ABOUT THE COMMITTEE

The Disarmament and International Security Committee is the first committee of the General
Assembly. As the name suggests this committees primary function is to focus on the security
concerns of the world and specially monitor policy making strategies and requirements as far as
management of weapons are concerned. According to Article 26 of United Nations Charter,
DISECs mandate is to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and
security with the least diversion for armaments of the worlds human and economic resources.
Under the UN Charter, all member states and observers of the United Nations are automatically
part of the first committee of the General Assembly, and have an equal vote. Documents drafted
by this committee require a simple majority to be passed. Like the other committees of the
United Nations General Assembly, DISEC is unable to impose sanctions, authorize armed
intervention, or pass binding resolutions. That being said, DISEC has submitted
recommendations to the United Nations Security Council and to the UN Secretariat on several
occasions, this makes DISEC one of the main UN actors currently playing a considerable role in
issues regarding the promotion, establishment, and subsequent maintenance of global peace
while simultaneously working to prevent weapons proliferation.
ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is consensus-building body, where issues of
international peace and security are collectively discussed among ALL UN member states.
Disarmament is an issue that does not always apply as much relevance to all as say economic
issues like development does. However networks in the world form a huge transparent web that
intertwines Member States with conflicts, disputes, issues, economic issues, solutions etc. Thus
a specialised committee like the DISEC offers its massively democratic platform to engage all
sectors and actors likely to be targeted or unwillingly affected by security concerns, to address
them regardless of their involvement.

INTRODUCTION TO THE AGENDA

Like any other unaccounted for by man, the outer space remains a sphere natural in
origin, open to exploitation and usage by mankind. And like any other natural object, it
certainly did not come with claims of equal usage by all entities of creation of mankind.
And therefore was subjected to dispute and competition much to the advantage of early
explorers and technology developers like USSR and United States of America.

Internationally, for many years, it has been agreed that space should be used for
peaceful purposes, and for the benefit of all humankind. It is used not only for
commercial services such as communications and for scientific exploration, but for
military surveillance, navigational assistance, weather forecasting, help in search and
rescue, help in potential natural disaster detection, coordinating efforts on detecting and
dealing with issues of space debris and minimizing harmful impacts on Earth, research
in sciences, health, etc. While there have been tentative efforts over the years to test
whether weaponization of outer space is feasible or practical, most were rejected. But
the use of outer space for other purposes has grown.
A certain amount of R&D on space weaponization is inevitable and countries must
always prepare for worst case scenarios, but our goal should be to move as rapidly as
possible toward a regime to prevent the deployment of weapons in space. That having
been said, Article 51 makes it clear that within certain limits, each state has the inherent
right of individual or collective self-defense. We have the means to act alone or
collectively in space if others begin to weaponize space. The Charter is not, as some
conservatives maintain, a treaty trap.
During World War II, railroad stations in the United States were full of posters asking the
question "Is this trip necessary? That's what we all should be asking ourselves as we
look at the issue of the militarization of outer space. Augmenting weaponization of outer
space will, if implemented further, decrease world security in idealistic terms, destabilize
international relations and trigger another arms race of monumental proportions that
will cost us all trillions and bring us nothing more than destabilization and insecurity in
return.
Without respect for the rule of law and a commitment to the UN Charter and treaty
obligations, especially those enshrined in the NPT, we undermine a system which has
served us all imperfectly but on the whole very well. If the nuclear weapons states are
unwilling to even acknowledge their obligations to work in good faith for the total
elimination of nuclear weapons, we can't expect other states to accept new and needed
restrictions on the transfer of nuclear technology. Without an effective NPT, the nuclear
clock will eventually move closer to midnight. Weaponization of outer space would
fatally weaken the NPT.

Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space

Over the years, there has been an evolution of space technologies and also the legal
mechanisms that have been set up to formulate rules to govern human activities in
space. The United Nations has lead the process of identifying the various challenges,
and accordingly to find solutions for the same. DISEC and our agenda in brief
The General Assembly's work on disarmament is conducted through one of its main
committees, the First Committee on Disarmament and International Security. Each year in the

First Committee and then again in the General Assembly as a whole, a resolution on the
prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) is introduced and adopted by an
overwhelming majority of UN member states. So currently as we shall note the effrots of the the
DISEC are directed towards achieving a consensus for a PAROS Treaty . In fact, every country
in the world votes in favor of negotiating a treaty on PAROSexcept for the US and Israel,
which abstain. DISEC being the all inclusive platform creates the perfect milieu for such an
agreement in order to construct and implement an instrument of control that shall hold an
enormous amount of relevance in the future when even more countries might want to expand
their space capabilities.
What is PAROS?
The PAROS resolution reaffirms the importance of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, saying that
PAROS efforts are in conformity with that Treaty. However, the resolution also notes that the
current outer space legal regime does not in and of itself guarantee the prevention of an arms
race in outer space. The PAROS resolution calls for states, especially those with space
capabilities, to refrain from actions contrary to the objective of PAROS and to contribute
actively to that objective. It argues for consolidation and reinforcement of the outer space legal
regime, and says the Conference on Disarmament (see below) is the place for a new treaty on
PAROS to be negotiated. A PAROS treaty would complement the 1967 Outer Space Treaty,
which aims to preserve space for peaceful uses, if it prevented the use of space weapons and
the development of space-weapon technology and technology related to so-called missile
defense. A PAROS treaty would also prevent any nation from gaining a further military
advantage in outer space and would hopefully reduce current military uses of outer space.

UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)

Also referred to as the Outer Space Committee, COPUOS was established in 1959 by the UN
General Assembly in resolution 1472 (XIV) to review international cooperation in and devise UN
programmes related to the peaceful use of outer space, encourage research and dissemination
of information on outer space, and consider legal issues arising from the exploration of outer
space. The Committee, which has 67 member states, and its two subcommitteesthe Scientific
and Technical Subcommittee and the Legal Subcommitteemeet annually in Vienna and their
decisions are implemented by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs.

To review the scope of international cooperation in peaceful uses of Outer Space

to devise programmes;
to encourage continued research;
to disseminate information on Outer Space matters;
and to study legal problems arising from the exploration of Outer Space.

In 1961, the mandate of COPUOS was extended to include the following:

(i) Maintain close contact with governmental and non-governmental organisations
concerned with Outer Space matters; (ii) exchange information related to Outer Space
activities; (iii) study measures to promote international cooperation in Outer Space
activities; and (iv) maintain a public registry of objects launched by states into orbit or
beyond.

UN COPUOS has addressed various issues over the years leading to a few
declarations or resolutions by the General Assembly. These are not legally binding,
however carry some political weight. These items include:
1963: Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States
in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space
1982: Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth Satellites
for International Direct Television Broadcasting
1986: Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer
Space
1992: Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer
Space
1996: Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer
Space for the Benefit and in the Interest of All States, Taking into Particular Account the
Needs of Developing Countries.
The five treaties transmitted by COPUOS for approval to the General Assembly for
signature and ratification are as follows:

1967: Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration

and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Outer Space
Treaty)

1968: Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the
Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space (Astronaut Rescue Agreement)

1972: Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects

(Liability Convention)

1975: Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space

(Registration Convention)

1979: Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other
Celestial Bodies (Moon Agreement)
In June 2007, COPUOS adopted debris mitigation guidelines, which had been developed by a
working group on space debris in the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee over the past few
years. The guidelines include measures to be considered for mission planning, design,
manufacture, and operational (launch, mission, and disposal) phases of spacecraft and launch
vehicle orbital stages. Member states have pledged to implement these guidelines within their
national licensing or other applicable mechanisms to the greatest extent feasible.
The 2007 session of COPUOS also agreed on a draft resolution on the practice of states and
international organizations in registering space objects to be submitted to the General
Assembly, and approved a workplan for the United Nations Platform for Space-based
Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER).

