https://spacewatch.global/tag/un/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Fri, 31 Oct 2025 08:38:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/tag/un/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/spacewatchgl-insights-itu-space-sustainability-forum/ Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68649
Written by Jorge Ciccorossi
The second edition of the ITU Space Sustainability Forum took place at the  Geneva International Conference Centre ( CICG ) with participants from governments, satellite industry and operators, UN and space agencies from 143 countries. Key discussions focused on managing satellite constellations, advancing exploration from Low Earth Orbit to Lunar, and achieving Space and Spectrum Situational Awareness (S3A) to ensure sustainability of space radiocommunications systems.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/09/un-member-states-adopt-pact-for-the-future/ Mon, 23 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=61259 Heads of State from UN member states have adopted the Pact for the Future initiative, to ensure that international institutions can deliver in the face of a world that has changed dramatically since its creation. The Pact covers several issues including peace and security, the peaceful use of outer space, sustainable development, and climate change, among others.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/08/un-ggim-discusses-geospatial-capacity-at-14th-session/ Thu, 15 Aug 2024 06:00:04 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=56586 The United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) at its 14th session focused on collaborative and action-oriented approaches towards strengthening geospatial capacity and leadership. The session also raised challenges from varying national and regional contexts, as well as emphasized the need for cross-sectoral partnerships.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/06/unoosa-hosts-un-conference-on-sustainable-lunar-activities/ Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:00:22 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=55736  The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) has hosted the first United Nations Conference on Sustainable Lunar Activities, ahead of the 67th Session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). The Conference convened astronauts, heads of space agencies, the scientific and legal communities, and industry to address common approaches, priorities, and expectations for the peaceful, sustainable, and cooperative exploration of the Moon.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/06/spacewatchgl-geopolitics-give-unoosa-and-portugal-a-chance/ Wed, 05 Jun 2024 08:00:13 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=55412 The “Management and Sustainability of Space Activities Conference” took place in Lisbon, on May 14 and 15, 2024, totalling over 15 hours of talks. A joint event organized by Portugal with UNOOSA (United Nations Office for Space Affairs), this conference was also intended to contribute to the discussion on the space sector at the upcoming United Nations Summit of the Future in September 2024. Besides featuring experts' discussion on the importance of international cooperation and regulations in managing and sustaining outer space activities, a key merit of this conference is to have allowed members states that aren’t dominant space powers to showcase their initiatives. Let’s find out.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/05/russia-defends-unsc-veto-and-proposes-rival-resolution/ Fri, 10 May 2024 06:00:23 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=55144 Sequel to Russia's veto of the UN Security Council resolution to prohibit the placement of nuclear weapons in space, Russia has defended its veto decision and also called for support of its rival resolution to prohibit the placement of any kind of weapons in outer space for all time.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/04/russia-vetoes-unsc-resolution-to-prevent-nuclear-weapons-in-space/ Tue, 30 Apr 2024 06:00:28 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=54966 On Wednesday, 24 April 2024, Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution, spearheaded by the US and Japan, that would have called on all states to prevent the placement of nuclear weapons in space and not take steps to develop weapons of mass destruction that could be deployed above Earth.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/03/china-discloses-legal-position-on-utilization-of-space-resource/ Fri, 08 Mar 2024 07:00:13 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=54049 China has turned in its submission to the Working Group of Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities of the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee of the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS). The Working group invited member states to submit their inputs towards the Group's mandates and purposes. The submission emphasized the importance of the provisions of the Outer Space Treaty in directing any member-state activity regarding the lunar surface, particularly lunar space resources. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/08/dr-calvin-gets-selected-for-international-leadership-role/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 06:00:58 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=50347 Dr. Kate Calvin, NASA’s chief scientist, and senior climate advisor, has become co-chair of a working group on climate change mitigation at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC is the United Nations body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change. Prior to the selection, Calvin contributed to five reports by the IPCC. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/03/ian-grosner-elected-as-chair-of-outer-space-lsc-working-group/ Thu, 30 Mar 2023 06:00:21 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=47635 Ian Grosner, the Brazilian Space Agency federal attorney and host of SpaceWatch Global's Space Café Brazil, has become the chair of the Working Group on the Definition and Delimitation of Outer Space of the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in Vienna, Austria. The election happened on Monday, March 20, 2023.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/02/space-cafe-radio-at-the-un-oewg-with-dr-jessica-west-and-victoria-samson/ Fri, 10 Feb 2023 14:00:47 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=46561 In this Space Café Radio - SpaceWatch.Global publisher Torsten Kriening spoke with  Dr. Jessica West, Senior Researcher at Project Ploughshares, and Victoria Samson, Washington Office Director at Secure World Foundation. In this episode, Torsten talked with Jessica and Victoria about the third session of the Open-ended working group on reducing space threats through norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviors, held in early February 2023 in Geneva.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/01/rogue-commends-un-vote-on-asat-ban-and-creates-new-space-sustainability-policy-position/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 07:00:14 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=45894 Satellite vehicle and subsystems designer, Rogue Space Systems Corporation (Rogue), has decided to support the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of Resolution 77/41, calling on all Member States not to conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) tests. The US-led initiative has already been adopted by ten countries.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/12/unoosa-and-uk-launch-partnership-on-registering-space-objects/ Fri, 02 Dec 2022 13:00:18 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=45228 The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Government of the United Kingdom are launching a new project to enhance international expertise in the registration of objects launched into outer space. The multi-year project strengthens an already solid foundation of joint efforts between the partners covering topics such as space sustainability and climate action.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/09/japan-and-germany-declare-asat-missile-test-ban/ Thu, 15 Sep 2022 12:00:30 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=43359 Japan and Germany declared the countries will not conduct direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile testing, agreeing to the US-driven initiative launched earlier this year. The announcement was made during the second session of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on reducing space threats.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/08/first-moldovan-satellite-gets-deployed-from-iss/ Mon, 15 Aug 2022 06:00:48 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=42694 The Republic of Moldova successfully deployed its first satellite, TUMnanoSAT, from the Kibo module of the International Space Station (ISS) with the support of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) under the KiboCUBE programme, the Unites Nations said. KiboCUBE is part of the Access to Space for All ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/07/space-cafe-scotland-by-angela-mathis-new-science-and-emerging-technology-with-steve-greenland-recap/ Fri, 01 Jul 2022 08:00:58 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=41882 The year’s third Space Café Scotland by Angela Mathis - New Science and Emerging Technology with guest Steve Greenland of Craft Prospect took place on Friday, 17th June. Steve Greenland is the founder and Managing Director of Craft Prospect, building smart and secure space systems and services, Director of Omanos Analytics, ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/06/omran-sharaf-from-uae-to-chair-uns-copuos/ Fri, 03 Jun 2022 06:00:56 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=41290 The UAE has been chosen to lead the United Nation’s Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) committee with Omran Sharaf Emirati engineer serving as director of COPUOS in 2022 and 2023, the UAE reported.  COPUOS has 100 member states and has been in operation since 1959.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/05/unoosa-and-esa-open-up-hypergravity-experiments-for-un-member-states/ Tue, 17 May 2022 07:00:28 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=40978 The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) announced they are opening up the Large Diameter Centrifuge (LDC) facility at the European Space Research and Technology Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, to UN Member States.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/04/space4impact-launches-second-week-of-free-online-new-space-economy-course/ Wed, 13 Apr 2022 07:00:47 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=40427 Space4Impact, EPFL’s Space Center eSpace, E2MC Ventures, and Space Innovation joined forces to launch an online course on the New Space Economy. The program is available on edX as a free EPFLx course. Learners can watch more than 30 video lectures by space experts from various domains within startups, academia, the private sector, and public institutions in Switzerland.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/04/un-bans-mercury-satellite-propellants/ Fri, 01 Apr 2022 06:00:07 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=40191 The United Nations adopted a provision to phase out the use of mercury as a satellite propellant by 2025 during the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, Zero Mercury said. Public interest NGOs (non-governmental organizations) welcomed the ban. Canada and Switzerland played vital roles in having the ban put in place.]]>