International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

A/RES/57/116View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 75 International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, published in 2003.

What else is in this group?

78 documents · 1960–2025

Newer documents in this group exist (latest: 2025).

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2025	A/RES/80/76	International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space	4,167	–
2024	A/RES/79/87	International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space	4,172	–
2023	A/RES/78/72	International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space	3,907	–
2022	A/RES/77/121	International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space	3,657	–
2021	A/RES/76/76	International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space	3,618	–

This group bundles related documents that are not individually ordered.

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

1 report · 2003

Year	Symbol	Title		Mandate resolution
2003	A/58/174	Implementation of the recommendations of the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III) report of the Secretary-General		A/RES/57/116

What’s in this document?

71 operative paragraphs

Endorses the report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on the work of its forty-fifth session;Error: Reference source not found

Urges States that have not yet become parties to the international treaties governing the uses of outer space⁶ to give consideration to ratifying or acceding to those treaties as well as incorporating them in their national legislation;

⁶Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (resolution 2222 (XXI), annex); Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space (resolution 2345 (XXII), annex); Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (resolution 2777 (XXVI), annex); Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (resolution 3235 (XXIX), annex); and Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (resolution 34/68, annex).

Notes that, at its forty-first session, the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space continued its work, as mandated by the General Assembly in its resolution 56/51;⁷

⁷See Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/57/20), chap. II.D.

Notes with satisfaction the successful completion of the three-year work plan⁸ by the Working Group of the Legal Subcommittee concerning the review of the concept of the “launching State”, and takes note of its recommendations;⁹

⁸Ibid., Fifty-fourth Session, Supplement No. 20 and corrigendum (A/54/20 and Corr.1), annex I, para. 3 (b) (iii).

⁹Ibid., Fifty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/57/20), para. 169.

Endorses the recommendation of the Committee that the Legal Subcommittee, at its forty-second session, taking into account the concerns of all countries, in particular those of developing countries:

Consider the following as regular agenda items:

General exchange of views;

Status and application of the five United Nations treaties on outer space;

iii

Information on the activities of international organizations relating to space law;

Matters relating to:

a. The definition and delimitation of outer space;

b. The character and utilization of the geostationary orbit, including consideration of ways and means to ensure the rational and equitable use of the geostationary orbit without prejudice to the role of the International Telecommunication Union;

Consider the following single issues/items for discussion:

Review and possible revision of the Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space;¹⁰

¹⁰See resolution 47/68.

Examination of the preliminary draft protocol on matters specific to space assets to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment, opened for signature at Cape Town, South Africa, on 16 November 2001:

a. Considerations relating to the possibility of the United Nations serving as supervisory authority under the preliminary draft protocol;

b. Considerations relating to the relationship between the terms of the preliminary draft protocol and the rights and obligations of States under the legal regime applicable to outer space;

Notes that the Legal Subcommittee, at its forty-second session, will submit its proposals to the Committee for new items to be considered by the Subcommittee at its forty-third session, in 2004;

Notes also that, in the context of paragraph 5 (a) (ii) above, the Legal Subcommittee will reconvene its Working Group, which will meet for three years, from 2002 to 2004, with the terms of reference as agreed upon by the Legal Subcommittee;¹¹

¹¹See A/AC.105/763 and Corr.1, para. 118, and A/AC.105/787, para. 138.

Notes further that, in the context of paragraph 5 (a) (iii) above, the group of experts designated by interested Member States to identify which aspects of the report on the ethics of space policy of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization might need to be studied by the Committee and to draft a report, in consultation with other international organizations and in close liaison with the World Commission, will submit its report to the Legal Subcommittee at its forty-second session;

Notes that, in the context of paragraph 5 (a) (iv) above, the Legal Subcommittee will reconvene its working group on the item only to consider matters relating to the definition and delimitation of outer space;

Notes with appreciation that, in the context of paragraph 5 (b) (ii) above, the Governments of France and Italy hosted the intersessional meetings within the framework of the ad hoc consultative mechanism established in accordance with paragraph 10 of General Assembly resolution 56/51;

Agrees that the Legal Subcommittee should establish a working group to consider the questions reflected in paragraphs 5 (b) (ii) a and b above separately;

Notes that, in accordance with the measures relating to the working methods of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies,¹² which were endorsed by the General Assembly in paragraph 11 of its resolution 52/56 of 10 December 1997, the Committee, at its forty-fifth session, considered the composition of the bureaux of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies for the third term, starting in 2003, and held informal consultations on the matter;

¹²See Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-second Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/52/20), annex I.

Notes also that, in accordance with the agreement of the Committee at its forty-fifth session,¹³ the Government of Austria convened and facilitated and will continue to convene and facilitate intersessional informal consultations, including the chairpersons of the regional groups, on the composition of the bureaux of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies for the third term with a view to reaching consensus before the forty-sixth session of the Committee;

¹³Ibid., Fifty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/57/20), para. 209.