Other Legal Instruments

Outer Space Treaty

The treaty is based on the principles of international cooperation and peaceful
exploration to carry out Outer Space exploration in the collective interest of mankind,
degree of economic and scientific advancement not being a barrier.
Article 1 lays out the principles of the same:
Article I
The exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial
bodies, shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries,
irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development, and shall be the
province of all mankind.
Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall be free for exploration
and use by all States without discrimination of any kind, on a basis of equality and in
accordance with international law, and there shall be free access to all areas of celestial
bodies.
There shall be freedom of scientific investigation in outer space, including the
Moon and other celestial bodies, and States shall facilitate and encourage international
cooperation in such investigation.
Article II
Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national
appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other
means.
According to article II, no state can claim sovereignty of any outer space celestial body,
however there is no mention of any prohibition of a private party or organization to claim
sovereignty of the same. Henceforth, private companies can technically claim
sovereignty of a celestial body. BUT whether a private partys claim would fall under the
umbrella of the states claim of sovereignty or not is a matter of much debate.
Also, since the treaty mentions that the exploration of space should benefit mankind,
and studies show that private acquisition of parts of celestial bodies could help mankind
economically; this loophole becomes a matter of grave consideration.
Article IV is of much importance as it states:
Article IV
States Parties to the Treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any
objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction,
install such weapons on celestial bodies, or station such weapons in outer space in any
other manner.
The Moon and other celestial bodies shall be used by all States Parties to the Treaty
exclusively for peaceful purposes. The establishment of military bases, installation and
fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of military manoeuvres

on celestial bodies shall be forbidden. The use of military personnel for scientific
research or for any other peaceful purposes shall not be prohibited. The use of any
equipment or facility necessary for peaceful exploration of the Moon and other celestial
bodies shall also not be prohibited.
This article checks for weaponsiation of space, however militarization of space has
already taken place as many countries have developed missile defence systems and
early warning systems. Also weapons in space are not distinguishable as offensive and
defensive, and hence this ambiguity remains.
Article IV of the treaty forbids states parties from placing nuclear weapons or other
weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies or stationing them in Outer
Space. Furthermore, it forbids establishment of military bases, installations and
fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of military manoeuvres
on celestial bodies. OST regards astronauts as envoys of humankind, while restricting
the use of the Moon and celestial bodies for peaceful uses only.
OST has a provision to hold international consultation if a planned event might cause
harmful interference to the activities of another state: this provision has not been used.
For instance, China did not hold any consultations prior to its anti-satellite (ASAT) test in
2007.
Henceforth, there is a need to amend the OST as threats to the space environment,
increasing rivalry between civil space programmes, an expanding role for space
applications in regional conflicts and the prospect of new technologies to threaten
space-based assets make it imperative.
Rescue Agreement
This agreement supplements Articles V and VIII of the OST. It ensures that states
parties take all possible steps to rescue and assist astronauts in distress and promptly
return them to the country of origin, and upon request, assist countries in recovering
space objects that return to Earth outside the territory of the launching state.
This agreement has been considered vague by various countries, stating that bearing of
costs of rescue missions have not been clarified. Also, not all Also definition of what
comprises of a spacecraft and its components has not been provided.
Liability Convention
The Convention, elaborating on Article VII of the OST, makes the launching state
absolutely liable to pay compensation for damage caused by its space objects on the
surface of the Earth or to aircraft and liable for damage due to its faults in space, and
provides the procedures for the settlement of claims for damages.
The convention doesnt address risks such as environmental risks and it only applies to
state liability, as opposed to private enterprises such as commercial satellite operators.
It also fails to keep up with mitigating space debris as a possible reason for a space
disaster and its liability.

Registration Convention
The Registration Convention entered into force in 1976. The Convention requires the
launching state to furnish information of each space object to the UN, such as its
registration number, date and territory of launch, orbital parameters (nodal period,
inclination, apogee, and perigee) and general function. The inventory provides detailed
and updated information about the objects/craft in space.
Possible loopholes as cited by some states have been in connection with a countries
patents law and its contradiction with the registration convention.
Agreement governing the activities of States on The Moon and Celestial Bodies:
This agreement regulates all the activities that may take place in moon or other celestial
bodies. It restricts the exploration of moon and other celestial bodies for only peaceful
purposes in accordance of the international law and the United Nations Charter. The
establishment of military bases and the testing of any type of weapons and conduct of
military manoeuvres on the moon are prohibited.
Some States believe that this agreement is of no use as USA, Russia and China are not
party to this agreement and hence making this agreement null and void.
Human activity on the Moon has been absent since the US-led Apollo Programme of
the late 1960s to early 1970s. The Moon Agreement would be put to the test in the
coming years if the US plans to return to the Moon in 2018 are realised and if China,
Russia, or the European Union decide to pursue manned lunar missions.
In the past, DISEC has often been a forum for general debate over issues concerning
international security, particularly effective given that its members express a true world
opinion. The committee has dealt successfully with serious actions on various issues
over the course of its existence and more recently has proved to be an effective forum
for promoting the successful passage, enforcement, and verification of the Nuclear Non
proliferation Treaty. Since 1978, the United Nations has been publishing the status of
multilateral Arms Regulation and Disarmament Agreements, presenting data on
signatories, parties of relevant agreements and the texts of the agreements themselves.

