United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), Vienna International Centre, P. O. Box 500, Wien (2026)

06/03/2026

🚀 We’re helping build the policy foundations for Cambodia’s future in space.

For emerging space nations, national space policy is not just about future ambitions in orbit — it is about building the foundations needed to use space responsibly, sustainably and in support of their national development goals.

Many countries face the same challenge: turning ambition into the legal, policy and institutional frameworks needed to move forward effectively.

UNOOSA’s Global Space Law Project helps bridge that gap by providing tailored support on international space law and the development of national space law and policy aligned with international frameworks.

This week, in cooperation with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Cambodia (MPTC) and with the financial support of the Government of Japan, UNOOSA convened a Workshop on Space Policy Development of Cambodia in Siem Reap under the Global Space Law Project.

🌏 112 national stakeholders from across the Cambodian government joined international experts from Australia🇦🇺 , France🇫🇷 , Japan🇯🇵 , Kenya🇰🇪 , the Philippines🇵🇭 and Singapore🇸🇬 to support Cambodia🇰🇭 in shaping the foundations of its future national space policy framework.

Key discussions included:
✨ The role of COPUOS and how deeper engagement can support Cambodia’s long-term objectives
📜 The UN treaties on outer space and how progressive ratification can help build a strong legal foundation
🛠️ Practical building blocks for Cambodia’s roadmap, including institutional set-ups, national policy examples and approaches to developing human capital and a space economy
🛰️ Using space data, including remote sensing, for development

A highlight of the workshop was a scenario-based policy exercise designed to stress-test policy choices and clarify roles across government, culminating in participant presentations and a dedicated discussion on Cambodia’s national priorities for space activities.

🙏 Thank you to MPTC, the Government of Japan, and all experts and participants for the strong collaboration and momentum behind Cambodia’s national space policy development.

🔗 Learn more about the Global Space Law Project: https://shorturl.at/uOhvo

04/03/2026

🚀 We’re back from a whirlwind mission to Japan🇯🇵!

From 24–27 February, UNOOSA met with key partners and stakeholders to deepen strategic partnerships advancing global space governance, innovation, and the peaceful use of outer space.

🤝A key highlight was the honour of meeting with H.E. Kimi Onoda, Minister of State for Space Policy, and Yohei Onishi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan). We expressed our appreciation for Japan’s leadership in international rulemaking and its strong policy and financial support for UN-led space initiatives.

🛰️We also saw space solutions in action. At the Ground Self-Defense Force’s North Utsunomiya Garrison, UNOOSA received a briefing on how satellite data supports disaster response operations—including a helicopter flight to observe these real-world applications firsthand.

🌍Productive discussions with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and United Nations University explored how Japan’s expertise in space science and technology can help address disaster challenges, capacity building and space sustainability. And at the 11th National Space Policy Secretariat Symposium, Director Aarti Holla-Maini emphasized how international norms are critical to shaping a stable space environment.

💡At the industry level, meetings with leading companies—including SpaceData and Mitsubishi Electric—highlighted how space innovation can accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The success of digital twin projects in Commonwealth nations such as Tonga🇹🇴, Ghana🇬🇭 and Trinidad and Tobago🇹🇹 demonstrates how public-private collaboration can transform cutting-edge space technologies into practical tools that support resilience and humanitarian needs.

We left Japan encouraged by how advanced space technologies, strong partnerships, and shared international norms can help address global challenges, from disaster management to sustainable development.

UNOOSA remains committed to bringing these innovations to the global stage and strengthening international collaboration so that all countries can benefit from space.

Follow for more insights on global space governance and cooperation!

03/03/2026

🚨Deadline approaching! Registration closes and abstracts are due 15 March.

Join us in Islamabad🇵🇰 for the UN/Pakistan International Conference on “Leveraging Space Technology for EW4All, Climate Actions and Disaster Risk Assessment.”

🗓️ Conference: 11–15 May 2026
🗓️ Training course: Space-Based Disaster Management — Shifting Focus from Reactive to Proactive Approaches (18–22 May 2026)

This is an opportunity to share your work, exchange lessons learned, and strengthen practical skills in using space-based and geospatial information to support early warning, climate action and disaster risk assessment.

