United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

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The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) was established in 1958 (shortly after the launch of Sputnik) as an ad hoc committee. In 1959, it was formally established by United Nations resolution 1472 (XIV).

The mission of COPUOS is "to review the scope of international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space, to devise programmes in this field to be undertaken under United Nations auspices, to encourage continued research and the dissemination of information on outer space matters, and to study legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space."

The Committee has two subcommittees, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and the Legal Subcommittee.

Contents

Treaties and agreements [edit]

COPUOS oversees the implementation of five UN treaties and agreements relating to activities in outer space:

  • "Outer Space Treaty" - The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies
  • "Rescue Agreement" - The Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space
  • "Liability Convention" - The Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects
  • "Registration Convention" - The Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space
  • "Moon Treaty" - The Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies

COPUS also keeps track of the following other international agreements relating to activities in outer space:[1]

General
Institutions

Member States [edit]

  current members
  applied for membership

As of 2011, the Committee has 72 member States, and is one of the largest committees of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The member States of the Committee are: Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and Viet Nam.

In 2012 Costa Rica and Jordan have applied for the membership in the Committee.

International organizations with permanent observer status [edit]

The following non-UN organizations have permanent observer status with the Committee: the Association of Space Explorers (ASE), the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), the European Space Agency (ESA), the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the International Law Association (ILA), the International Mobile Satellite Organization (Inmarsat), the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT), Intersputnik, the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), the International Space University (ISU), The Planetary Society (TPS), the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC).

References [edit]

  1. ^ Status of International Agreements relating to activities in outer space as at 1 January 2012

External links [edit]

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