Regional Agreements and Instruments

While the international framework for outer space is certainly older and more prominent
than its regional counterparts, there are notable developments that have occurred in the
regional realm over the past several decades. The first example was the Framework
Agreement between the European Community and the European Space Agency,
signed on 25 November 2003.
However, the Framework served as merely the precursor for the more comprehensive
European Space Policy of 22 May 2007, the first purely European-based space law.
The European Space Policy has two main parties, the European Space Agency (ESA)
and the European Union (EU). Unlike UN resolutions on space, the European Space

Policy (2007) has barely any mention of weapons or militarization with regards to space.
However, in an earlier note from 2004, the Council of the European Union detailed the
defense purposes for pursuing space legislation. The European Space Policy (2007)
focuses instead on the potential of scientific and technological advances in many
contexts, namely commerce, environment, and humanitarian efforts.
In 2010, the Council of the European Union adopted a resolution, which outlined the
EUs goals and aspirations concerning its collaboration with the ESA, made possible by
the inclusion of space the year before as a sub-section in the Treaty of Lisbon (2007).
The same year, the Council of the European Union also adopted a Code of Conduct for
Outer Space Activities (2007), providing a basis on which to collaborate with countries
outside the EU. One example of the Code of Conduct being put into practice is the
partnership between Europe and Africa. The European Commission, ESA, and EU
Member States relationship with the African Union Commission, Regional Economic
Groups, and African states is defined mostly by space technologies and their application
in order to contribute to African states technical and institutional capabilities with
regards to space. The Code outlines principles that respect the security, safety and
integrity of space objects in orbit and mitigate outer space from becoming an area of
conflict. It is the ultimate goal of the Council to become adopted into a large-scale ad
hoc international conference by as many countries as possible.
The Organization of American States (OAS) is the primary continental forum for Latin
America and the Caribbean, however, it has not yet adopted any framework relating to
regional space law. The Space Conference of the Americas fills that void by serving as
the Latin American regions forum for space issues and dialogue. The Conference was
jointly created by individual Latin American states in order to gain more direct benefits
from the technological and scientific applications that space has to offer. The
Conference has been held every few years since the initial convening in Costa Rica in
1990. There have now been six Space Conferences, with each of them, excluding the
initial one, resulting in a declaration named after the host city.
The Santiago Declaration (1993),
Punta del Este Declaration (1996),
Declaration of Cartagena de Indias and Plan of Action (2002),
Declaration of San Francisco de Quito: Regional Space Agreement for Human
Security and Development and Action Plan (2006),
and Pachuca Declaration (2010) ; all contain agreed upon principles and action
items concerning the promotion and development of a regional space framework,
such as multilateral cooperation mechanism enhancement, protection of the
environment, and the promotion of education in the applications of space-related
research. Through intense collaboration with national governments of Latin
America and the Caribbean, as well as the United Nations Office for Outer Space
Affairs (UNOOSA), the Space Conference of the Americas works to build
consensus among participating Member States on the peaceful uses of outer
space. They work toward this goal by devising and implementing various

