United Nations Practice in Registering Space Objects Natercia

United Nations Practice in Registering Space Objects Natercia Rodrigues Programme Management Officer United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

CONTENTS • • Legislative framework Role of the United Nations Registration Practices of States Conclusion Luxembourg Workshop on Space and Satellite Communication Law: Ownership of Satellites, 4 -5 June 2015 2

LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK Resolution 1721 B (XVI) • 1961, first mechanism, voluntary basis • A/AC. 105/INF symbol series • Still vital for States not party to Reg. Convention • 427 documents on over 2, 000 space objects • Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Thailand Venezuela Luxembourg Workshop on Space and Satellite Communication Law: Ownership of Satellites, 4 -5 June 2015 3

LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK Registration Convention • 1974 • Registration mandatory for State Parties • Clarified type of information to be provided • 740 documents on over 4000 space objects • ST/SG/SER. E symbol Luxembourg Workshop on Space and Satellite Communication Law: Ownership of Satellites, 4 -5 June 2015 4

LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK Resolution 62/101 • 2007 • Specific recommendations to harmonize registration practices • Practical means for provision of additional information • Paragraph 4 (date of change in supervision, identification of the new owner or operator) • Paragraph 5 (model registration form) Luxembourg Workshop on Space and Satellite Communication Law: Ownership of Satellites, 4 -5 June 2015 5

ROLE OF UNOOSA • • • Mandate limited No modifications without prior consultation Informal engagement on non-registration Online index • Tool to facilitate research Official and unofficial information Luxembourg Workshop on Space and Satellite Communication Law: Ownership of Satellites, 4 -5 June 2015 6

STATE PRACTICE Asia. Sat-1, Asia-Sat-2, APSTAR-I and APSTAR-IA • Evident bilateral agreement • Information submitted simultaneously • UK (space objects in question ceased to be carried on the UK registry; UK no longer State of registry) • China (space objects carried on the Register of Space Objects of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China; China is the State of registry) • Online index (China (formerly UK) appears under State of Registry; Remarks column)

BSB-1 (SIRIUS 1/Marcopolo 1) • 1990 UK registered satellite • 1999 Sweden registered satellite (Bought in orbit in 1996) • 2000 Sweden provided additional information • 2007 UK submitted supplementary information • Online index (both UK & Sweden indicated under the State of Registry)

Inmarsat USA for Inmarsat or ESA for Inmarsat 2002 Satellites I 2 -F 2, I 2 -F 3, I 2 -F 4, I 3 -F 1, I 3 -F 2, I 3 -F 3, I 3 -F 4 and 13 -F 5 Article XI OST and Article IV of Registration Convention • Not the “launching State”, “State of registry”, or “launching authority” UN Registered: No Subsequent Satellites (2005 →) UN Registered: Yes State of Registry: United Kingdom Eutelsat ESA for Eutelsat; France for Eutelsat France UN Registered: Yes

New Sky Satellites (eg NSS-7) • Article XI OST (Not the “launching State”, “State of registry”, or “launching authority” ) • Lanuched and positioned in orbit by persons not subject to the jurisdiction or control of The Netherlands • “Following transfer in orbit of ownership of the space objects …it bears international responsibility … has jurisdiction and control over them …” • 2009 The Netherlands informed on inclusion of satellite in the national part of its registry of objects launched into outer space (date of in-orbit arrival of the object, date of legal transfer) • UN Registerd: no • State of Registry: unknown Luxembourg Workshop on Space and Satellite Communication Law: Ownership of Satellites, 4 -5 June 2015 10

ARTEMIS • State of Registry: ESA SENTINEL 1 A • October 2014 ESA registered satellite and informed on transfer of ownership to EU • Online index • ESA State of Registry Luxembourg Workshop on Space and Satellite Communication Law: Ownership of Satellites, 4 -5 June 2015 11

CONCLUSION • • Different approaches to a change in supervision and/or change in ownership Still insufficient number of instances officially informed for specific conclusions Different terminology: ‘bought in orbit’, transfer of ownership’, ‘change in supervision’. Absence of more robust guidance • Continue to informal engagement • Be consistent in online index and explore enhancement