Organised by UNOOSA, in cooperation with the Government of Pakistan, and hosted by Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Comission (SUPARCO).

Programme highlights include:
🔹 Space-enabled early warning systems (EW4All)
🔹 Space and geospatial applications for the Sendai Framework, SDG 13, and the Paris Agreement
🔹 Flood, drought and heatwave risk assessment (incl. Google Earth Engine)

👉 More information: https://lnkd.in/d75vdNDQ
⏳ Register + submit your abstract by 15 March 2026: https://forms.office.com/e/zaUqfd3sdD

27/02/2026

We’re proud to see women shaping the future of global space governance.

On 20 March, UNOOSA will participate in the Monaco Women Forum for a panel discussion on “Space: Geopolitics, Global Cooperation and Technologies.”

Our Director, Aarti Holla-Maini, and Global Space Law Project Lead, Rosanna Hoffmann, will join leaders from Agenzia Spaziale Italiana and ELT Group to discuss why international cooperation is essential in an increasingly complex space environment.

Let’s be clear: women are not only part of the space sector — they are leading it.

Inclusive leadership and diverse representation builds credibility, fosters innovation, strengthens international dialogue and helps ensure that space remains accessible and beneficial to all.

UNOOSA is committed to advancing gender equality through initiatives such as Space4Women, supporting women’s leadership and participation across the global space community.

If you will be attending the Monaco Women Forum, we look forward to connecting.

And stay tuned — we’ll share key insights from the discussion.

25/02/2026

🚨Training alert! Applications open for space technology courses in the Asia-Pacific 🛰️

Looking to strengthen your expertise in remote sensing, GIS, GNSS or satellite communications?

One of our regional centres, the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (CSSTEAP), is currently accepting applications for upcoming short and post-graduate courses:

🗓 10 March deadline:
• Short Course: Geospatial Technology & Modelling for Urban Climate Resilience (4–15 May) – Dehradun, India
• Short Course: Satellite Remote Sensing Data Acquisition & Processing (20 April–15 May) – Hyderabad, India

🗓 15 March deadline:
• Post-graduate Course in Remote Sensing & GIS (July 2026–March 2027) – Dehradun

🗓 30 April deadline:
• Post-graduate Course in GNSS
• Post-graduate Course in Satellite Communications
(Sept 2026–May 2027) – Ahmedabad

🗓 1 June deadline:
• Short Course: Satellite Remote Sensing for Ocean Applications (13–24 July 2026) – Hyderabad

Some financial assistance is available.
👉 Learn more and apply: https://cssteapun.org/

🌏 About UNOOSA’s Regional Centres
The six Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education, affiliated to the United Nations, build capacity in countries with emerging space capabilities by providing advanced education in space applications, space science, space law and satellite communications. They play a key role in ensuring that all countries can access and benefit from space technology for sustainable development.

🔗 Learn more: https://shorturl.at/Fvl9I

24/02/2026

🛰️ From dialogue to deployment: we're strengthening disaster resilience in East Africa through space.🌍

Last week in Nairobi, our UN-SPIDER programme convened two back-to-back initiatives focused on turning space-based data into action.

From 16–17 February, the Regional Symposium on Space Technologies for Humanity brought together policymakers, disaster management authorities, space agencies, UN entities and private-sector partners to explore how space can better support sustainable development and disaster risk reduction across Africa.

Key priorities included:
• Expanding the use of Earth observation for food security, water management and climate resilience
• Strengthening regional coordination
• Leveraging existing satellite data for early warning and disaster response
• Deepening private-sector engagement to translate data into impact

🛰️ The Symposium was followed by a 3.5-day Regional International Charter training, supported by the ESA - European Space Agency.

