REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PEACEFUL USES OF OUTER SPACE GENERA~ ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL RECORDS: FORTY·SECOND SESSION SUPPLEMENT No. 20 (A/42/20) UNITED NATIONS REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PEACEFUL USES OF OUTER SPACE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL RECORDS: FORTY·SECOND SESSION SUPPLEMENT No. 20 (A/42120) UNITED NATiONS New York, 1987 I\OTE Symbols of United Nations documents are composcd of capital ICllcrs combined with figures. Mention of such a symbol indi::ates u reference to a United Nations document. (Originala English) (10 July 1987) CONTENTS Paragraphs Page I" INTRODUCTION •• "•• "••••••••••• 11 ••••••• " ••••••••• " ••••••••• "• 1 - 15 1 11. RECOMMENDATIONS AND DECISIONS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 16 - 97 4 A. Ways and means of maintaining outer sprce f~r peaceful purposes •••• "•••• "••••••• " " •••••••••••• 16 - 24 4 8. Report of the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee on the work of its twenty-fourth session Implementation of the recommendations of the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 25 - 72 6 1. Second united Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space ••••••••••••••••••• 31 - 50 6 2. Remote sensing of the Earth by satellites .••••••••• 51 - 55 11 3. Use of nuclear power sources in outer space •••••••• 56 - 60 11 4. Space tranuportation systems •••••••••• ' •••••••••••• 61 - 63 12 5. Examination of the physical nature and technical attributes of the geostationary orbit •••••••••••••• 64 - 66 12 6. Matters relating to life-sciences, including space medicine, progress in the geosphere-biosphere (global change) programme, matters relating to planetary exploration, matters relating to astronomy 67 - 69 13 7. The themes fixed for special attention of the '987 a~d 1988 sessions of the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 70 - 72 13 C. Report of the Legal Sub-Committee on the work of its twenty-sixth session ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 73 - 87 13 1. The elaboration of draft principl'.8 relevant to the use of nuclear power sources in outer space •••••••• '17 - 80 14 2. Matters relating to the definition and delimitation of outer space and to the character and ~tilization of the geostationary orbit, including consideration or ways and means to ensure the rational and equitable use of the qeostationary orbit without prejudice to the role of the International Telecommunication Union •.•.•••.••••.•••.••••.•••••• 81 - 84 15 -iii- CONTENTS (continued) Paragraphs pa~e 3. Consideration of the choice at a new item for the agenda of the Legal Sub-Committee, including the proposals made by the oup of 77 and others, with a view to making a reconunendation to the Committee on the Poaceful Uses of Outer Space in order to reach consensus during the C~nmittee's thirtieth session ) . 85 - 87 15 D. Other matters ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 88 - 91 16 E. Future work 92 - 95 17 F. Schedule of work of the Committee and its 3ubsidiary bad iea •..••••.•.•...•.•••.••.•••..••..•••••••••••••••• 96 18 G. Tribute to the Vice-Chairman •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 97 18 Annexes I. Opening statement by the Chairman of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 19 II. Recommendations of the Working Group of the Whole of the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee to evaluate the implementation of the recommendations of the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 27 Ill. Ways and means of maint~ining outer space for peaceful purposes: working paper submitted by Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic, HUIo<jary, MongoHa, Poland, Romania and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics under agenda item 4 ••••••••••••••••••••• 30 IV. Ways and means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes: strengthening the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space: ~orking paper submitted by Australia, Belgium, the Federal. Republic of Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the united States of America under agenda i tern 4 •••••••••••••••• fl •••••••••••••• ,. • , •••••••••••••••••••••• • 31 V. Compromise proposal on the question related to the definition and delimitation of outer spaces workinq paper submitted by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republica under agenda item 6 •••••••••••••••••••••••• 32 VI. Report of the Leqal Sub-Committee on the work of its twenty-sixth session: working paper submitted by Canada, France, the Netherlands and Sweden under agenda item 6 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••..