strategies to promote the practical use of space applications to support

programs with a high degree of social content for the region.
Other regions also have established regional space framework. The Asia-Pacific Space
Cooperation Organization (APSCO) was formed in 2005 and currently has nine
signatory countries. Its mission is to utilize peaceful space- based methods to promote
sustainable economic and social development in the Asia-Pacific region. APSCO is
headquartered in Beijing, China, and was solely funded by the Peoples Republic of
China until 2007. The Asia- Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) was
established in 1993 after a declaration made at the 1992 Asia-Pacific International
Space Year Conference. The APRSAF, jointly organized by various host countries in
conjunction with relevant ministries of the Japanese government, holds conferences
annually and is the most widespread regional space body in the Asia-Pacific, though it
does not include legal framework. Its goal is broader in nature than APSCOs, and is
deliberately designed to serve as a flexible framework for all space-related cooperation.
It is divided into four working groupsEarth Observation, Space Education and
Awareness, Space Environment Utilization, and Communication Satellite Applications
each with their own objectives and activities. APRSAF is open to a large variety of
space-oriented entities, not only states and their governments.
There has also been serious discussion concerning the creation of an African Space
Agency, facilitated by the biannual meetings of the African Leadership Conference on
Space Science and Technology for Sustainable Development (ALC). Most recently, the
Fourth ALC, held in Kenya in 2011, resulted in the Mombasa Declaration on Space and
Africas Development. The Declaration highlighted key goals such as harnessing space
technology to protect the natural environment and contribute to human welfare, as well
as strengthening and developing space technology and education in the region. As with
its Latin American and Asia-Pacific counterparts, the Mombasa Declaration on Space
and Africas Development (2011) reaffirms previous assertions that space shall be
utilized and developed for only peaceful purposes, but it does not explicitly mention
weaponization or militarization of space pertaining to a specific region.

The role of the UN

There are four main entities within UN system that address this topic:
(1) the main legislative body is the General Assembly First Committee;
(2) the Conference on Disarmament (CD), an independent and specialized organ
established by the General Assembly;
(3) the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) called for by the General Assembly; and
(4) the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) also provides support on
this issue to Member States. It is important to distinguish between the work that General
Assembly Fourth Committee does on the peaceful uses of outer space as substantively

different from the discussions in General Assembly First Committee on this topic,
although related, the focus is considerably different.

Other relevant UNGA work on Outer Space:

Pertinent to PAROS, General Assembly resolution 64/49 of 12 January 2010 deals with
Transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities. This has
also been a recurring resolution and was adopted in its initial form by First Committee
during its 36th session in 1981.The main points and goals of this resolution include the
appointment of a group of governmental experts to conduct a study on the issue,
achieving conditions conducive to further measures of disarmament, and promoting
confidence-building measures that break down feelings of mistrust and
misunderstanding. In 1990, the First Committee requested the Secretary-General, with
the aid of a group of governmental experts, to conduct a study on the topic, specifically
including applications of available technologies and identification of useful instruments
and mechanisms of international cooperation. A report containing the findings of that
study (A/48/305) was released by the Secretary-General in 1993.
Several documents and ideas were discussed in the more relevant capacity of the CD
throughout the following years. During the GAs 65th session in January 2011, the First
Committee once again requested that a study be conducted by the Secretary-General
and a group of governmental experts, to commence its work in 2012.
- In recent years, the General Assembly has also adopted by consensus a resolution drafted by
Russia and China on transparency and confidence-building measures (TCBMs) in outer space.
TCBMs are a good step towards enhancing trust and international cooperation among states.
They facilitate management of situations which could otherwise lead to international tension.
Most states acknowledge that TCBMs do not replace a legally-binding treaty on PAROS but
may function as a start to a step-by-step approach on preventing the weaponization of outer
space.
- In 2006 the General Assembly adopted Resolution 61/75 that calls for concrete proposals for
Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities. As an answer to
this resolution the EU initiated a process on an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space
Activities.
- In 2010, the General Assembly agreed to launch a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) to
explore TCBMs that could be undertaken to enhance space security.

Conference on Disarmament (CD)

The CD was established in 1979 as the international communitys forum for multilateral
disarmament negotiations. Although it is technically an independent body of the UN, the
CD reports to the First Committee annually or as needed, and its Secretary-General
serves as Permanent Representative of the UN to the Secretary- General of the CD.
Important work was carried out on and off by the CDs Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS
during the 1980s and early 1990s, but no agreement could be reached. Despite not
having offered a solid document relating to any topic since 1996, members of the CD,