The hands-on sessions brought together 59 experts from 9 countries — Burundi🇧🇮, Ethiopia🇪🇹, Kenya🇰🇪, Mozambique🇲🇿, Rwanda🇷🇼, Somalia🇸🇴, Tanzania🇹🇿, Uganda🇺🇬 and Germany🇩🇪 — to work directly with:
• The International Charter “Space and Major Disasters”
• Charter Mapper tools
• Emergency activation simulations and regional coordination mechanisms

The International Charter provides critical satellite data to support disaster response — helping save lives and protect infrastructure.

The main message across both events: effective early warning depends on cooperation across institutions, borders and disciplines.

By strengthening skills and regional networks, UN-SPIDER continues to support more coordinated, climate-resilient action across Africa.

👉 Learn more: www.un-spider.org/

20/02/2026

🌍🚀 The Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit is now available in four languages — including two new additions!

This first-of-its-kind resource for the space sector is designed for space agencies, industry, academia, civil society and international organizations seeking to advance gender equality in the space sector.

It supports organizations in:
✔️ Increasing the representation of women at all levels
✔️ Creating enabling and inclusive work environments
✔️ Designing gender-responsive programmes and policies
✔️ Measuring and reporting on gender equality outcomes

The Toolkit provides practical measures across four pillars:
1️⃣ Leadership commitment
2️⃣ Equal opportunities in recruitment, retention and promotion
3️⃣ Dedicated programming to empower women and girls
4️⃣ Monitoring and accountability mechanisms

📖 Read the Toolkit in: العربية • English • Français • Русский

🔗 Access all versions here: https://shorturl.at/G9OSv

🙏 We thank our partner Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications for their support in expanding access worldwide.

Advancing gender equality in space is not only a matter of fairness — it strengthens innovation, sustainability and global progress.

19/02/2026

🚀🇺🇳 Most people don’t associate spaceflight with the United Nations. But they should!

🎙️ Last week, Director Aarti Holla-Maini joined the podcast This Week In Space for a wide-ranging conversation on why global space governance matters now more than ever. She touched on:

🔹 The distinct roles of UNOOSA (the Office) and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (the intergovernmental body)

🔹 Why neutral convening and multilateral dialogue are essential in a rapidly evolving space sector

🔹 The growing urgency of space sustainability and debris mitigation

🔹 Anticipating increased lunar activity — transparency, resource use, and the non-appropriation principle

🔹 Engaging commercial space actors while preserving Member State authority

🔹 Expanding capacity-building, disaster response, and access to space for developing countries

As space activity accelerates, with more actors, more satellites, and more ambitions for reaching the Moon, global cooperation is not optional. It is essential. COPUOS and UNOOSA are critical to help achieve that, and to ensure that the benefits of space reach all countries.

🙏 Many thanks to hosts Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik, as well as Rick Jenet of the National Space Society, for helping us take listeners inside the UN’s work on space — from Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here on Youtube: https://shorturl.at/87Pwc

17/02/2026

🚀 “No insurance, no space activities.”

That was the stark warning last Tuesday at the first-ever UN Space Debates, during the 63rd session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee.

📖 In a recent Medium article, Dr. Nathaniel Dailey reflects on the discussion and a difficult question the space community has long avoided:

Who pays when space debris causes damage — and what happens to the orbital economy if liability can be clearly traced?

Guillaume de Dinechin of ASTRIA Space Risk and Insurance Advisors brought up two recent satellite losses that highlighted the risk:
🛰️ Inmarsat-6 F2 — ~$385 million claim
🛰️ Paz SAT NG — ~$400 million claim

In both cases, no one could confirm whether the impact was caused by space debris or natural particles.

That uncertainty is holding the system together, but it cannot last forever. If a future collision is clearly linked to human-made debris, insurers could sharply increase premiums, exclude certain risks, or make some orbits very difficult to insure.

On debris removal, Dr. Josef Koller of Amazon Leo argued the main challenge is still technical: Safely approaching and removing large objects in orbit remains complex and not yet routine.

Anirudh Sharma of Digantara added that before removing debris, the world needs a shared and trusted picture of what is actually in orbit.