•• 33 -iv- I, INTRODUCTION 1. The Committee on the Peaceful ~ses of Outer Space held its thirtieth session at Uni~ed Nations H&adquartere from 1 to tl June 1987. The officers o( the Committee were the followinq: Chairman: Mr. Peter Jankowitscn (Austria) Raggorteur: Mr. "enrique Rodriaues Valle (Brazil) In the absence ot the Chairman and of a Vice-Chairman, the 301st meetinQ of the Committee W&S chaired bv Mr. Gheorahe Tinea (Romania). The summary records of the Committe6's meetinqs are contain~d in documents A/AC.10S/SR.294-307. Meetinas of sUbsidiarv bodies 2. Th" Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee held its twenty-fourth session at United N.\tiona Headquarters from 17 to 27 Februarv 1987 under the chairmanship ot Mr. J. H. Carver (Australia). The report of the Sub-Committee was issued as document A/AC.10S/383 and Corr.l. 3. The Le~al Sub-Committee held its twenty-sixth session at United Natione Headquarters from 16 March to 3 April 1987 under. the chairmanship of Mr. l~dek Han~l (Czechoslovakia). The repart ot the Sub-Committee was issued as documfmt A/AC.~.OS/38S. The summary records of the Sub-Committee's meetinas are contained in d~1uments A/AC.105/C.2/SR.451-479. 4. At its openina meetinq, the Committee adopted the followinQ aaenda: 1. Adoption of the aqenda. 2. Statement nv the Chairman. 3. General exchallQe of views. 4. Wavs and means of maintainina outer space tor peaceful purposes. 5. Report of the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee on the work of its twentY-fourth session. 6. Report ot the LJaal Sub-Committ~e on the work of its twenty-sixth session. 7. Implementation of the recommendations of the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Poacetul Uses of Outer Space. 8. Other matters. 9. Report ot the Committee to the General Assemblv. MembershAe and attendance 5. In accordance with General Assemblv resolutions 1721 E (XVI) of 20 December 1961, 3-182 (XXVIII) of III December 1973, 32/196 8 of 20 December 1977 and 35/16 of 3 November 1980, the Committ.ee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was -1- composed at the fnllowim:l Member States: Albania, Aruentina, Australia, Auntria, Belqium, 8enin, Brazil, Bulqaria, Burkina Faeo, Cameraon, Canaria, Chad, Chi lp., China, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Ecuador, Euvpt, France, German Democratic Republic, Germanv, Federal Republic of, Greece, flunQarv, Inriia, Inrionesia, Ira'! /Islamic Republic ofI, Iraq, Italv, Japan, Kenva, L~.I.lanon, Mexico, MonQolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Niqer, Niqeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Sierra l.eone, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Union ot Soviet Socialist Republics, United KinQdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Unitp.d States of America, Uruquav, Venezuela, Viet Nam Jnd YUQoslavia. 6. At its 294th, 301st, 303rd and 304th rueetinQs, the Committee decided to invite, at their request, the representatives of CUba, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, the United Republic of Ta"~ania, Peru and the Holv See to attend the thirtieth session of the Committee and address it, as appropriate, on the understandinQ that this would be ,~ ~out pre1udice to further requests of this nature and that it would not involve any decision of the Committee concerninQ status. 7, ~he representative of the Department of Technical Co-operation tor Development of the Secret3riat attended the seasion. 8, Representatives of the International Telecommunication Union (ITUl and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Orqanization llINESCOl also attended the session. 9, ~epresentatives of the European Space Aqencv, the Committee on Space Research (COSPAAl of the International COl:<-'cU of Scientific Unions (ICSlJl, the International Astronautical Federation (IAFl, the International Telecommunications Satellite OrQanization (INTELSATl and the International Maritime Satellite OrQanization (IN~RSATl aleo attended the session. 10. A list of representatives attendinQ the session is containen in document A/AC.I05/XXX/INF/l. 11. At the openinQ of the session, at the 294th meetinQ, the Chairman of the Committee m~de a statement revlewinQ the work of the Committee's subsiolarv bodies and outlininq the work of the Committee. He reviewed the scientific and technolOQical advanceS achieved in the tield of peacefUl eXPloration of outer space in the past year and expressed the hope that the Committee would orQanize new and innovative forms of international co-operation for the benefit of all nations wiahinQ to make aood use of outer space technoloQY. The text of the Chairman's statement is annexed to the oresent report (annex 11. 12. At its 294th to 298th meetinQs, from 1 to 3 June 19ij7, the Committee held a aeneral exchanQe of views, in the course of which statements were made bv the representatives of Araentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulqaria, Canada, Chile, China. Colombia,