elaboration of a template to assist states in the exchange of information on space activities under Article 11 of the Outer Space Treaty. Canada commends the Chair of the Working Group for efficiently guiding its work and providing structure to deliberations for the purpose of achieving practical results. Chair, Canada was pleased with the progress and outcomes of the 65th session of the Legal Subcommittee. We noted active participation from a diverse group of member states and believe the Legal Subcommittee can continue to deliver the practical guidance needed by spacefaring states in the 21st century. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Canada for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:43:47]:

of Italy. Thank you, Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates. Italy reaffirms its full support for the Legal Subcommittee and its efforts to strengthen the


Italy [1:43:57]:

international legal framework governing the safe, sustainable, and cooperative use of outer space. Italy continues to underscore the enduring relevance of the United Nations treaties on outer space, which remain the cornerstone of the peaceful exploration and use of outer space and the foundation of international cooperation. In this context, Italy highlights its recently adopted national space legislation, which strengthens the implementation of its international obligations and provides greater legal certainty for operators. The legislation places particular emphasis on authorization and supervision procedures, liability, safety, and the long-term sustainability of space activities. Italy reaffirms its commitment to capacity building and international cooperation as essential pillars of the peaceful use of outer space. In this regard, Italy supports the forthcoming Regional Technical Advisory Mission for African Countries organized with UNOSA and continues to contribute to institutional and technical expertise through initiatives such as the ACILA Space Governance and Policy Course for Latin American countries. Mr. Chair, Italy acknowledges the efforts of the Chair, the Secretariat, and all delegations to ensure the continuation of the subcommittee's work under challenging circumstances. The procedural arrangements arrangements adopted for the report of the 65th session should be regarded as an exceptional response to specific circumstances and not as a substitute for the committee's long-standing practice of consensus-based decision-making, which remains a fundamental strength of COPOS. At the same time, these developments highlight the importance of preserving the effectiveness, transparency, inclusiveness, and consensus-driven nature of the committee. Italy remains actively engaged in discussions aimed at identifying practical solutions that enjoy broad support. Italy welcomes the progress achieved within the Working Group on the Status and Application of the 5 United Nations Treaties on Outer Space, as well as the work on a volunteer template for the submission of information article— under Article 11 of the Outer Space Treaty. With regard to space resources, Italy supports continued efforts toward an initial set of recommended principles and remain committed to achieving broad convergence by 2027. Italy also welcomes ongoing discussions on the legal and policy aspects of space traffic and the progress achieved within the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation, ATLAC. Mr. Chair, Italy remains firmly committed to supporting the Legal Subcommittee as the principal multilateral forum for the progressive development and clarification of international space law and looks forward to continuing its constructive engagement with all member states. I thank you for your attention. I thank the distinguished representative of Italy for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:46:51]:

China. Mr. Chairman, My delegation appreciates the chair and the secretariat of the LAC, as well as the secretary, and for their dedicated efforts in organizing


China [1:47:13]:

the 65th session of the Legal Subcommittee. The 65th session of the LAC adopted a report that is non-substantive in nature, which China deeply regrets. The fundamental reason for the failure to adopt a full report as per established practice lies in the abuse by one country of the Vienna tradition of consensus. Unreasonably and stubbornly opposed the inclusion in the report of the established formulations such as developing countries. This led to a stalemate and ultimately resulted in a special arrangement that does not constitute a precedent, namely the adoption of a non-substantive report with all the substantive elements incorporated in the Chair's summary. The GA Resolution 51/122 entitled Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for the Benefit and in the Interest of All States, taking into particular account The needs of developing countries clearly states in the preamble that international cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and the interest of all states irrespective of their degree of economic and scientific development and shall take into particular account the needs of the developing countries. This constitutes an authoritative interpretation of the principle of international cooperation as enshrined in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, emphasizing that outer space is not an arena for competition among a few major spacefaring countries, but an undertaking open to all countries, including the developing countries. Within the framework of the corpus, the concept of developing countries refers Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Vienna Declaration is a shared understanding among all parties and constitutes the basis for promoting capacity building, benefit sharing, and equitable participation in outer space activities. China looks forward to working with all parties to uphold this established consensus and resist the politicized abuse of the consensus procedure and preserve the true spirit of Vienna. Chair, at present, Global governance of outer space is undergoing accelerated transformation, and it is essential to further uphold the rule of law in outer space so as to promote sound governance through good law. China believes that the Legal Subcommittee of COPUSS should fulfill its mandate by focusing its discussion on legal issues, addressing new problems and challenges. And concentrate on genuinely important legal questions so as to— the subcommittee should ensure the correct interpretation and application of the existing body of international space law with the Outer Space Treaty at its core and explore through extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits the development of necessary new rules so as to comprehensively and effectively advance the rule of law in outer space and improve global governance. Thank you, Chair. I thank the distinguished representative of China for the statement. And the next speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of South Africa.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:50:54]:

Chairperson, the 65th session of the Legal Subcommittee was held at a time marked by heightened global uncertainty and increasing pressures on the multilateral


South Africa [1:51:04]:

system. Against this backdrop, South Africa reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to multilateralism, international solidarity, and cooperation as the cornerstone of the governance of outer space. We underscore the indispensable role of the Legal Subcommittee in advancing an equitable, transparent, and rules-based international legal framework for outer space activities that serves the interests of all states. In this regard, South Africa reiterated the importance of upholding the principles enshrined in the Outer Space Treaty and strengthening international cooperation to ensure the peaceful exploration and use of outer space for the benefit of, for the benefit of present and future generations. As we convene for the 69th session of the committee, these challenges persist and continue to test our collective commitment to international cooperation and the rule-based multiple order. South Africa emphasized that outer space must not must not be used in ways that undermine international peace and security, or that advance narrow interests at the expense of global development priorities, including the Sustainable Development Goals. We remain concerned by approaches that might have diluted the developmental mandate of the Committee, thereby weakening its inclusive and equitable role, particularly in supporting capacity building and the of the Global South. South Africa reiterates that the 5 nations— that the 5 United Nations treaties on outer space remain the cornerstone of the international continued development of legal mechanisms to ensure the peaceful, responsible, and sustainable exploration and utilization of outer space. In that context, we recognize the value of international International cooperation, as demonstrated through initiatives such as current lunar exploration missions and the experience of the International Space Station. These efforts highlighted how cooperation can advance scientific knowledge, strengthen shared capabilities, and contribute to the common benefit of humankind. The agenda of LSE subcommittee reflects both enduring and emerging challenges in International Space Law. Its work remains essential to ensuring that the legal framework governing outer space remains relevant, inclusive, and responsive to technological developments. Chairperson, South Africa recently organized the 17th Africa round of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Conference competition from 25 to 26 May 2026. Once again, They took place in Pretoria, South Africa. The rapid increase in the number of teams participating from universities across Africa is testimony to the interest that is being generated each year by this exciting competition. 5 countries participated in, in this year's competition comprised of 9 teams from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Strathmore University of Kenya came out again as the overall winner, followed by University of Pretoria. Regional coordination views that African Regional Moot Court Competition is far more than a legal exercise. It is an investment in African future leadership, diplomacy, innovation, governance, and sustainable development within the global space arena. On the back of the Africa Moot Competition, South Africa hosted Space Law and Policy Conference from 28 to 29 May 2026, led by University of Pretoria, the DTIC, and SANSA. Speakers emphasized the growing importance of outer space activities, noting that outer space is no longer confined to a handful of developed nations. Across the African continent, countries are establishing space programs, strengthening institutional frameworks, developing national policies, and increasingly participating participating in global conversations relating to the governance, sustainability, commercialization, and peaceful uses of outer space. In conclusion, South Africa reaffirms its commitment to UN COPUS as a vital multilateral forum for advancing the peaceful, sustainable, and equitable use of outer space. Guided by our resolve to multilateralism, we will continue to advocate for space as a domain of peace and cooperation. cooperation, ensuring that its benefits contribute to socioeconomic development, climate resilience, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of South Africa for the statement. And before suspending our consideration on agenda item number 8, I would like to seek the