Pat Mathewson of Astroscale stressed that costs are falling, but large-scale debris removal will only work if one mission can remove objects from multiple countries. That requires international coordination. In this sense, COPUOS guidelines are not extra rules; they enable the market to function.

Despite different perspectives, the panel agreed on key principles:
✔ Transparency and information sharing
✔ Clear consent and authorization
✔ Strong safety and supervision standards

The debate showed that the issue is not whether governance is needed, but how and when to build it.

🔗 Read Dr. Dailey’s full article, “The $800 Million Question Nobody in COPUOS Wants to Answer,“ on Medium: https://shorturl.at/JvwpG

16/02/2026

How can space data help protect public health in a changing climate?

Climate change is increasing health risks — from air pollution to vector-borne diseases. Space-based data can help countries anticipate these threats and act early.

Our partner, the Space for Climate Observatory (SCO), is hosting the 3rd edition of ClimateSCOpe to explore practical solutions using Earth observation for health monitoring and early warning.

🗓 24 February 2026
🕐 13:00 (UTC+1)
🌍 International webinar | Open to all

This edition will showcase three projects:

🛰️ EWSHR: Real-time air pollution risk tracking - by Central South University 中南大学
🦟 Arbocarto: Predictive mosquito mapping - by Cirad - La recherche agronomique pour le développement 🌍 ClimHealth: Open-source early warning systems for climate-sensitive diseases - by Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD)

🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/ekwUDRwi

👉Learn more about how space technologies and applications can support climate action: https://shorturl.at/MdJae

14/02/2026

🚀 Want to strengthen your use of space and geospatial data for early warning, climate action, and disaster risk assessment?

🌍 Registration is now open for the UN/Pakistan International Conference on “Leveraging Space Technology for EW4All, Climate Actions and Disaster Risk Assessment,” in Islamabad.
🗓️ Conference: 11–15 May 2026
🗓️ Training course on Space-based Disaster Management: 18–22 May 2026

Organized by UNOOSA, in cooperation with the Government of 🇵🇰Pakistan and hosted by Suparco Pakistan, the conference will feature technical sessions, panels and knowledge exchange—bringing together experts and decision-makers to share approaches and real-world case studies on:
🔹 Space-enabled Early Warning Systems (EW4All)
🔹 Space-based insights for climate action (SDG 13)
🔹 Disaster risk assessment and proactive risk management

It will also highlight how space and geospatial information can support Sendai Framework implementation and climate action across sectors including water, agriculture, environment and forestry.

The training course will combine lectures and hands-on sessions on flood, drought and heatwave risk assessment (including Google Earth Engine) and practical tools for national-level risk analysis.

⏳ Deadline to register (and submit abstracts): 15 March 2026
👉 Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/zaUqfd3sdD

13/02/2026

✅ That’s a wrap on !

Here are some key takeaways from this year’s session of the COPUOS Scientific and Technical Subcommittee:

🛰️ Member States reported major strides in implementing the LTS Guidelines, including:
• New national space laws
• Mandatory environmental impact assessments for missions
• Enhanced debris mitigation & collision avoidance
• Investments in space surveillance & tracking

☄️ Planetary defense in action:
IAWN & SMPAG reported on the successful response to asteroid 2024 YR4—the first real-world case crossing the 1% impact probability threshold. Good news: continued monitoring has ruled out any significant impact risk for the next century.

⚛️ Nuclear power in space:
The Working Group on NPS is tracking emerging technology applications, including reactors for deep-space missions, in partnership with the IAEA.

🌕 Lunar governance:
The Action Team on Lunar Activities is laying the groundwork for recommendations to guide sustainable, transparent Moon exploration.

🩺 Space & health:
The final draft curriculum on Space and Global Health is ready and will be presented to COPUOS.

🤝 Industry voices at the table:
UNOOSA launched the UN Space Debates, with 8 commercial players sharing perspectives on space sustainability and data access to help delegates understand operational realities.

🌍 These highlights reflect real progress toward safe, inclusive and sustainable use of outer space.

➡️ Follow for updates as this work moves forward.

📸: UNIS Vienna, Bianca Otero

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

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