Guess the jurisdiction of the United Nations extends farther than you might think. The Secure World Foundation was granted permanent observer status by the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). This classification enables the Foundation to contribute to the international dialogue on space policy alongside Member States.
In this capacity, the Foundation will provide input on matters related to; the peaceful use of space, cooperative Earth observation, mitigation of orbital debris, tracking and deflection of near Earth objects, space traffic management and other space security matters.
COPUOS, a secretariat of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and currently under the direction of Dr. Ciro A. Arévalo Yepes of Columbia, is responsible for:
- reviewing the scope of international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space;
- devising programs in this field to be undertaken by the United Nations;
- encouraging continued research and sharing information on outer space matters;
- studying legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space;
- maintaining close contact with governmental and non-governmental organizations concerned with outer space matters;
- providing for the exchange of such information relating to outer space activities as Governments may supply on a voluntary basis;
- supplementing, but not duplicating, existing technical and scientific exchanges;
- assisting in the study of measures for the promotion of international cooperation in outer space activities; and
- implementing recommendations from UNISPACE III (held in 1999).
Much more information regarding orbital debris and other issues are addressed in NASA’s July issue of Orbital Debris Quarterly News found at this website
