18 November 1981

63rd plenary meeting

International co-operation in the peaceful uses of outer space

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 35/14 of 3 November 1980,

Deeply convinced of the common interest of mankind in promoting the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes and in continuing efforts to extend to all States the benefits derived therefrom, as well as the importance of international co-operation in this field, for which the United Nations should continue to provide a focal point,

Reaffirming the importance of international co-operation in developing the rule of law in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space,

Taking note with satisfaction of the progress achieved in various national and co-operative space projects, such as the launch of the Ariane rocket by the European Space Agency, the flight of the United States Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia and the completion of the first stage of the Voyager II mission, the Salyut Soyuz orbital research programme of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the successful outer space missions by the first Mongolian and Romanian cosmonauts, the successful launching of the Rohini II and Apple satellites by India and the placing into orbit of a group of three satellites with a single carrier rocket by China,

Having considered the report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on its twenty-fourth session,

1. Endorses the report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space;

2. Invites States which have not yet become parties to the international treaties governing the use of outer space to give consideration to ratifying or acceding to those treaties;

3. Takes note with appreciation of the progress in the preparation of the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space achieved by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee, acting as Preparatory Committee for the Conference and Advisory Committee to the Preparatory Committee;

4. Notes that the Legal Sub-Committee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space at its twentieth session:

(a) Continued its efforts to formulate draft principles relating to the legal implications of remote sensing of the earth from space;

(b) Continued its efforts to complete the elaboration of principles governing the use by States of artificial earth satellites for direct television broadcasting;

(c) Continued its discussion of matters relating to the definition and/or delimitation of outer space and outer space activities, bearing in mind, inter alia, questions relating to the geostationary orbit;

(d) Considered the possibility of supplementing the norms of international law relevant to the use of nuclear power sources in outer space and established a working group in connexion with this item;

5. Decides that the Legal Sub-Committee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space at its twenty-first session should:

(a) Continue on a priority basis its detailed consideration of the legal implications of remote sensing of the earth from space, with the aim of formulating draft principles relating to remote sensing;

(b) Continue its consideration of:

(i) The possibility of supplementing the norms of international law relevant to the use of nuclear power sources in outer space through its working group;

(ii) Matters relating to the definition and/or delimitation of outer space and outer space activities, bearing in mind, inter alia, questions relating to the geostationary orbit, and devote adequate time for a deeper consideration of this question;

6. Decides to convene the twenty-first session of the Legal Sub-Committee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space at Geneva from 1 to 19 February 1982, with the possibility of extending that session to 26 February 1982;

7. Decides that further attempts to complete the elaboration of a draft set of principles governing the use by States of artificial earth satellites for direct television broadcasting shall be made by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space during its twenty-fifth session;

8. Decides to consider at its thirty-seventh session the adoption of a draft set of principles governing the use by States of artificial earth satellites for direct television broadcasting;

9. Notes that the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space at its eighteenth session continued:

(a) Its consideration of questions relating to remote sensing of the earth by satellites;

(b) Its consideration of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications and the co-ordination of space activities within the United Nations system;

(c) Its examination of the physical nature and technical attributes of the geostationary orbit;

(d) Its consideration of technical aspects of and safety measures relating to the use of nuclear power sources in outer space and adopted the report of the Working Group;

(e) Its consideration of questions relating to space transportation systems and their implications for future activities in space;

(f) Preparations for the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space as Advisory Committee to the Preparatory Committee;

10. Endorses the recommendation of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space that the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee at its nineteenth session should:

(a) Consider the following items on a priority basis:

(i) Consideration of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications and the co-ordination of outer space activities within the United Nations system;

(ii) Questions relating to remote sensing of the earth by satellites;

(iii) Preparations for the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space;

(iv) Use of nuclear power sources in outer space;

(b) Consider the following items:

(i) Questions relating to space transportation systems and their implications for future activities in space;

(ii) Examination of the physical nature and technical attributes of the geostationary orbit;

11. Endorses the United Nations Programme on Space Applications for 1982 as proposed to the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee by the Expert on Space Applications;

12. Requests the Secretary-General to appoint a new Expert on Space Applications without delay, taking into account the important role of the Expert in the preparation of the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space;

13. Expresses its appreciation to all Governments as well as specialized agencies and other international organizations which acted as hosts to, offered fellowships for, or otherwise assisted in the holding of, international training seminars and workshops on space applications, particularly for the benefit of developing countries;

14. Requests the specialized agencies and other international organizations to continue their co-operation with the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and to provide it with progress reports on their work relating to the peaceful uses of outer space;

15. Requests the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to continue its work, in accordance with the present resolution and previous resolutions of the General Assembly, to consider, as appropriate, new projects in outer space activities and to submit a report to the Assembly at its thirty-seventh session, including its views on which subjects should be studied in the future.