Author Topic: UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) new Guidelines  (Read 2241 times)

Offline whitelancer64

The UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) just updated their list of guidelines for the sustainable use of outer space.

SN article
http://spacenews.com/un-committee-approves-space-sustainability-guidelines/

Here's a link to the new guidelines.

Web Page
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/oosadoc/data/documents/2018/aac.105c.12018crp/aac.105c.12018crp.18rev.1_0.html

PDF file uploaded at bottom.

My summary of the new guidelines:

Guideline 6: "Enhance the practice of registering space objects"

Encourages nations to declare, publicly and internationally, what object is being launched into space, where it is intended to go, and to follow up with information on where the object actually ended up, and to notify if it changes orbit or becomes nonfunctional. Suggests the creation of an international registry of all items launched into space.

Guideline 11: "Provide updated contact information and share information on space objects and orbital events"

Nations should update their contact information for their agencies that launch stuff into space. Also, those agencies should talk to eachother about their plans for launching stuff into space.

Guideline 14: "Perform conjunction assessment during all orbital phases of controlled flight"

You might want to check if you're going to crash into anything else before making an orbital change.

Guideline 15: "Develop practical approaches for pre-launch conjunction assessment"

Maybe you should check if you're going to crash into anything prior to launch, too.

Guideline 30: "Design and operation of space objects regardless of their physical and operational characteristics"

Satellites (especially small ones) should be designed to be easy to track and with a way to deorbit at the end of their useful life.

Guideline 31: "Take measures to address risks associated with the uncontrolled re-entry of space objects"

If you have calculated a projection of when a satellite will make an uncontrolled reentry, please tell the rest of the world. Also please announce any updates to those predictions. If space junk falls on your territory, ask the person it belongs to what it is, how best to handle it, and if they want it back.

Guideline 32: "Observe measures of precaution when using sources of laser beams passing through outer space"

"The Death Star has cleared the planet." "You may fire when ready... NO WAIT check if you're going to accidentally hit any other satellites first."

Guideline 23: "Promote and facilitate international cooperation in support of the long-term sustainability of outer space activities"

Please cooperate with other nations to implement these guidelines.

Guideline 24: "Share experience related to the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and develop new procedures, as appropriate, for information exchange"

Share your experiences implementing these guidelines with other nations.
"One bit of advice: it is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree -- make sure you understand the fundamental principles, ie the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to." - Elon Musk
"There are lies, damned lies, and launch schedules." - Larry J

 

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