Recommendations on Enhancing the Practice of States and International Intergovernmental Organizations in Registering Space Objects

A/RES/62/101View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 31 International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, published in 2007.

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

1 entity

Entity	(Sub-)Programme	Title	Total mandates cited	Expenditure
	Programme 5	Peaceful uses of outer space	38

Historical expenditure covers the complete programme or subprogramme, not this mandate. For an overview of all UN entities and programmes, see UN entities and programmes.

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

1 entity

Entity	(Sub-)Programme	Title	Total mandates cited	Expenditure
	Programme 5	Peaceful uses of outer space	38	—

Historical expenditure covers the complete programme or subprogramme, not this mandate. For an overview of all UN entities and programmes, see UN entities and programmes.

What subjects does this mandate have?

11 subjects

Geostationary Orbit Information Exchange Intergovernmental Organizations International Organizations Outer Space Signatures, Accessions, Ratifications Space Object Registration Space Objects Space Research Standardization Websites

What’s in this document?

33 operative paragraphs

Recommends, with regard to adherence to the Registration Convention,2 that:

States that have not yet ratified or acceded to the Registration Convention should become parties to it in accordance with their domestic law and, until they become parties, furnish information in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1721 B (XVI);

International intergovernmental organizations conducting space activities that have not yet declared their acceptance of the rights and obligations under the Registration Convention should do so in accordance with article VII of the Convention;

Also recommends, with regard to the harmonization of practices, that:

Consideration should be given to achieving uniformity in the type of information to be provided to the Secretary-General on the registration of space objects, and such information could include, inter alia:

The Committee on Space Research international designator, where appropriate;

Coordinated Universal Time as the time reference for the date of launch;

iii

Kilometres, minutes and degrees as the standard units for basic orbital parameters;

Any useful information relating to the function of the space object in addition to the general function requested by the Registration Convention;

Consideration should be given to the furnishing of additional appropriate information to the Secretary-General on the following areas:

The geostationary orbit location, where appropriate;

Any change of status in operations (inter alia, when a space object is no longer functional);

iii

The approximate date of decay or re-entry, if States are capable of verifying that information;

The date and physical conditions of moving a space object to a disposal orbit;

Web links to official information on space objects;

States conducting space activities and international intergovernmental organizations that have declared their acceptance of the rights and obligations under the Registration Convention should, when they have designated focal points for their appropriate registries, provide the Office for Outer Space Affairs of the Secretariat with the contact details of those focal points;

Further recommends, in order to achieve the most complete registration of space objects, that:

Due to the complexity of the responsibility structure in international intergovernmental organizations conducting space activities, a solution should be sought in cases where an international intergovernmental organization conducting space activities has not yet declared its acceptance of the rights and obligations under the Registration Convention, and a general backup solution should be provided for registration by international intergovernmental organizations conducting space activities in cases where there is no consensus on registration among the States members of such organizations;

The State from whose territory or facility a space object has been launched should, in the absence of prior agreement, contact States or international intergovernmental organizations that could qualify as “launching States“ to jointly determine which State or entity should register the space object;

In cases of joint launches of space objects, each space object should be registered separately and, without prejudice to the rights and obligations of States, space objects should be included, in accordance with international law, including the relevant United Nations treaties on outer space, in the appropriate registry of the State responsible for the operation of the space object under article VI of the Outer Space Treaty;1

States should encourage launch service providers under their jurisdiction to advise the owner and/or operator of the space object to address the appropriate States on the registration of that space object;

Recommends that, following the change in supervision of a space object in orbit:

The State of registry, in cooperation with the appropriate State according to article VI of the Outer Space Treaty, could furnish to the Secretary-General additional information, such as:

The date of change in supervision;

The identification of the new owner or operator;

iii

Any change of orbital position;

Any change of function of the space object;

If there is no State of registry, the appropriate State according to article VI of the Outer Space Treaty could furnish the above information to the Secretary-General;

Requests the Office for Outer Space Affairs:

To make available to all States and international intergovernmental organizations a model registration form reflecting the information to be provided to the Office for Outer Space Affairs, to assist them in their submission of registration information;

To make public, through its website, the contact details of the focal points;

To establish web links on its website to the appropriate registries that are available on the Internet;

Recommends that States and international intergovernmental organizations should report to the Office for Outer Space Affairs on new developments relating to their practice in registering space objects.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

Table of contents

Who cites this mandate in the budget?