Recommendations on National Legislation Relevant to the Peaceful Exploration and Use of Outer Space

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 50 International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, published in 2013.

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?

3 subjects

Laws and Regulations Outer Space Space Exploration

What’s in this document?

9 operative paragraphs

Recommends the following elements for consideration, as appropriate, by States when enacting regulatory frameworks for national space activities, in accordance with their national law, taking into account their specific needs and requirements:

The scope of space activities targeted by national regulatory frameworks may include, as appropriate, the launch of objects into and their return from outer space, the operation of a launch or re-entry site and the operation and control of space objects in orbit; other issues for consideration may include the design and manufacture of spacecraft, the application of space science and technology, and exploration activities and research;

The State, taking into account its obligations as a launching State and as a State responsible for national activities in outer space under the United Nations treaties on outer space, should ascertain national jurisdiction over space activities carried out from territory under its jurisdiction and/or control; likewise, it should issue authorizations for and ensure supervision over space activities carried out elsewhere by its citizens and/or legal persons established, registered or seated in territory under its jurisdiction and/or control, provided, however, that if another State is exercising jurisdiction with respect to such activities, the State should consider forbearing from duplicative requirements and avoid unnecessary burdens;

Space activities should require authorization by a competent national authority; such authority or authorities, as well as the conditions and procedures for granting, modifying, suspending and revoking the authorization, should be set out clearly within the regulatory framework; States might employ specific procedures for the licensing and/or for the authorization of different kinds of space activities;

The conditions for authorization should be consistent with the international obligations of States, in particular under the United Nations treaties on outer space, and with other relevant instruments, and may reflect the national security and foreign policy interests of States; the conditions for authorization should help to ascertain that space activities are carried out in a safe manner and to minimize risks to persons, the environment or property and that those activities do not lead to harmful interference with other space activities; such conditions could also relate to the experience, expertise and technical qualifications of the applicant and could include safety and technical standards that are in line, in particular, with the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space;⁴

⁴Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-second Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/62/20), annex.

Appropriate procedures should ensure continuing supervision and monitoring of authorized space activities by applying, for example, a system of on-site inspections or a more general reporting requirement; enforcement mechanisms could include administrative measures, such as the suspension or revocation of the authorization, and/or penalties, as appropriate;

A national registry of objects launched into outer space should be maintained by an appropriate national authority; operators or owners of space objects for which the State is considered to be the launching State or the State responsible for national activities in outer space under the United Nations treaties on outer space should be requested to submit information to the authority to enable the State on whose registry such objects are carried to submit the relevant information to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in accordance with applicable international instruments, including the Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space,⁵ and in consideration of General Assembly resolutions 1721 B (XVI) of 20 December 1961 and 62/101 of 17 December 2007; the State may also request information on any change in the main characteristics of space objects, in particular when they have become non-functional;

⁵United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1023, No. 15020.

States could consider ways of seeking recourse from operators or owners of space objects if their liability for damage under the United Nations treaties on outer space has become engaged; in order to ensure appropriate coverage for damage claims, States could introduce insurance requirements and indemnification procedures, as appropriate;

Continuing supervision of the space activities of non-governmental entities should be ensured in the event of the transfer of ownership or control of a space object in orbit; national regulations may provide for authorization requirements with regard to the transfer of ownership or obligations for the submission of information on the change in status of the operation of a space object in orbit.

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?