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [1:56:02]:

committee's agreement on some of the recurring documents and reporting under this agenda item. We do have 7 points. First, to exchange information on recent developments in the area of space law with international, intergovernmental, and non-governmental Organization. Do I take it that the committee agrees that it was important to continue to exchange information on recent development in the area of space law with international, intergovernmental, and non-governmental organizations, and that such organizations I propose that the delegation should once again be invited to report to the subcommittee at its 66th session on their activities relating to space law. Any objection? I see no objection, so it is so decided. Thank you. Second, in relation to the Directory of Educational Opportunities in Space Law that the Office for Outer Space Affairs produces each year, do I take it that the committee agrees that the office should continue to update the directory and in that connection that the subcommittee invites Member States to encourage contribution at the national level for updating the directory. Any objection? I see no objection, so it is so decided. Third, in relation to capacity building in space law, And given the importance emphasized by many delegates on this matter, do I take it that the committee recommends that states members and permanent observers of the committee inform the subcommittee at its 66th session of any action taken or planned at the national, Regional, or international levels to build capacity in space law. Any objection? I see no objection, so it is so decided. Fourth, in relation to regular exchange of information on developments in the area of national space space-related regulatory framework. Do I take it that the committee encourages member states to continue to submit to the Secretary the text of their national space laws and regulations and to provide updates of their national regulatory frameworks for space activity? Yes. Any objection? I see no objection, so it is so decided. Fifth, in relation to contribution to the Compendium of Space Debris Mitigation Standards, do I take it that the committee agrees that states members of the United Nations and international intergovernmental organizations having permanent observer status with the committee should continue to be invited to contribute further to the compendium of space debris mitigation standards adopted by the states and international organizations Any objection? I see no objection, so it is so decided. Sixth, in relation to contribution to the compendium, not legally binding mechanisms, do I take it that the subcommittees decided to encourage states members of the Committee and international intergovernmental organizations having permanent observer status with the Committee to continue to contribute to the compendium of mechanisms adopted by states and international organizations in relation to non-legally binding United Nations instruments On outer space and to share information on their practices related to such instruments. Any objection? I see no objection, so it is so decided. 7. Thank you, Mr. President. In relation to the way forward on the discussion related to space traffic management, do I take it that the committees agree, noting the importance of further discussion on the legal and policy aspects of space traffic management, the Secretariat should continue to collect information from member states and permanent observers on the relevant regulation, policies, best practices, and requirements at national and regional level, including for the identification of existing international norms, and request that the Secretariat analyze I propose that the Committee accepts the contribution in order to help identify appropriate next steps on the topic. Any objection? I see no objection, so it is so decided. We will now suspend our consideration of agenda item number 8th Report of the Legal Subcommittee on its 65th session to hear the report by the Chair of the Legal Subcommittee Monday next week. Please. Thank you. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to begin and hopefully suspend our consideration of Agenda Item 9, Space and Sustainable Development, pending the outcome of the consultations on the Space for Development Initiative. The first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of India on behalf of Group of 77 and China. Thank you. You have the floor, please. Mr. Chair, I have the honor to deliver this abbreviated version of the statement The full version will be published on the G77 website. The G77 and China underscores its


India · G77 + China [2:04:20]:

firm conviction that the use and exploration of the outer space shall be carried out exclusively for peaceful purposes, and reiterates the principles included in the Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for the Benefit and in the Interests of All States, taking in particular account. The needs of developing countries that should govern activities in the space. 1, universal and equal access to outer space for all countries without discrimination, regardless of their level of scientific, technical, and economic development. 2, the equitable and rational use of the outer space for the benefit and in the interests of all humankind. 3, the principle of non-appropriation of outer space in including the Moon and other celestial bodies by any means. 4, international cooperation in the development of space activities. The group further reiterates the need to address current challenges and fully consolidate aspirations of developing countries on peaceful uses of outer space, including strengthening international cooperation, availing equitable access, and sharing the benefits of outer space activities for all humankind, particularly for the interests of developing countries, including through providing additional support for space sciences and applications. While several member states of this group have achieved important milestones in space activities, others are starting to develop their own space programs and policies. This fact is a recognition of the potential, importance, and benefit of space activities. The group also considers it crucial that developing countries are not left behind or are unfairly treated in space exploration efforts. In this connection, it is imperative to intensify the efforts to extend to all states the benefits derived from outer space activities with a view to promoting the contribution of peaceful uses of outer space to socioeconomic development. In line with the enhancement of international cooperation in outer space activities, it is vital to promote a wider participation of developing countries through active and sustained assistance by advanced spacefaring nations and the UNUSA free from all conditionalities. To this end, the capacity building, technical assistance, and transfer of technology are key factors in the expansion of the abilities of those working in the field, allowing them to gain expertise and knowledge from more advanced spacefaring nations. The group is of the view that space technology applications must translate into concrete benefits for developing countries. In order to achieve this goal, transfer of technology on favorable terms for developing countries as well as associated capacity building are of vital importance. In this vein, the Group strongly encourages states to strengthen international, multilateral, regional, and bilateral cooperation, including by addressing challenges and obstacles, in particular those that hinder such cooperation, particularly in developing countries. The Group also encourages the Secretariat to further its efforts in this regard as per GA Resolution 80/76. In this context, the group notes with appreciation the initiative advanced by several member states entitled Space for Development: International Cooperation and Implementing Benefit Sharing in Space Activities, which seeks to strengthen international cooperation and give practical effects to the principle that the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and the interest of all countries, particularly developing countries. The group regards this initiative as a constructive and timely contribution contribution to the implementation of the committee mandate as well as relevant international instruments on international cooperation in space activities, particularly as it seeks through an inclusive and member-state-driven process to identify existing gaps, evolving needs, and practical voluntary cooperative measures to ensure that developing countries are not left behind in accessing, contributing to, and benefiting from space activities. Mr. Chair, the group reiterates its commitment to the Space 2030 Agenda and aims emphasizes the need for capacity building to ensure that the required technical expertise is made available to member states, especially developing countries, to support its implementation. The group also reiterates the need to use the opportunity of the midterm review of 2030 to address current challenges and further consolidate aspirations of developing countries on peaceful uses of outer space, including strengthening international cooperation, availing equal access and benefit sharing, providing additional support for space science and applications for developing countries. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Of India, for this statement. The next speaker on our list is the distinguished representative of Egypt on behalf of the African Group. You have the floor, please. Thank you


