Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space Gérard Brachet Space Policy Consultant Incoming chair*, United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) * 2006 – 2008 Note: The views expressed in this presentation are the personal views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the UN COPUOS nor of the UN Secretariat

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space Space is humankind’s next frontier Space systems provide enormous benefits to our society: - Applications to everyday life - Defence and security - Scientific research, exploration of our Solar system and understanding the Universe

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space Multiplication of government and private space operators - 19 countries master launch systems - More than 50 nations and regional organizations operate satellites in Earth orbit - Space is becoming a more and more popular place! - Ensuring secure access and uses of space in the future is a challenge

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space Question: Are space activities in Earth orbit sustainable in the long term?

Today’ situation:

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600 operational satellites - 9000 identified objects larger than 10 cm, of which - 40 % are satellites no longer in operation and spent rocket upper stages - 54% are fragments and other objects - 300 000 objects between 1 and 10 cm - several millions below 1cm?

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space The space debris situation is scary enough.

If offensive activities were to take place in space, the consequences would make it even worse.

… But deployment of weapons in space has not happened (with a few exceptions in the early days) in almost fifty years of space activities.

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space Space weapons deployment could very well be a self-defeating proposition: - costly - probably less efficient than ground based weapons - difficult to maintain - would start another arms race

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space What measures could ensure security of space assets in the future?

Which mechanism(s) to develop a common approach to such measures?

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space The « space debris mitigation » work of the COPUOS Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee and the resulting space debris mitigation guidelines, based largely on the IADC work, is a good illustration of how the international community can agree on such « rules of the road »

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space What about the CD PAROS discussion? One can doubt that, in the present political context, the CD will agree on anything with respect to security in space.

Space is marginal to the CD debate, and the issue of space security is much wider, concerning both civilian and military aspects.

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space A proposal: What about setting up a joint COPUOS CD/PAROS Working Group tasked with studying the feasability of « rules of the road » to ensure better security for space activities? A starting point could be the IAA Cosmic Study on « Space Traffic Management ».

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space A possible approach would be to address the technical aspects first, avoiding political deadlock in the early stage of such discussions.

Legal and political aspects would be considered later, once an agreement is in view from a technical standpoint.

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space Ensuring long term secured access and use of outer space is not a defence issue only.

It requires an active dialogue between the civilian and military communities to address how can space be kept safe and secure. Both express the same concern: security of their space assets.

And they share the same environment around our planet.

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space Thank you for your attention Thank you to the Space Policy Institute of George Washington University for inviting me to share my views with you today.

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space Appendix on the Outer Space Treaty (1) What is allowed and what is not allowed in terms of weaponization of outer space: Article IV: State parties to the Treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any object carrying nuclear weapons or any other kind of weapons of mass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner.

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006

Collective Security in Space, a key factor for a sustainable long term use of Space Appendix (2) Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty further states that « any installation, weapons testing and military activity on the surface of the Moon or other celestial bodies are forbidden » Earth orbit. banned.

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• In other words, deployment of weapons which are not weapons of mass destruction is not forbidden by the OST in • However, deployment of any weapon on the Moon and other celestial bodies is

Workshop Collective Security in Space-Paris 15-16 May 2006