United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

Org type	Secretariat office
Status	Active
Headquarters	Vienna, Austria

UNOOSA's main office is in Vienna, Austria.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is a special office within the United Nations. Its main job is to help countries work together peacefully when exploring and using outer space. UNOOSA helps create rules for space activities. It also helps developing countries use space science and technology. This helps these countries grow and improve their lives in a lasting way.

This office was started in 1958. It was created to help a special group called the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). This committee was set up by the United Nations General Assembly to talk about how to explore space safely and for everyone's benefit. The committee became a permanent group the next year. UNOOSA moved its main office to Vienna, Austria, in 1993.

UNOOSA helps carry out important international agreements and rules about space. These rules are known as space law. The office also advises governments and other groups on space law. It keeps a list of all objects launched into space. UNOOSA also organizes meetings to discuss space topics. It supports programs that help countries use space technology.

History of Space Cooperation
- Space Programs for Development
What UNOOSA Does
How UNOOSA is Organized
People at UNOOSA
See also

History of Space Cooperation

In 1957, the first satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched into space. This made people all over the world start talking about space exploration. They discussed the science, laws, and politics of going into space.

On December 13, 1958, the UN General Assembly created a special group. It was called the ad hoc Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). This group soon became a permanent part of the General Assembly. They met to plan how to explore space peacefully and with clear rules. At the same time, UNOOSA was created in New York. It was a small team of experts within the UN to help COPUOS.

In 1962, UNOOSA became a larger division within the UN. It was called the Outer Space Affairs Division.

In 1967, the Outer Space Treaty became law. This treaty was developed by COPUOS. It was the first international set of rules for how countries should act in space.

In 1992, the Outer Space Affairs Division changed its name to the Office for Outer Space Affairs. It stayed part of the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The next year, in 1993, UNOOSA moved to its current home. This is the United Nations Office at Vienna, in Austria.

Space Programs for Development

In the early 2000s, UNOOSA started new projects. These projects aimed to encourage peaceful international involvement in space. In 2005, the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) was formed. It helps different satellite navigation systems work well together. This is especially helpful for developing countries.

The next year, in 2006, the UN-SPIDER program was created. This program helps developing countries use space technology for disaster management. It helps them respond to emergencies. Two offices were opened for this program. They are in Bonn, Germany, and Beijing, China.

In 2009, Japanese astronaut Takao Doi became the Chief of Space Applications at UNOOSA.

In 2010, the Human Space Initiative was launched. This program helps UNOOSA give developing countries access to space use and exploration.

In March 2014, Simonetta Di Pippo from Italy became the Director of UNOOSA. She had previously worked at the European Space Agency.

In September 2015, UNOOSA teamed up with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). They started the "KiboCUBE" program. This program allows developing countries to launch their own small satellites. These satellites, called CubeSats, are launched from the Japanese Kibo module on the International Space Station. Through this program, Kenya launched its first satellite in 2018. Guatemala launched its first satellite in 2020.

On June 16, 2016, UNOOSA announced a partnership with the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). This partnership gives nations the chance to send their experiments and people on board the Chinese space station, part of the Tiangong program.

In September 2016, UNOOSA announced the first United Nations space mission. This mission was planned to use the Dream Chaser spaceplane. This spaceplane was designed by the American company Sierra Nevada Corporation. The mission aimed to help developing nations send experiments into low-Earth orbit. These experiments would study microgravity, which is very low gravity.

In 2019, the launch date for the Dream Chaser mission was updated. It was expected to carry up to 35 experiments and launch sometime in 2024.

On June 26, 2023, Aarti Holla-Maini was appointed as the current Director of UNOOSA. She was previously the general secretary of the Global Satellite Operators Association.

What UNOOSA Does

UNOOSA mainly works to carry out decisions made by the United Nations General Assembly. It also follows the decisions of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The office has two main goals. First, it supports discussions within the Committee and its subcommittees. Second, it helps developing countries use space technology for their growth.

UNOOSA's main job has been updated several times. This allows the office to do many things. For example, it helps coordinate how different UN groups use space technology. This is done through UN-Space. It also runs the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. And it manages the UN-SPIDER Programme for disaster management and emergency response.

The office also works with space agencies and other organizations involved in space. It keeps the official UN list of objects launched into outer space. UNOOSA also helps countries facing problems from climate change. It helps them get free access to satellite images.

How UNOOSA is Organized

UNOOSA is led by a Director. The UN Secretary-General appoints this person. Since 2023, Aarti Holla-Maini from Belgium and the UK has been the Director. The Director's Office handles public information, the list of objects in outer space, and programs for young people.

UNOOSA has two main parts:

The Committee, Policy, and Legal Affairs (CPLA) section. This section helps the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space with its meetings and work. It also organizes UN-Space meetings. UN-Space is where different UN groups talk about space matters. They meet every year to discuss current and future activities. They also talk about new technologies and how space can help global development. This section also works on creating rules for space activities. It helps countries learn about space law and policy.
The Space Applications Section (SAS). This section helps countries learn how to use space technology in practical ways. It focuses on making sure all countries, especially developing ones, can use new space technologies.

To help developing countries, the SAS has three main programs:

The Human Space Initiative. This program helps people learn about the benefits of space technology.
The Basic Space Technology Initiative. This program helps countries use basic space technology for lasting development.
The Basic Space Science Initiative. This program supports small research groups in universities in developing countries. It helps them study astronomy and space science.

The SAS also focuses on using space information for disaster management. The UN-SPIDER program (started in 2006) helps with this. It provides space information for disaster support. It connects disaster managers with the space community. It also helps build skills and strengthen organizations, especially in developing countries.

The International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) helps different satellite navigation systems work together. UNOOSA acts as the main office for the ICG. It organizes workshops, training, and meetings. These events help countries learn how to use satellite navigation technologies.

People at UNOOSA

People from more than 50 different countries have worked at UNOOSA. They have been staff members, advisors, and interns.

The staff members at UNOOSA have many different educational backgrounds. These include space science, physics, engineering, computer science, political science, international affairs, and law (including public international law and space law).

Many important people have worked at UNOOSA over the years. These include Adigun Ade Abiodun, Vladimír Kopal, Mazlan Binti Othman, Luboš Perek, Nandasiri Jasentuliyana, and Takao Doi.