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [2:09:00]:

so much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the African Group underscores that the exploration and use of outer space must be carried out exclusively for peaceful purposes and


Egypt · Africa Group [2:09:08]:

for the benefit and the interests of all countries, irrespective of their level of economic or scientific development, in accordance with the Outer Space Treaty and the applicable international law. The Outer Space Treaty and the Declaration on International Cooperation provide the foundational principles guiding the peaceful use of outer space, including international cooperation, scientific research, information sharing, equality, non-discrimination, determination, and due regard to the interests of all states. The group notes that developing countries continue to face significant challenges in fully benefiting from space activities and space-based solutions, including limited access to space infrastructure and data, insufficient capacity to apply space technologies to national development priorities, and the growing disparities in the ability of states to harness space applications for sustainable development, disaster management, and climate resilience. The rapid evolution of space activities, including increased space traffic, risks of orbital congestion, proliferation of space debris, and emerging activities such as the use of space resources, may further widen the technological and capacity gap between developed and emerging spacefaring nations if not addressed through inclusive and equitable international cooperation. In this regard, the African Group welcomes the progress achieved under the initiative entitled Space for Development: International Cooperation and Implementing Benefit Sharing in Space Activities, presented by the African Group, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Germany, Iraq, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, and Panama, and recently joined by Colombia, as reflected in Conference Room Paper 2026/CRP34, and in particular applaud Germany, Dominican Republic and Colombia for recently co-sponsoring this initiative. The Group also welcomes the ongoing informal consultations and the development of a questionnaire to support a comprehensive gap analysis of current and future benefits, opportunities, evolving needs, and challenges, particularly for developing countries. The Group appreciates the comments and inputs already received from delegations, which reflect broad engagement on how to advance practical, consensual, and action-oriented oriented international cooperation in these fields. The African Group believes that COPUS should adopt a report outcome that provides a clear mandate to continue consultations on this initiative under the existing agenda item Space for Sustainable Development, with the support of UNUSA and under the leadership of the co-sponsoring member states. These consultations should continue intersessionally and on the margins of the committee and its subcommittees. activities, with a view to preparing a needs-responsive, equitable, flexible framework for voluntary international cooperation in space activities, including capacity building, technical assistance, technology transfer, and the sharing of national experiences, needs, and best practices. The Group further believes that this process should contribute to the outcomes of Unispace 4, support the implementation and review of the Space 2030 Agenda, and be reflected in the report of COPUS in 2027. The group calls on all delegations to engage constructively in an initiative in order to advance a more inclusive and sustainable outer space governance framework, strengthen international cooperation, and ensure that developing countries and emerging spacefaring nations are not left behind. I thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the distinguished representative of Egypt for the statement. The next speaker on our list is the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia. Your Excellencies,


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [2:12:50]:

ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Chair, outer space is no longer a distant frontier for scientific exploration alone. It has become a vital extension of humanity's


Saudi Arabia [2:12:59]:

present and future. A growing pillar of global economy, sustainable development, and societal resilience. From communications and navigation to climate monitoring, resource management, and disaster response, space-based services have become an integral part of the infrastructure upon which nations rely to advance prosperity and strengthen their capacity to address rapidly evolving challenges. As the global economy has reach about $630 billion in 2030, with projections that it could reach up to $1.8 trillion by 2035, there is a clear need to preserve outer space as a shared domain that enables development, supports innovation, and opens expanding opportunities for all countries and peoples. As a result, space sustainability is no longer narrowly a technical matter. It has become a strategic imperative for safeguarding shared interests and ensuring the continued benefits that outer space provides for future and present generations. Yet this promising trajectory faces a growing challenge, namely space debris and the increasing risks it poses to the safety of space activities, the reliability of orbital infrastructure, and the continuity of vital services that depend on space. Addressing this challenge requires a collective shift from recognizing the scale of risks to building more integrated and effective responses, and moving from fragmented initiatives to a more coherent and sustained international action. Translating this approach into practical initiatives is what led the Center for Space Futures, established in 2024 through a partnership between the Saudi Space Agency and the World Economic Forum to issue its report entitled Clear Orbit, Secure Future: A Call to Action on Space Debris on the margin of the Space Debris Conference 2026 hosted by the Kingdom in Riyadh on January 26th and 27th, 2026. The report, prepared in collaboration with LeoLabs and NovaSpace, Space highlighted the growing economic implications of space debris, warning that failure to address this challenge effectively could result in economic costs ranging between $25.8 and $42.3 billion over the next decade. Mr. Chair, these estimates do not merely reflect financial losses. They point to deeper risks that may affect services upon which the entire world depends every day. From navigation and communication systems to Earth observation, disaster management, and environmental monitoring. Accordingly, undermining the sustainability of the space environment does not threaten the safety of operations in orbit alone; it directly affects the international community's ability to protect and sustain development on Earth. The more fragile the orbital environment becomes, the more vulnerable become the services that underpin modern economies and societies. Guided with this conviction, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reiterates its calls to strengthen international cooperation and intensify multilateral action to ensure that outer space remains a domain of peace, a driver of development, and a platform for constructive cooperation among nations. In this regard, we reiterate the importance of advancing the integration of space applications into national sustainable development policies, expanding access to data and technologies, particularly for developing countries, and supporting innovation capable of delivering practical solutions to growing global challenges. The outcomes of the Space Debris Conference 2026 further affirmed that space sustainability cannot be achieved through technological innovation alone, no matter how essential it may be. It also requires more coherent governance frameworks, deeper research and industrial partnerships, viable economic initiatives or incentives, and shared approaches to understanding risks whose impacts may extend from orbit to human life on Earth. The conference also demonstrated the value of bringing together governments, international organizations, the private sector, and the scientific community within a single platform that advances practical solutions and moves the discussion from describing challenges to shaping actionable pathways. Mr. Chair, preserving the sustainability of outer space is a common and shared responsibility that requires political will, effective governance, institutional cooperation, and sustained investment in knowledge and innovation. As a result, the Kingdom reaffirms its commitment to continuing its active contribution to international efforts aiming at enhancing the safety of space environment, advancing multilateral cooperation, and supporting initiatives that ensure space remains a force for development, a contributor to it, rather than a source of risks that undermine it. Thank you. Yeah, I thank the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia for the statement. The next speaker on our list is the distinguished representative of Japan. Thank you, Chair. Chair,