Agrees that, on the basis of agreements to be reached among the members of the Committee on the composition of the bureaux of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies for the third term, the election of the officers of the Committee for the third term should be conducted at the beginning of the forty-sixth session of the Committee;

Notes that the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, at its thirty-ninth session, continued its work as mandated by the General Assembly in its resolution 56/51;¹⁴

¹⁴Ibid., chap. II.C.

Endorses the recommendation of the Committee that the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, at its fortieth session, taking into account the concerns of all countries, in particular those of developing countries:

Consider the following items:

General exchange of views and introduction to reports submitted on national activities;

United Nations Programme on Space Applications;

iii

Implementation of the recommendations of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III);

Matters relating to remote-sensing of the Earth by satellite, including applications for developing countries and monitoring of the Earth’s environment;

Consider the following items in accordance with the work plans adopted by the Committee:¹⁵

¹⁵See A/AC.105/697 and Corr.1, annex III, appendix, for the work plan for item (i); A/AC.105/736, annex II, paras. 40 and 41, for items (ii) and (iii), respectively; and A/AC.105/761, para. 130, for item (iv).

Use of nuclear power sources in outer space;

Means and mechanisms for strengthening inter-agency cooperation and increasing the use of space applications and services within and among entities of the United Nations system;

iii

Implementation of an integrated, space-based global natural disaster management system;

Space debris;

Consider the following single issues/items for discussion:

Examination of the physical nature and technical attributes of the geostationary orbit and its utilization and applications, including, inter alia, in the field of space communications, as well as other questions relating to developments in space communications, taking particular account of the needs and interests of developing countries;

Mobilization of financial resources to develop capacity in space science and technology applications;

iii

The use of space technology for the medical sciences and public health;

Notes that the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee at its fortieth session will submit its proposal to the Committee for a draft provisional agenda for the forty-first session of the Subcommittee, in 2004;

Endorses the recommendation of the Committee that the Committee on Space Research and the International Astronautical Federation, in liaison with member States, be invited to arrange a symposium on applications of satellite navigation and their benefits to developing countries, with as wide a participation as possible, to be held during the first week of the fortieth session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee;

Agrees that, in the context of paragraphs 16 (a) (ii) and (iii) and 17 above, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee at its fortieth session should reconvene the Working Group of the Whole;

Also agrees that, in the context of paragraph 16 (b) (i) above, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee at its fortieth session should reconvene its Working Group on the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space;

Invites the Inter-Agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities to contribute to the work of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee in the context of paragraph 16 (b) (ii) above, and agrees that the Inter-Agency Meeting should continue to report to the Subcommittee and the Committee on the work conducted at its annual session;

Endorses the United Nations Programme on Space Applications for 2003, as proposed to the Committee by the Expert on Space Applications;¹⁶

¹⁶See A/AC.105/773, sects. II–IV.

Notes with satisfaction that, in accordance with paragraph 30 of General Assembly resolution 50/27 of 6 December 1995, the African regional centres for space science and technology education, in the French language and in the English language, located in Morocco and Nigeria, respectively, and the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific continued their education programmes in 2002 and that progress has been achieved in furthering the goals of the Network of Space Science and Technology Education and Research Institutions of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and in establishing the regional centres for space science and technology education in Latin America and the Caribbean, as a result of the substantive progress achieved during the meetings held in Mexico and Brazil in 2002, as well as in Western Asia;

Recognizes the agreement reached at the Space Conferences of the Americas for the Latin American countries as a mechanism to promote cooperation and coordination in space activities in the region, notes with satisfaction the success of the Fourth Space Conference of the Americas, held at Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, from 14 to 17 May 2002, which adopted the Declaration of Cartagena de Indias and the Plan of Action,¹⁷ and encourages other regions to convene periodically regional conferences with a view to achieving convergence of positions on issues of common concern in the field of the peaceful uses of outer space among States Members of the United Nations;

¹⁷Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/57/20), annex II.

Urges all Governments, entities of the United Nations system and intergovernmental and non-governmental entities conducting space-related activities to take the necessary action for the effective implementation of the recommendations of UNISPACE III, in particular its resolution entitled “The Space Millennium: Vienna Declaration on Space and Human Development”,Error: Reference source not found and requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session on the implementation of the recommendations of UNISPACE III;

Notes with satisfaction the work conducted by the eleven action teams that the Committee had established at its forty-fourth session under the voluntary leadership of Member States to implement the recommendations of UNISPACE III, and agrees that Member States should provide full support to the action teams in conducting their work;¹⁸

¹⁸Ibid., Fifty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 20 and corrigendum (A/56/20 and Corr.1), paras. 50 and 55; and ibid., Fifty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/57/20), paras. 42 and 43.

