Office of Regulation at UNOOSA

The UK Space Agency attended the first United Nations Conference on Sustainable Lunar Activities by its Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in Vienna on 18 June 2024.

This conference was an important first step in highlighting the importance of Lunar Sustainability to ensure safe and sustainable lunar exploration into the future. The conference highlighted important topics in sustainable lunar exploration such as international cooperation, lunar environmental considerations, sustainable lunar disposal practices, consultation, interoperability, due regard, scientific investigation as well as information sharing and capacity building.

Team members also attended UNOOSA's Committee of Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) Plenary, the third annual COPUOS meeting. Topics for discussion generally include maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes, safe operations in orbit, space debris, space weather, the threat from asteroids, the safe use of nuclear power in outer space, climate change, water management, global navigation satellite systems, and questions concerning space law and national space legislation.