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [2:18:20]:

distinguished delegates, Japan is convinced that space technology international cooperation is indispensable for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable


Japan [2:18:29]:

Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Japan regards space and sustainable development as an important and comprehensive agenda item. In this context, Japan delivers this statement highlighting its efforts in relevant areas that also relates to other agenda items. First, on Japan's position regarding the 2030 Agenda. Japan is steadily advancing efforts toward the achievement of the SDGs. In addition to contributing to the midterm review of the 2030 Agenda, Japan supports technological development through the Space Strategy Fund, which aims to expand the space market and, and address social challenges and contributes to the Global Space Law Project, thereby promoting inclusive and sustainable growth with the use of space. Second, on concrete contribution through space technology, The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, and UNOOSA have advanced capacity building through Kibo Cube, which provides opportunities to deploy CubeSats from the Japanese experiment module, Kibo, on the International Space Station, thereby fostering human resource development and capacity building in countries including non-spacefaring nations. Japan will continue to promote the building of space technology capabilities and international cooperation through this program. Third, on R&D on addressed global challenges, building on our nearly 40 years of experience in Earth observation, Japan has been strengthening precipitation observation and climate monitoring. The Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation, GESMAP, contributes to the measures against floods and landslides and to more effective early warning systems. Through the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite, GOSAT series, the Global Change Observation Mission Climate, GCOM-C, the Global Change Observation Mission Water, GCOM-W, Earth Club Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, EarthCARE, and the Global Observing Satellite for Greenhouse Gases and Water Cycle, COSA-GW, Japan supports scientific understanding of climate change and the formulation of mitigation and adaptation policies. Fourth, on disaster response, Japan has long led Sentinel-Asia, a collaborative framework allowing countries and regions without their own Earth observation satellites to benefit from timely satellite-based information when facing disaster. Since its establishment, Sentinel Asia has supported more than 500 emergency observation activations in over 30 countries and regions through the timely provision of actionable, decision-ready information. Furthermore, Japan makes contributions to UNOSA through the use of digital twins based on space data, as well as capacity-building implementation support for disaster risk reduction. These efforts also contribute to the use of space technology and United Nations system and to be implementation of Space 2030 Agenda. Chair, Japan firmly believes in the immense potential of space technology to support sustainable development, and we will continue to contribute this important global efforts. I thank Chair for your kind attention. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Japan for this statement. The next speaker on Sorry. We will continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of item— agenda item


COPUOS · President [2:22:20]:

9, Space and Sustainable Development, on Monday morning pending the outcome Thank you very much, Mr. President. Distinguished delegates, I will now turn to proceed with technical presentations. We have 5 technical presentations. Before I move on to the technical presentations,


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [2:22:45]:

I should like to advise all the presenters that should they wish to have interactions through questions and answers after their presentations, they may wish to finish their presentations a few minutes earlier than the allotted time of 10 minutes. The first presentation on my list is on Poland's Act on Space Activities: Contributing to the Peaceful, Safe, and Sustainable Use of Outer Space by the representative representative of Poland. Please, you have the floor. Thank you, Chair. Distinguished delegates, my name is Marta Kolibabska, and I'm head of Space Policy Unit in the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. It is my great honor to present the progress


Poland · Head of Space Policy Unit · Marta Kolibabska [2:23:43]:

Poland Poland has made in establishing national legal framework for its space sector. My objective is to demonstrate how the Act on Space Activities serves as a cornerstone for a peaceful, safe, and sustainable outer space environment. Act of 13th February February 2026 on space activities is the first comprehensive law in the Polish legal system to regulate space activities. Until now, despite its rapidly growing space sector and the increasing activity of domestic entities, Poland has operated with this area without a national legal framework. The Act fills this gap and represents an important step toward Poland becoming a fully fledged and responsible participant in the global space market. The Act was designed as an enabling piece of legislation for the development of the space sector, as a set of safe and predictable rules. It is a regulation that imposes obligations in the proportionate manner and remains technologically neutral. The act combines 3 perspectives: the interest of the state, international commitments, and the practical needs of businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises and startups, which currently account to approximately 60% of Poland's space industry. The primary driver for this legislation is the maturity of Polish space sector and the need to fulfill international obligations. Poland is a state party to 4 of the 5 UN space treaties, including the Outer Space Treaty and Liability Convention. Under Article 6 of the Outer Space Treaty, we are required to provide authorization and continuing supervision of non-governmental activities. Furthermore, the act aligns with copious soft law instruments such as Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines and the LTS guidelines, ensuring our national law reflects global best practices for safety and sustainability. The act constitutes a milestone under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and is one of the measures implementing the Polish Space Strategy. And it was from the Polish Space Strategy of 2017 that the quite long journey to the Polish Space Law began. Between 2021 and 2026, we conducted intensive drafting and consultations. This inclusive process actively engaged the industrial sector and academic centers, ensuring that the law is practical and theoretically sound. The Act on Space Activities provides for rules for conduct acting space activities, granting the license to conduct space activities, control over space activities, liability for damage caused by a space object, liability for breaching the provisions of the Act, the rules for keeping national register of space object, and last but not least, the procedure for occurrence of unforeseen incidents related to conducting space activities and finding an item suspected of being space debris. The Act focuses on midstream and regulates the, regulates the operational phase of missions. Regulated space activities include launching or attempt launch of space objects, exploitation and control of space objects in outer space, removal, and deorbitation. The definition of outer space is of key importance in this respect. Outer space, as defined by the Act, is space above 100 kilometers above the mean sea level. This also means that suborbital activities are also considered space activities, provided they involve crossing the outer space boundary. On the other hand, the Act does not regulate the production of objects, spaceports, or the ground-level use of data, thereby avoiding unnecessary burdens on manufacturers and data users. The Act requires that space activities be conducted in a specific manner, posing no threat to security and defense interests, minimizing the risk to human health or life or— and property, taking into account the needs of long-term sustainable use of outer space for peaceful purposes, and elimination of— or minimizing the negative impact of space activities on Earth's neutral enviro— natural environment or outer space environment, including by preventing space debris production and guaranteeing compliance of the space object with the applicable standards in the areas described in the Act. Sustainability is a cornerstone of this legislation, directly reflecting our commitment to the UN LTS guidelines. The Act explicitly requires operators to implement procedures and technical solutions aimed at eliminating or mitigating the risk of space debris production. This includes ensuring the space object's ability to transition to an inactive state or undergo effective deorbitation. Furthermore, the Act mandates that space activity must minimize negative impact on both the Earth natural environment and the outer space environment. To ensure these are not just abstract goals, the President of the Polish Space Agency is empowered to set special license conditions aimed at strengthening of sustainability international cooperation and the protection of areas with significant cultural, scientific, or environmental values. Technical standards are individually, case by case, assessed to remain technologically neutral while ensuring mechanical strength, fuel and reliable communication. The president of the Polish Space Agency has already published recommended standards on the agency's website to guide potential operators. The Act recognizes that space activity is inherently hazardous. Therefore, operators are legally bound to minimize risks to human life, health, and property. A critical requirement for any license is a mandatory comprehensive risk assessment. This assessment must evaluate potential for damage on the Earth's surface, to aircraft in flight, including crew and passengers, and the risk of orbital collisions with other space objects. To manage these risks, operators must maintain third-party liability insurance with the guarantee amount tailored to the specific mission's sky scale and risk profile, capped at €60 million. Finally, we have integrated robust mechanisms to safeguard national security for the space activities conducted directly by entities subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. We have introduced a simplified regime— simplified regime. While they are exempt from the standard licensing and insurance obligations, they must still comply with other technical and safety standards and enter their objects into the National Register of Space Objects. No license can be issued without mandatory binding opinions from the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Internal Security Agency. Most importantly, the Minister of National Defense has the authority to request the immediate immediate suspension of a license in an activity if the activity is found to be a negative impact on the operational activities of the armed forces. Licenses are issued by the president of POLSA throughout administrative decisions. The maximum time allowed for a decision is 6 months. Apart from requirements described earlier, applicants must demonstrate technical knowledge, experience, and financial capacity, with flexible criteria tailored for startups and SMEs to avoid capital barriers. Mandatory binding opinions from the Ministry of Defense Internal Security Agency ensure that no activity endangers national security. The Act went into force 14 days after its official announcement. To respect the principle of non-retroactivity, existing satellites are exempt from licensing and insurance requirements. However, all existing, existing objects must be registered in National Registry of Space Objects within 6 months to ensure a complete national overview. Finally, I would like to stress most sincerely that the Polish Space Activities Act would not have come into being without the extraordinary commitment, expertise, and generosity in sharing knowledge demonstrated by Ambassador Andrzej Misztal. We miss you greatly, Andrzej. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you for your presentation. The second presentation on our list is on complementing space sustainability through post-mission disposal from Japan, from compliance to incentive, by the representative


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [2:35:08]:

of Japan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon, distinguished delegates and members of this committee. I am Yasuhito Uto, CEO and founder of Bulk Company Limited from Japan. I speak today not as a policy advocate but as a proactioneer,


Bulk Company Limited · CEO and founder · Yasuhito Uto [2:35:33]:

drawing on direct experience of what we have built to address post-mission disposal. BURU was established in 2022 in Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan, as a university-originated technology company from Keio University. Prior to founding BURU, I served at Japan's Ministry of Defense. That experience at the intersection of national security, technology, and policy shapes how we approach space sustainability, addressing both the engineering challenge change and the regulatory environment simultaneously. Our mission is to provide fractional post-mission disposal solutions on global scale from Japan. We develop a passive DPMD device. Its development is supported by JAXA through the co-creation program and by the Japanese government through the SVIR Phase 3 grant, 3 grants of up to approximately approximately $27 million. In 2025, we established BUR SAS in Paris as our European operational hub. BUR was founded to translate Japan's commitment to space sustainability from policy into functional hardware in orbit. The space environment is changing rapidly. The number of objects launched is sharply increasing, and the international community is actively responding. The foundation of this response has been built by international bodies. The IADC's 25-year deorbit guideline established the global baseline. ISO standards for space debris mitigation now provide a recognized technical framework for operators worldwide. And the Committee's Long-Term Sustainability Guidelines continue to reinforce implement— implementations across all spacefaring nations. Individual countries and regions are aligned with these international foundations, progressively tightening their national requirements. Japan is fully committed, not only in regulations but in direct investment. The Space Activities Act of 2018 mandates disposal plans for all licensed missions. Japan has advanced implementations through the Guidelines for Licensing On-Orbit Services, the CRD2 program, and SBIR Phase 3, providing sustainable direct support to companies in this field. Blue is one of those selected companies, and we carry that responsibility with the utmost seriousness. From our experience working with operators across multiple countries, a consistent observation emerges: there is a persistent gap between the rules that have been established and the measures that are actually implemented. This gap is not unique to any one country, nor to any one type of policy. It is a common condition. Debris mitigation technologies impose additional costs en masse on every mission. Without standardized solutions, operators face bespoke development at significant expense. Commercial returns for sustainable investment remain unclear, and monitoring and enforcement mechanisms remain limited. The enabling conditions are equally concerning. Consistent. Regulatory mandates create real demand economic incentives, from propellant savings to extended mission lifetime, built to a genuine business case, and insurance framework linked to companies can change the economic certainty. Whether across jurisdiction or across type of measure, the fundamental challenges of adoption is the same. A universal solution is therefore required. Guru was established to provide precise results. Space debris mitigation is not merely a technical matter. It is a challenge that will determine whether future generations can access and use space. Addressing it requires a full range of approaches, and each has its role. Propulsion-based disposal— a satellite de-orbits under its own power at the end of the mission is effective, though it adds mass and cost. On the right side of the screen, activity debris removal, addressing non-cooperative objectives already in orbit. It is essential for the long term. In the center of the screen, we're focusing on the SAD, dedicated PMD devices installed at launch. Our device can integrate into virtually any satellite or upper stages of rocket with minimal mass impact. These approaches are not competing, they are complementary. Dedicated PMD reduces the long-term burden of active debris removal, forming the scalable foundations for sustainable space use. HON, the Hotting Orbit Normalizer, is BURS' practical response to the post-mission disposal challenge. It is hardware engineered for the market as it exists today. HOAM is a drag-safe device. A mechanically deployed membrane increases atmospheric drag, accelerating the orbit without propulsion or external power. The development is entirely mechanical, no gas inflation. This eliminates failure modes associated, associated with leakage, leakage and thermal degradation. in the space environment, ensuring high reliability throughout the mission lifetime. HON targets a wide range of platforms, from CubeSat-class satellites to ton-class spacecraft and launch vehicle upper stages. HON's area-to-mass ratio is among the highest available, up to 50 square meters of membrane from a compact stowed volume. It is the infrastructure through which BUREO advances its mission on a global scale. The effect of integration with HON is clear and measured— measurable on both regulatory compliance and commercial value. On compliance, HON is designed with the FCC 5 GHz DOBIT rule as the explicit target. The performance date added here confirms this even under conservative assumptions, specifically assuming random tumbling of the spacecraft rather than ideal attitude-controlled deorbit. At typical LEO altitudes, natural deorbit without PMD may require many decades. With HONG installed, deorbit within approximately 5 years is achievable under this scenario, even accordingly for the solar activity variations. On commercial value, propellant consumed during the orbit can be dedicated to payload capacity for launch vehicles and to extend its mission's lifetime for satellite operators. HOME delivers value on both dimensions, compliance and economics, simultaneously. We are privileged We are privileged to have the support of distinguished partners who share this conviction. Their engagement reflects, we believe, that expectation that the market holds for the space sustainability sector. In Europe, Arianespace, in partnership with Bouygues, is targeting flight demonstrations on Ariane 6 from 2027. ABL and Bouygues have concluded a memorandum of understanding for home integrations on Vega-C. They are Europe's leading launch service providers, and, and they are committing to HON. In India, Xtelink Space Labels is partnering with us on the HON integrations for satellite platforms, responding to the rapidly growing LEO constellations market. In Germany, MightySpace integrates HON's deorbit data into space traffic management homes. In Japan, Fujitsu provides space situational awareness capabilities that extend our observation capabilities. This partnership tells us one thing clearly: the market is ready. Transforming compliance into incentive is not just a business strategy. It is ultimately about how the international community chooses to share a collective obligation. The cost of protecting space access for future generations. The policy layer defines the mandates, COPAS guidelines, regulations in key spacefaring nations, Japan's Space Activities Act, and other related programs. BUR operates in full alignment with this framework, not to shape policy but to deliver the solutions that policy calls for. The technology layer is where BUR contributes directly Home, a passive, reliable multi-platform device now being validated through in-orbit demonstrations. The market layer is where compliance becomes economically rational. Insurance frameworks that reward disposal, launch providers that require it, and operators who adopt it as a competitive advantage. When these 3 layers function together, We believe industry-wide PMD compliance rate of 90% and above becomes achievable. This is not optimism. It is what well-designed incentive architecture makes possible. This is the system we are building. Today's presentation describes not a future program, but an imminent reality. HOMU is integrated on board the H3 launch vehicles number 6th, with the launch campaign active at Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. Actually, the launch was successful just 12 hours ago. Following launch, Hong L and Hong R will be released from the rocket and deployed in orbit as 2 independent demonstrators, among the world's largest dedicated post-mission disposal devices to operate in orbit at approximately 586 kilometers altitude. Japan's commitment to space sustainability is embodied in hardware on the verge of in-orbit operation. We look forward to reporting the results of this committee. Thank you. Thank you for your presentation. Uh, the 3rd presentation on my list is on International Astronautical Congress 2028 in Samarkand by the representative of Uzbekistan. Please, you have the floor, please. Thank you. Good afternoon,