namely the Russian Federation, Peoples Republic of China, and Canada, submitted
various drafts and working papers regarding PAROS from 1998-2007.
Progress was finally made when the Russian Federation and Peoples Republic of
China jointly submitted their draft Treaty on Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in
Outer Space and of the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space Objects (PPWT) to
the CD on 29 February 2008. Since then, CD Member States such as the Group of 21
(the Non-Aligned Movement Member States of the CD), have expressed their support
for the draft PPWT as a starting point for negotiations.
Group of Governmental Experts on Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in
Outer Space Activities The Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Transparency
and Confidence-Building Measures (TCBMs) in Outer Space Activities held their first
session in July 2012 in New York to discuss proposals from individual governments,
political changes and technological progress since 1993, and specific topics related to
TCBMs.
The GGE is comprised of 15 experts from different Member States. The UN Office for
Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) serves at the GGEs secretariat, and the GGE has
begun consulting work for the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).
Endnote: Special attention should be paid to the definition of space-related
terms.Delegates should also be aware of the current positions of CD Member States on
this document. It is also advisable that delegates keep themselves updated with the
negotiations of the PPWT as they develop in the last few months of 2013 and 2014
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
UNOOSA, located at the United Nations Office in Vienna, Austria, is, among other
things, responsible for maintaining the United Nations Register of Objects Launched
into Outer Space, which resulted from the Convention on Registration of Objects
Launched into Outer Space (1962).
UNOOSA serves as the secretariat for the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of
Outer Space (COPUOS), which falls under the purview of the Fourth Committee.
COPUOS is an important space-related body in the UN and mainly deals with the
promotion of positive uses of space, while the First Committee focuses on disarmament
and limiting the negative uses.
UNOOSA also manages the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for
Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER).
UNOOSA has two sections: the Space Applications Section (SAS), which organizes and
carries out the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, and the Committee
Services and Research Section (CSRS), which provides secretariat services to
COPUOS. The CSRS also prepares and distributes reports and publications on
international space activities and on international space law. While not having a direct
relation to the mandate of the First Committee, UNOOSA nevertheless remains an
indispensable source of research and coordination in the mission of PAROS.
UNOOSAs Programme on Space Applications has organized, hosted, and contributed

to over 150 workshops, conferences, and training activities relating to the promotion of
the peaceful uses of outer space.

Conclusion
While there have been several important treaties and agreements agreed upon
concerning PAROS, broad language and the lack of definitive goals are two of the main
obstacles in securing the international legal framework for preventing the weaponization
and militarization of outer space. One such broad interpretation of the Outer Space
Treaty allows for the launching of ballistic missiles (not a weapon of mass destruction
itself) through space, which could just happen to be tipped with nuclear warheads.
Another interpretation, of the meaning of uses of outer space for peaceful purposes,
could potentially include the pursuit of peace, security, and stability through
weaponization and militarization.
But there are more PROBLEMS WITH SPACE WEAPONIZATION
To illustrate the problem of space weaponization, the PAROS Working Group describes
it as follows:
The weaponization of space will destroy strategic balance and stability, undermine
international and national security, and disrupt existing arms control instruments, in
particular those related to nuclear weapons and missiles. These effects will inevitably
lead to a new arms race. Space weaponization would seriously disrupt the arms control
and disarmament process. The United States withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile
Treaty in 2001 and the development of US ground- and seabased missile defences
have already increased tensions with Russia and have led to increased missile
proliferation. The deployment of these technologies or the development of space-based
technologies will likely cause Russia, as well as the United States (in response to
Russia), to make smaller and smaller reductions of their nuclear arsenals and to reject
the development of new treaties to regulate nuclear weapons and their delivery
systems. China would likely build more warheads to maintain its nuclear deterrent,
which could in turn encourage India and then Pakistan to follow suit.
Problems to consider:
Creates a New Arms Race- Currently there is a broad range of potential
space weapons that are being developed and a great variety of technology that can
be used in their construction. The concept of a space weapon must be defined in
order to distinguish from technology used for non-offensive military, commercial or
civilian purposes. Space weapons consist of both weapons deployed in space,
capable of attacking targets in space, the air, or the ground; and weapons against
space objects, which can be launched in space, in air, or on the ground. There are
two types of space weapons that can legally exist under international law: kinetic
energy weapons and directed energy weapons. Kinetic energy weapons destroy by

