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

Legislative framework Role of the United Nations 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

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 and Venezuela Luxembourg Workshop on Space and Satellite Communication Law: Ownership of Satellites, 4-5 June 2015

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

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

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

STATE PRACTICe AsiaSat-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 I2-F2, I2-F3, I2-F4, I3-F1, I3-F2, I3-F3, I3-F4 and 13-F5 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

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

ARTEMIS State of Registry: ESA SENTINEL 1A 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

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