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [2:46:59]:

distinguished delegates. Thank you. Today I would like to briefly introduce an important upcoming event for the global space community. The International Astronautical Congress will be held in Samarkand


Uzbekistan [2:47:22]:

from 9th to 13th October 2028. This will be the 79th edition of the Congress, and for the first time in its history, it will take place in Central Asia. We are honored to welcome the global space community to Uzbekistan and would like to share why IEC 2028 will be a special event. For those who may not be familiar with the IEC, it's the world's largest annual gathering dedicated to space activities, often referred to as the Olympic Games of space. It brings together space agencies, industry leaders, researchers, universities, students, and policymakers from around the world. Each year, more than, uh, 10,000 participants from over 80 countries attend the Congress. It's a unique platform where ideas are exchanged, partnerships are built, and the future of space activities is discussed. IC 2028 will mark a historic milestone at the the first Congress ever hosted in Central Asia. Samarkand was selected by the International Astronautical Federation during the IAC in Sydney last year following a competitive international bidding process. The choice of Samarkand reflects both its historical significance and its growing role in science and technology. More than 6 centuries ago, the city was home to famous astronomer Ulugh Beg and one of the most advanced observatories of its time. Today, Samarkand will once again welcome the international scientific community. The Congress will take place at the Silk Road Samarkand Complex, one of the largest modern tourism and convention centers in the region. The complex combines conference facilities, hotels, cultural attractions, restaurants, and recreation areas within a single integrated destination located around the beautiful waterfront area. It provides an ideal environment for both professional engagement and networking. For IEC 2028, the entire Congress area will operate as an integrated space city. Congress halls, exhibition spaces, meeting rooms, hotels, networking areas, and social events will be all located within walking distance of each other. This creates a highly efficient environment where participants can focus on meetings, discussions, and collaboration without losing time traveling between venues. Everything will be connected in one location throughout the week. Silk Road Samarkand has already successfully hosted numerous high-level international events. This includes the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in 2025, summits of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, meetings of international organizations, major business forums, and governmental conferences. The venue has demonstrated its ability to accommodate large numbers of international guests while meeting the highest standards of logistics, security, and hospitality. This experience gives us confidence in delivering a successful IEC 2020. The Congress will feature 5 full days of activities covering all major areas of the space sector. The program will include scientific sessions, technology presentations, policy discussions, commercial space activities, education initiatives, and international cooperation. Participants can expect high-level plenary sessions with leaders of major space agencies, astronauts, industry executives, and renowned researchers. Alongside the technical program, a large international exhibition, networking opportunities will be available throughout the week. So reaching Samarkand is simple and convenient. The city is served by a modern international airport with growing international connectivity within Uzbekistan. The high-speed Afrosiob rail network provides fast and comfortable transportation between major cities. The city also offers convenient taxi and public transportation services. To facilitate international participation, Uzbekistan currently provides visa-free access to citizens of 86 countries and electronic visa system for citizens of 77 countries. The e-visa application process is straightforward, costs approximately €20, and is typically completed within 3 working days. Ladies and gentlemen, IEC 2028 will be a historic congress. For the first time, the global space community will gather in Central Asia. We look forward to welcoming More than 10,000 participants from around the world to Samarkand from 9th to 13th October 2028. Please save the date and join us for this remarkable event. Thank you for your attention. We look forward to seeing you in Samarkand. Thank you for your presentation. Distinguished delegates, after 6 PM, we will continue without interpretation services. The 4th presentation on my list is on Japan's space science and planetary defense by the representative of Japan.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [2:53:56]:

It is my honor to speak in front of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space today. I'd like to briefly introduce these 4 major highlights from Japanese space science missions this year. All of them are ambitious endeavors built


Japan [2:54:11]:

upon international cooperation, opening new horizons in humanity's understanding and exploration of space. Japanese space science is now entering a major turning point. Traditionally, our focus has been scientific exploration itself, understanding the origin and evolution of the solar system through missions to asteroids, planets, and deep space. Today, however, space science is expanding beyond pure exploration towards challenges that concern all humanity, particularly planetary defence. This image captures a powerful moment. After a 6-year journey through deep space from the asteroid Ryugu, HAPS-2 returned safely to Australia, where the capsule was recovered in the Umra Desert. One of the most interesting outcomes of HAPS-2 is that the mission did not end with the sample return. The Ryugu grains have continued traveling around the world through international exhibitions and outreach activities. These efforts helped create new partnerships with museums, science centers, universities, and space agencies in the countries including the UK, France, Thailand, and Australia. In other words, the sample itself became a catalyst for international cooperation and public engagement. The Hayabusa and Hayabusa 2 missions established world-leading sample return technologies, demonstrating precise navigation, autonomous operations, and high-performance small spacecraft systems. The big success is also shaping how we think about future missions such as MMX and Comet Interceptor, not only as scientific missions but also as long-term international platforms connecting science, exploration, and society. So the next major step from Japan is MMX, the Martian Moons Exploration Mission. MMX aims to explore Phobos, one of the moons of Mars, collect samples, and return them to Earth. Earth. It will become humanity's first round-trip mission to the Martian system. This mission fully utilizes Japan's strength in landing technology, sample acquisition, and sample return developed through the Hayabusa program. At the same time, MMX is being realized through full-scale international cooperation involving NASA, CNES, DLR, ESA, and many other partners. MMX is not simply another sample return mission. It is also an important technological and operational stepping stone towards future Mars landing exploration. MMX represents both scientific ambition and preparation for humanity's next era of planetary exploration. Thank you. BepiColombo represents one of the most mature and successful long-term cooperation projects between Japan and Europe. After many years of development and interplanetary cruise operations, the mission is now finally entering the Mercury exploration phase. Rapid progress in exoplanet science has increased interest in rocky planets over orbiting very close to their parent stars. The European orbiter, MPO, focuses on Mercury itself, studying the surface, internal structure, gravity, and composition. Meanwhile, JAXA's MEO spacecraft studies the environment around Mercury, including the magnetic field, plasma, and space weather. What is especially important is that the 2 spacecraft observe Mercury simultaneously from different positions in orbit. By combining these observations, BepiColombo can reveal how Mercury interacts with the extreme environment near the Sun. BepiColombo consists of 3 main elements and sunshield, the Electric Propulsion Transfer Module, ESA's Mercury Planetary Orbiter, the Sunshield Interface Structure, and JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, MEO. After the long cruise phase to Mercury, the combined spacecraft separates, allowing the 2 science orbiters to begin their independent observations around the planet. This modular architecture enabled Europe and Japan to combine different technologies and scientific objectives within a single mission. Mercury is one of the hardest planets to reach. A spacecraft cannot simply fall towards Mercury. It must carefully slow itself down while traveling through the strongest gravitational environment in the solar system. That is why BepiColombo follows this complex trajectory using repeated flybys of Earth, Venus and Mercury, together with electric propulsion. In many ways, BepiColombo represents the next generation of planetary exploration— technically ambitious, scientifically comprehensive, and deeply international. Planetary defense addresses one of the new few natural risks that could potentially affect all humanity, asteroid impacts. Today, space science is expanding from scientific exploration towards practical contributions to global safety and resilience. Japan-Europe cooperation is also evolving in this direction. Friday, the 13th of April, 2029. This is the date that the planetary science community is watching very The asteroid Apophis, about 340 meters in size, will make an extremely close approach to Earth, only about 30— 32,000 kilometers away, closer than many geostationary satellites. This is not an impact threat, but it is an extraordinary scientific opportunity. To take advantage of this rare event, ESA is planning the RAMSES mission, where JAXA contributes through international cooperation. RAMSES represents more than a single mission. They symbolize the next stage of international cooperation, where space science, planetary defense, and long-term exploration capabilities come together. Importantly, this This effort also builds upon the heritage of Hayabusa2's extended mission. After successfully returning samples from Ryugu, Hayabusa2 continued operating in deep space and is conducting observations of additional asteroids, contributing valuable experience and scientific knowledge relevant to future planetary defense activities. The Hayabusa2 extended mission flyby of the asteroid Torrifone includes important technological aspects related to planetary defense, such as close proximity operations and knowledge relevant to future orbit modification strategies. We see this as a natural evolution of international space cooperation. The same trust, technologies, and operational experience developed through scientific exploration can now contribute to addressing global-scale challenges shared by all humanity. Another exciting aspect of the mission is that the possibility of the dual launch of Destiny+ and the Ramses on Japan's H3 rocket. Destiny+ is JAXA's mission to fly by the GEMINI's meteor shower parent body, 3200 Phaethon, and sample dust originating from the rock comet. Launching these missions together would symbolize a new phase of Japan-Europe cooperation in planetary defense and small body exploration. It would also demonstrate how international partnership can maximize scientific return and mission efficiency through shared launch opportunities and coordinated exploration strategies. Yesterday, JAXA, ESA, ASI, and UNOSA co-hosted a side event titled Planetary Defense in Action: Global Cooperation on RAMSES. The discussion highlighted the significance of cooperation between Japan and Europe, particularly in the context of RAMSES mission. It also explored how such bilateral efforts could contribute and reinforce multilateral frameworks, including those facilitated by UNOSA, and to promote a coordinated and effective global response to planetary defense challenges. We hope this event provided an opportunity to discuss not only technology and science, but also how international partnerships can respond together to future challenges in space. Thank you. Thank you for your presentation. Uh, the last and the 5th presentation on my list is on the legacy of Gerard K.O. Neal and the urgency to start experimentation on simulated gravity by the Observer for Space Renaissance International, SRI.