hitting another object at high speed, and have the potential to carry chemical
explosives to assist in attack. Directed energy weapons destroy targets by focusing
energy beams at the speed of light.
When considering all the categories of space weapons, the term space must also
be clarified: a weapon is space-based if it has a stable station past Earths orbit, or
orbits the Earth more than once. The most common examples in the weaponization
debate are space-based anti-satellite weapons (ASATs) as earlier referenced;
satellite based systems for ballistic missile defence (BMD), and space-to-earth
weapons (STEW). Anti-satellite weapons specifically target enemy satellites, while
BMDs can use directed energy, direct impact or conventional explosives to destroy
ballistic missiles mid-course. STEWs operate in space but project to strike against
land, sea, or air targets. All three categories are a subset of kinetic or directed
energy weapons. In addition, another serious possibility is the combination of
Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) with space-based offenses. Currently,
components of all these systems of weapons exist in some form, and are in
development for further utility in space.

Proliferation of space debris. Such debris, resulting from 50 years of space

activity, already poses a considerable hazard to spacecraft. This crowding
problem could worsen as a large number of space weapons could be deployed in
Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The launching and testing of weapons would also
increase space debris. Moreover, deploying space-based weapons in the
increasingly crowded realm of LEO would leave less room for civilian systems.
Those problems would also occur during periods of peace. If a number of
satellites were to be destroyed during the course of a war, some scientists warn,
they would create so much debris that it would prevent future satellites from
being stationed in space and generally limit space access.
Overcrowding and Unwarranted accidents/collisions-Furthermore, perhaps the
greatest danger posed by the weaponization of space is that of war by accident.
At any given time, several thousand satellites and other pieces of equipment -spent booster stages and the like -- are circling the earth, most of them in LEO.
The space immediately above the atmosphere has begun to resemble an
expressway at rush hour. It is not uncommon for satellites to miss each other by
only a kilometre or two, and satellites crashing into each other may explain some
of the mysterious incidents in which space vehicles simply vanish from the skies.
Eg. One civilian TV satellite has been lost in space; it never entered its intended
orbit, and no signals were heard from it to indicate where it might have gone.
Collision with something else in space seems a reasonable explanation of this
disappearance.
- Now suppose that kind of mishap befell a military satellite -- in the worst
possible situation, during a time of international tension with all players in the

space war game braced for attacks on their spacecraft. The culpable
fragment might be invisible from the ground; even something as small and
light as a paper clip could inflict massive damage on a satellite at high
velocity. Unaware of the accident, a less than cautious leader might interpret
it as a preconceived attack. It is hardly inconceivable as wars have begun
over smaller incidents.

A few of the Questions to Consider

Would States Parties to any treaty commit themselves not to test, deploy or use
weapons, weapons systems or components of weapons systems in outer space?
Ever?
A broader and more crystallized definition of provision for permissible activities
needed? Greater distinction between apparent non-military usage of civilian
technology in space?
Broader and renewed comprehensive definitions of terms such as outer space,
space weapons, weapon systems and components of weapon systems ?
Can development of negotiated Verification mechanisms ever be mutually
agreed upon?
In a space setting, what exactly constitutes a weapon? Could it even be
construed to mean a piece of debris that damages a countrys satellite?
What are the implications for a situation such as that?
Are Transparency and Confidence Building Measures the most effective method
to preventing an arms race in outer space? Will the continued spread of space
technology and information lessen the threat of an arms race?
Could regional framework aimed at PAROS be a viable substitute in place of a
global treaty?
Can peace be assured only by deploying weapons? Can we reinterpret the
meaning of peaceful uses of outer space?
How much is peaceful uses of outer space a part of the discussion on prevention
of an arms race in the outer space?
Bibliography
General Reads:
http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/disarmament-fora/unga

Legal aspects- UN documents:

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. United Nations Treaties and Principles on
Outer Space: Text of treaties and principles governing the activities of States in the

exploration and use of outer space, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.:
http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/publications/STSPACE11E.pdf
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. Agreement Governing the Activities of
States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies:
http://unoosa.org/oosa/en/SpaceLaw/moon.html
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. International Agreements and Other
Available Legal Documents Relevant to Space-related Activities:
http://unoosa.org/pdf/publications/intlagree.pdf
United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and
Emergency Response (UN- SPIDER). UN-SPIDER participates in VI Space Conference
of the Americas: http://www.un-spider.org/news-en/3898/2010-11-30t122800/un-spiderparticpates-vi- space-conference-americas
United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. 617th Meeting,Vienna
(COPUOS/T.617): http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/transcripts/copuos/COPUOS_T617E.pdf
Conference on Disarmament. Draft Treaty on Prevention of the Placement of Weapons
in Outer Space and of the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space Objects (PPWT)
(CD/1839). http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=CD/1839
United Nations Office at Geneva. (2013). CD Documents related to Prevention of an
Arms Race in Outer Space:
http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/(httpPages)/D4C4FE00A7302FB2C12575E40
02DED85
Conference on Disarmament. Comments on the Draft Treaty on Prevention of the
Placement of Weapons in Outer Space and of the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer
Space Objects (PPWT) (CD/1847) : http://undocs.org/CD/1847
Conference on Disarmament. Remarks on Outer Space During the Informal Conference
on Future Security in Space: Commercial, Military, and Arms Control Trade-Offs
Sponsored by the Monterey Institutes Center for Nonproliferation Studies and the
University of Southamptons Mountbatten Center on 29 May 2002 (CD/1680) :
http://undocs.org/CD/1680
Conference on Disarmament. Report of the Conference on Disarmament to the General
Assembly of the United Nations (CD/1281) :
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=CD/1281

Regional Instruments:
European Space Agency & European Commission. Resolution on the European Space
Policy/ESA Director Generals Proposal for the European Space Policy.
http://www.esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/publications/BR-269/offline/download.pdf

United Nations, General Assembly, Eighteenth session. Declaration of Legal Principles

Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space
(A/RES/1962 (XVIII)).
http://undocs.org/A/RES/1962(XVIII)
African Leadership Conference on Space Science and Technology for Sustainable
Development. The Mombasa Declaration on Space and Africas Development.
http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/bst/ALC2010/Mombasa_Declaration_Final_final_28-102011.pdf
The African Leadership Conference on Space Science and Technology for Sustainable
Development. Space Policy,
Bergin, C. (2005, October 24). APSCO set to be born. NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 3
September 2013 from: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2005/10/apsco-set-to-be-born/
Arms Control Association.(2012). The Outer Space Treaty at a Glance:
http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/outerspace
Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum Website and about APRSAF: Asia-Pacific
Regional Space Agency Forum.:
http://www.aprsaf.org/about/leaflet/APRSAF_leaflet_en_a4.pdf
Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization.
http://www.apsco.int/apscon/apSCO- AD/imapic/201261315125947542.pdf
Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization Signing of APSCO Convention:
http://www.apsco.int/AboutApscosS.asp?LinkNameW1=History_of_APSCO&LinkName
W2=Signing_of_APSCO_ Convention&LinkCodeN3=11172&LinkCodeN=17
Council of the European Union. Council Conclusions concerning the revised draft Code
of Conduct for Outer Space Activities:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cmsUpload/st14455.en10.pdf

Other Useful links:

http://www.space.com/10756-united-states-china-space-missiles.html
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a449545.pdf - for US policy in the space
http://www.gsinstitute.org/bsg/docs/05_09_07_Grey_space.pdf Weaponization of outer
space- for an unbiased perspective
http://nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/space-weapons/basics/introductionweaponization-space.htm
http://www.globalissues.org/article/69/militarization-and-weaponization-of-outer-space
http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/oosa/en/SpaceLaw/index.html
http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/pdf/reports/ac105/AC105_1003E.pdf - Legal
Subcommittee Report on its fifty-first session, held in Vienna from 19 to 30 March 2012

http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/oosa/SpaceLaw/treaties.html
http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/oosa/en/SpaceLaw/national/state-index.html
http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/pdf/reports/ac105/AC105_1008Add1E.pdf - International
cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space: activities of Member States, Report
2012
http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/pdf/limited/c2/AC105_C2_L224E.pdf - Review of existing
national space legislation illustrating how States are implementing, as appropriate, their
responsibilities to authorize and provide continuing supervision of non-governmental
entities in outer space
http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/pdf/gadocs/A_67_20E.pdf Report of the Committee on
the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space 2012
http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/pdf/limited/l/AC105_L284E.pdf Draft Report COUPUS
2012