Agrees that, in accordance with paragraph 30 of General Assembly resolution 55/122 of 8 December 2000, the Committee should include in the agendas of its forty-sixth and forty-seventh sessions an item on the implementation of the recommendations of UNISPACE III;

Notes with satisfaction that the Committee has started to prepare a report under the agenda item on the implementation of the recommendations of UNISPACE III for submission to the General Assembly, so that the Assembly may review and appraise, at its fifty-ninth session, in 2004, in accordance with paragraph 16 of its resolution 54/68, the implementation of the outcome of UNISPACE III and consider further actions and initiatives, and agrees that, in this context, the Working Group established by the Committee to prepare the above-mentioned report should be reconvened at the forty-sixth session of the Committee;

Agrees that the review by the General Assembly of the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of UNISPACE III should be conducted in plenary meetings at the fifty-ninth session of the Assembly, under a separate agenda item entitled “Review of the implementation of the recommendations of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space”, in addition to the item entitled “International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space”;

Urges all Member States to contribute to the Trust Fund for the United Nations Programme on Space Applications to support activities to implement the recommendations of UNISPACE III, in particular the priority project proposals as recommended by the Committee at its forty-third session;¹⁹

¹⁹Ibid., Fifty-fifth Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/55/20), para. 87.

Recommends that more attention be paid and political support be provided to all matters relating to the protection and the preservation of the outer space environment, especially those potentially affecting the Earth’s environment;

Considers that it is essential that Member States pay more attention to the problem of collisions of space objects, including those with nuclear power sources, with space debris, and other aspects of space debris, calls for the continuation of national research on this question, for the development of improved technology for the monitoring of space debris and for the compilation and dissemination of data on space debris, also considers that, to the extent possible, information thereon should be provided to the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, and agrees that international cooperation is needed to expand appropriate and affordable strategies to minimize the impact of space debris on future space missions;

Urges all States, in particular those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the goal of preventing an arms race in outer space as an essential condition for the promotion of international cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes;

Emphasizes the need to increase the benefits of space technology and its applications and to contribute to an orderly growth of space activities favourable to sustained economic growth and sustainable development in all countries, including mitigation of the consequences of disasters, in particular in the developing countries;

Agrees that the benefits of space technology and its applications should be prominently brought to the attention of conferences organized within the United Nations system to address global issues relating to social, economic and cultural development and that the use of space technology should be promoted towards achieving the objectives of those conferences and implementing the United Nations Millennium Declaration;²⁰

²⁰See resolution 55/2.

Notes that the Government of Chile has offered to host an international conference on biotechnology in 2003 to promote the use of space technology in enhancing food security, as part of the contributions to the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration;

Notes with satisfaction the efforts made by the Committee and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee as well as the Office for Outer Space Affairs of the Secretariat and the Inter-Agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities to bring the benefits of space science and technology and their applications to the attention of the World Summit on Sustainable Development;

Urges entities of the United Nations system, particularly those participating in the Inter-Agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities, to examine, in cooperation with the Committee and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, how space science and technology and their applications could contribute to the implementation of the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development²¹ and the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (“Johannesburg Plan of Implementation”);²²

²¹Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August-4 September 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.03.II.A.1 and corrigendum), chap. I, resolution 1, annex.

²²Ibid., resolution 2, annex.

Takes note of Algeria’s interest in and contributions to the work of the Committee and of its request to become a member of the Committee, as well as of the support for that request expressed by the Group of 77 and other regional groups and Member States, and decides, on an exceptional basis, to accept its membership in accordance with paragraph 41 of General Assembly resolution 56/51;

Welcomes the interest of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in membership in the Committee and the endorsement of its candidature by the Group of African States, and requests the Committee to continue the consideration of the matter constructively during its next session, taking into account the principle of consensus;

Endorses the decision of the Committee to grant permanent observer status to the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites and to the Spaceweek International Association;

Requests the Committee to continue to consider, as a matter of priority, ways and means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session;

Also requests the Committee to continue to consider, at its forty-sixth session, the item entitled “Spin-off benefits of space technology: review of current status”;

Further requests the Committee to continue to consider, at its forty-sixth session, the item entitled “Space and society”;

Commends the International Satellite System for Search and Rescue on its achievements during its twenty years of service to the global community in using space technology to assist aviators and mariners in distress around the globe;

Agrees that the Committee should continue to consider a report on the activities of the System as a part of its consideration of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications under the item entitled “Report of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee”, and invites Member States to report on their activities regarding the System;

Invites the Committee to expand the scope of international cooperation relating to the social, economic, ethical and human dimension in space science and technology applications;

Requests the specialized agencies and other international organizations to continue and, where appropriate, enhance their cooperation with the Committee and to provide it with progress reports on their work relating to the peaceful uses of outer space;

Requests the Committee to consider and identify new mechanisms of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, in accordance with the preamble to the present resolution, and to submit a report to the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session, including its views on which subjects should be studied in the future.

International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

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