The Role of the United Nations In Space Security

Mazlan Othman National Space Agency (ANGKASA) Malaysia

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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1 st Committee (Disarmament and International Security) Conference on Disarmament

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4 th Committee (Special Political and Decolonisation) UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

UN First Committee

Conference on Disarmament (CD) established in 1979 • TOR includes all multilateral arms control and disarmament • Includes prevention of an arms race in outer space

Conference on Disarmament

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In 1985 established Ad Hoc committee on the Prevention of an Armed Race in Outer Space (PAROS)

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Attempt to formulate and adopt a treaty banning space weapons

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Call for the establishment of a ‘link’ between space related work of the First and Fourth Committees

UN Fourth Committee

• Agenda item: International cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space • Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

United Nations treaties A.

Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Outer Space Treaty) B. Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space (Rescue Agreement) C. Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (Liability Convention) D Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (Registration Convention) E Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Moon Treaty)

Principles adopted by the General Assembly

A. Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space B Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth Satellites for International Direct Television Broadcasting C. Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space D. Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space D. 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

Outer Space Treaty

Preambular paragraphs • to refrain from placing in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction…..

• condemned propaganda designed or likely to provoke or encourage any threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act aggression

Article IV …

undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds or weapons of mass destruction …establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications….testing of weapons… military manoeuvers on celestial bodies shall be forbidden

Article XI …States Parties…conducting activities in outer space….agree to inform….to the greatest extent feasible and practicable, of the nature, conduct, locations and results of such activities

Registration Convention

Preambular paragraph ….a central register of objects launched into outer space is established and maintained, on a mandatory basis, by the Secretary General of the United Nations

Liability Convention Preambular paragraph …in the launching of space objects, damage on occasion may be caused by such objects.

Article III In the event of damage being caused…. to a space objectby a space object of another launching State, the latter shall be liable….

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Moon Treaty

Preambular paragraph • Desiring to prevent the Moon from becoming an area of international conflict

Article 3 …

Any threat or use of force…on the Moon is prohibited …shall not place in orbit objects carrying nuclear weapons or… weapons of mass destruction …establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications…..

testing of weapons military manoeuvers on celestial bodies shall be forbidden

UNCOPUOS Scientific and Technical Subcommittee 44 th session 2007 Agenda Item on Space Debris

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Adopted the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the S&T Subcommitee of COPUOS

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Reference to the Interagency Space Debris Coordination Committee )IADC)

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Reference to IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines

Guideline 4: Avoid intentional destruction and other harmful activities Recognizing that an increased risk of collision could pose a threat to space operations, the intentional destruction of any on-orbit spacecraft and launch vehicle orbital stages or other harmful activities that generate long-lived debris should be avoided.

When intentional break-ups are necessary, they should be conducted at sufficiently low altitudes to limit orbital lifetime of resulting fragments

UNCOPUOS Legal Subcommittee 46 th Session 2007

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Registration of space objects Growing complexity of registry

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Unidroit draft protocol on space assets Proposal for UN to assume the role of Supervisory Authority under the future space assets protocol

UNCOPUOS Committee of the Whole

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Ways and means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes Ad hoc statements made by delegations on disarmament and militarization of space

THE WAY FORWARD Space security issues should be approached in a holistic manner

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Code of conduct

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Space debris management

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Space traffic management

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Transparency, registration and confidence-building measures

THE WAY FORWARD Resolutions to space security issues should build on, or strengthen, or institutionalize already existing treaties, principles, plans, registers, research and monitoring programmes and databases.

VALUE OF ENGAGEMENT THROUGH DIPLOMACY AND CONSULTATION

THANK YOU

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