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Outer Space Co-Operation in the United Nations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2017

James Simsarian
James Simsarian*
Affiliation:
International Scientific Organizations, Department of State
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Extract

There is widespread interest in the United Nations in fostering international co-operation in outer space for two basic reasons: first, to maximize co-operation between the two major space Powers despite their political differences; and second, to encourage the increased peaceful uses of outer space to benefit all countries irrespective of the stage of their economic or scientific development.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Journal of International Law , Volume 57 , Issue 4 , October 1963 , pp. 854 - 867
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of International Law 1963

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References

1 iRes. 1348 (XIII). On U.N. discussions with respect to outer space in 1958, see Taubenfeld, 53 A.J.I.L. 400-405 (1959). On background material on legal problems relating to outer space, see a compilation entitled “Legal Problems of Space Exploration: A Symposium,” prepared for the use of the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, U. S. Senate, 87th Cong., 1st Sess., March 22, 1961. For outer space documentation generally, see a compilation entitled “Documents on International Aspects of the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, 1954-1962,” Staff Report prepared for the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, U. S. Senate, 88th Cong., 1st Sess., Doc. No. 18, May 9, 1963.

2 U.N. Doc. A/4141.

3 Eor consideration of this 1959 session of the Committee, see Jessup and Taubenfeld, 53 A.J.I.L. 877-881 (1959).

4 Ees. 1472 (XIV).

5 TJ.N. Docs. A/4749 and A/4987; Report of U. S. Participation in the United Nations for 1960, pp. 28-29 (Dept. of State Pub. 7341); and ibid, for 1961, pp. 39-40 (Pub. 7413).

6 45 Dept. of State Bulletin 619 (1961).

7 TEes. 1721 (XVI). Gen. Assembly, 16th Sess., Official Eecords, Supp. No. 17 (Doc. A/5100), pp. 6-7; 56 A.J.I.L. 946 (1962). See generally, Eichard N. Gardner, “Cooperation in Outer Space,” 41 Foreign Affairs 344-359 (1962).

8 This information has been published by the United Nations in U.N. Docs. A/ AC.105/INF. 1-42 (through Aug. 16, 1963). The United States pointed out in a letter to the Secretary General on Aug. 13, 1963, that the information provided thus far to the Secretary General “comprises a complete registry of all United States vehicles in orbit or beyond as of June 15, 1963.” U.N. Doc. A/AC.105/INP. 42. In a letter to the Secretary General on June 6, 1963, the United States called attention to six space vehicles which were launched into earth orbit by the Soviet Union but not reported to the Secretary General for registration. The United States observed in its letter that “the United States submits information to the United Nations registry on all objects it launches into earth orbit or beyond.” U.N. Doc. A/AC.105/15.

9 U.N. Docs. A/AC.105/7 and Add. 1-3; and A/AC.105/11 and Add. 1 (May 1, 1963).

10 As of May 1, 1963. Ibid.

11 For the Eeport of the Committee, see U.N. Doc. A/5181.

12 For the texts of these five proposals, see Annex I I I of TJ.N. Doc. A/5181.

13 See statement of U. 8. representative in the Legal Subcommittee of the TJ.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, June 7, 1962, discussing U. S. objections to the Soviet proposals. TJ.N. Doc. A/AC.105/C.2/SE. 7, pp. 7-11, and Documents on International Aspects of the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, 1954-1962, op. cit. note 1 above, pp. 269-273.

14 Space activities are expected to be undertaken, for example, by the European Space Eesearch Organization (ESEO) and the European Launcher Development Organization (ELDO).

15 See statement of Soviet representative, TJ.N. Doc. A/AC.105/C.2/SE. 7, pp. 11-12.

16 TJ.N. Doc. A/AC.105/P.V. 14, pp. 56-57.

17 Res. 1802 (XVII). TJ.N. Gen. Assembly, 17th Sess., Official Records, Supp. No. 17(A/5217), p. 5.

18 U.N.Doe. A/C.l/881.

19 U.N. Doc. A/C.l/879.

20 U.N. Docs. A/AC.105/1 and 2.

21 44 pe p t . of State Bulletin 207 (1961).