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [3:04:29]:

You have the floor, please. Thank you, Honorable Chair, ladies and gentlemen. As geopolitical instabilities and unsustainable anthropic pressures push Earth towards environmental and social degradation, human expansion beyond our mother planet becomes an


Space Renaissance International · Observer [3:04:55]:

unavoidable reality. This impending migration into space is not a mere technical exercise or a flight of science fiction. It represents a profound philosophical, ethical, and political pivot of humanity. Today, we present a vision rooted in the human-centered architectural legacy of Dr. Gerald K. O'Neill, outlining why free space habitats must become a priority for civilian space development. When evaluating potential destinations for permanent settlement, specifically the Moon, Mars, and free space habitats, the physics and resource availability clearly favor the latter. Planetary bodies possess strictly limited usable surface areas, and lock infrastructure inside deep gravity wells. Conversely, the virtually unlimited raw materials available within near-Earth asteroids offer enough resources to construct self-sustaining floating orbital worlds. These free space habitats can scale— bigger pardon— scale, dynamically bypassed by planetary constraints to house a thriving civilization. Our expansion to outer space must occur under a completely new paradigm. Early astronautics focused almost entirely on technical survival and military utility. Cold War visionaries viewed orbital stations as paramilitary platforms where human comfort was secondary to national prestige. We must transition to a civilian-centric model. The core of this transition relies on the realization that simulated gravity is not an optional luxury. It is an absolute foundational principle required to preserve human biology, safeguard personal liberty, and sustain democratic societies beyond Earth. Gerald K. O'Neill fundamentally revolutionized cosmic philosophy. Through the Space Studies Institute, he shattered the rigid technocratic paradigm, earning his designation as the father of civilian space development. O'Neill insisted that if space were to become an inclusive land of freedom, habitats had to incorporate elements of human culture, beauty, tourism, and entertainment. By framing space colonies as vibrant, sunlit, green worlds with Earth-like environments, he proved that space colonization could and enhance human dignity rather than restricting it to a high-stress, closed existence. The core engineering parameter established by the O'Neill legacy is the mandatory requirement for 1G simulated gravity. This is derived from a triad of humanist requirements. Universally, data from the International Space Station has validated that long-term microgravity inflicts severe systemic degradation of human biology, including bone density loss and cardiovascular atrophy. Matching Earth standard gravity via centrifugal force is the only viable method to safeguard long-term biological health and ensure safe intergenerational development, allowing children to grow with normal physiological parameters. Most profoundly, O'Neill linked gravity directly to the ethical and political foundations of human rights. If a space colony is engineered to operate permanently at a lower gravity gradient, such as lunar or Martian levels, its inhabitants will undergo irreversible physiological physiological adaptations. Consequently, they would become physically incapable of ever returning to Earth without facing medical catastrophe. A colony whose population is physically barred from returning to their home planet inherently violates the fundamental human right to migrate. To ensure that our expansion increases personal freedom rather than diminishing it, 1G simulated gravity remains an unyielding mandatory ethical condition. To successfully execute this transition, the global aerospace space community must move past historically compromised designs. Early engineers proposed small, lightweight stations rotating rapidly to produce partial gravity, like 30% gravity of Earth, to minimize structural mass. However, modern biomedical and kinematic Research shows that small radius, fast-spinning structures exceeding 2 rounds per minute generate severe Coriolis effects. This causes crippling vestibular nausea and gravity gradients between a person's head and feed, to guarantee a healthy, comfortable environment for civilians, we must systematically design large-scale rotating habitats utilizing slow rotation speeds to eliminate motion sickness entirely. For decades, the human-centered engineering concept established by O'Neill and the SSI have languished as historical curiosities while contemporary space agencies prioritized automatic exploration in Earth orbits. Today, however, there is an urgent imperative to actively restart this vital work. The launch window of historical stability and rapidly advancing commercial aerospace technology is wide open right now in the year— now. But it will not remain open indefinitely. We must seize this moment to shift from space exploration to a new space settlement paradigm. Action plan. The path forward requires an immediate phased implementation strategy focused on active experimentation. Humanity cannot transition directly from microgravity laboratories to kilometer-scale orbital metropolises without intermediate physical validation. Therefore, our immediate objective must be the development of subscale rotating testbeds in Earth orbit to evaluate the biological effects of simulated gravity gradients. utilizing modular structures in low Earth orbit will refine automated assembly and life support closures. Following this development must scale toward the Earth-Moon Lagrange points, specifically L4 and L5, identified as the ideal locations for optimal gravitational spots for permanent free space worlds. In conclusion, reviving the humanist vision of Gerald K. O'Neill and the Space Studies Institute is our generation's ultimate responsibility. By— Building upon— his legacy, modern aerospace engineers and enterprises and international coalitions within frameworks like COPUOS can establish a continuous pipeline of rotating habitat development. Let us ensure that as our species steps permanently into the high frontier, We do not export a regime of survival and confinement, but instead establish a beautiful, healthy, and authentically free civilization across the solar system. Thank you very much for your attention. Thank you. Thank you for the presentation. Distinguished delegates, I'll shortly adjourn this meeting. Before doing so, I would like to inform delegates of our schedule of work for Monday morning. We will meet promptly at 10 AM. We'll continue


COPUOS · Vice-Chair [3:16:19]:

our consideration of Agenda Item 5, General Exchange of Views. We will reopen and hopefully conclude our consideration of agenda item 8, report of the Legal Subcommittee on the 65th session. Following the report by the chair of the Legal Subcommittee, we will continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of agenda item 9, Space and Sustainable Development, pending the outcome of the consultations on the The Space for Development Initiative. We will begin and hopefully conclude our consideration of our— of Agenda Item 10, Spinoff Benefits of Space Technology, Review of Current Status. Time permitting, we will begin our consideration of Agenda Item 11, Space and Water. 5 technical presentations are scheduled for Monday morning. Delegates are reminded that the full schedule of technical presentations is available on the session's webpage. I would like to inform delegates that the informal meeting of the Experts Group on Space Situational Awareness will be held in Conference Room M2 from 9 to 10 AM on Monday morning. This meeting will be held in a hybrid format via MS Teams. Teams with a virtual connection available to expert group members. The MS Teams link is provided in the invitation circulars OOSA/2026/51 and 58 dispatched on 25 May and 1 June 2026. The schedule of the consultations is available on the webpage of the session. I would now like to give the floor to the Secretariat to provide information on side events. Thank you very much, Mr. Vice Chair. First and foremost, I apologize for the bad management for this afternoon session going beyond— well beyond 6 PM, and I do appreciate the extraordinary coordination and cooperation by the security officers,


UNOOSA · Secretariat [3:18:38]:

engineers, and the technicians. We'll make sure it doesn't happen in the future. Distinguished delegates, on Monday morning from 9:00 to 9:55 AM, a side event entitled Space for All: Interregional Dialogue to Advance Cooperation and Capacity, and organized by Germany, will be held in Conference Room M3 and via virtual connection. All delegations are invited. Thank you very much. I thank the Secretariat for the information provided. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule? Okay, I see none. Distinguished delegates, this meeting is adjourned until 10 AM on Monday morning. Thank you.