22 TJ.N. Doc. A/AC.105/1.

23 U.N. Doe. A/AC.105/2.

24 For a copy of the communique, see U.N. Doc. A/AC.105/C.l/L.2/Kev. 2, Annex III . See also ibid., par. 9, and U.N. Doc. A/C.l/880, p. 2.

25 U.N. Doc. A/C.l/880. For statements of the United States and the Soviet Union in the United Nations on this program of co-operation, see U.N. Doc. A/C.l/P.V. 1292, pp. 36-37. For first memorandum of understanding to implement the bilateral space agreement of June 8, 1962, between the Soviet Union Academy of Sciences and NASA, which came into force Aug. 1, 1963, see NASA News Eelease 63-186 of Aug. 16, 1963.

26 On meteorological satellites, see “ Meteorological Satellites,” Staff Beport prepared for the use of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, 87th Cong., 2nd Sess., March 29, 1962; and “Meteorological Satellites,” Hearings before the Subcommittee on Applications and Tracking and Data Acquisition of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, 87th Cong., 2d Sess., especially statements of Francis W. Eeichelderfer, Chief, XT. S. Weather Bureau, pp. 26 ff., and Richard N. Gardner, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, pp. 273 ff. In addition, see “Space and the Weather,” Beport of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, 87th Cong., 2d Sess., Dec. 3, 1962.

27 See U.N. Doc. E/3662, June 27, 1962, acknowledging the receipt from the World Meteorological Organization of its “ First Beport on the Advancement of Atmospheric Sciences and Their Application in the Light of Developments in Outer Space.”

28 Res. 1802 (XVII), Pt. III.

29 See Report on “ The Atmospheric Sciences 1961-1971, Vols”. I - III , prepared by the Committee on Atmospheric Sciences, National Academy of Science (National Research Council, Pub. 946, Washington, D. C, 1962).

30 See statement of Senator Albert Gore on Dec. 3, 1962, U. N. Doc. A/C.l/P.V. 1289, p. 31.

31 See NASA News Release 62-252, Dec. 2, 1962, reporting that the new Automatic Picture Transmission Subsystem (APT) may be initially tested on another TIROS satellite in 1963 before being used on NIMBUS.

32 TJ.N. Doc. A/C.l/P.V. 1290, pp. 26-27.

33 TELSTAS was built by the Bell Telephone Laboratories and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under a co-operative agreement with the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. Under this agreement A. T. & T. provided the satellite and reimbursed NASA for all identifiable additional costs involved in launching the satellite.

34 76 Stat. 419.

35 “Communications Satellite Legislation,” Hearings before the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, TT. S. Senate, 87th Cong., 2d Sess., on S.2650 and S.2814, pp. 12-13. See also statement by Elmer W. Engstrom, President, Radio Corporation of America, ibid., p. 80. On communication satellites in general, see “Communication Satellites: Technical, Economic and International Developments,” Staff Report prepared for the use of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, 87th Cong., 2d Sess., Feb. 25, 1962; and “Commercial Communications Satellites,” Hearings before the Subcommittee on Applications and Tracking and Data Acquisition of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, 87th Cong., 2d Sess., especially statements of Leonard Jaffe, Director of Communications Systems, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, pp. 63 ff., and G. Griffith Johnson, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, pp. 135 ff.

36 47 Dept. of State Bulletin 467 (1962).

37 “ Communications Satellite Act of 1962,” Hearings before the Committee on Foreign Eelations, TJ. S. Senate, 87th Cong., 2d Sess., on H.K. 11040, pp. 172-173; see also 47 Dept. of State Bulletin 315 (1962).

38 See U.N. Doc. E/3645, May 31, 1962, for letter from the Secretary General of the ITU to the Secretary General of the U.N., transmitting “First Eeport by the International Telecommunication Union on Telecommunication and the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.”

39 U.N. Doc. A/C.l/P.V. 1289, pp. 7-32; 48 Dept. of State Bulletin 21-28 (1963); excerpted in 57 A.J.I.L. 428 (1963).

40 Ibid