2nd United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (Vienna, August 1982)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 24 January 1983 (21st Sitting) (see Doc. 4998, report of the Committee on Science and Technology). Text adopted by the Assembly on 24 January 1983 (21st Sitting).
- Thesaurus
The Assembly,
2. Noting the report and recommendations of the 2nd United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (Vienna, 9-21 August 1982) and the contribution made thereto by its Committee on Science and Technology ;
3. Considering that the conference served, on behalf of the world community of nations, a most valuable purpose in assessing the present state and potential of space science and technology, in promoting the applications of space technology for balanced world development, and in pressing for stronger international co-operation ;
4. Noting the conference's acute concern with the increasing militarisation of space and sharing its view that the peaceful use of space technology must be developed for the benefit of all peoples irrespective of the degree of their economic and scientific development ;
5. Deploring the risks to which mankind has been put by the recent fall to earth of the Soviet Cosmos 1402 satellite, and recalling that radioactive material from a previous Soviet satellite fell on Canada and that radioactive material from Cosmos 1402 is due to fall on earth next month ;
6. Recognising the vast potential of remote sensing earth observation satellite technology for the management of renewable resources and for monitoring of the environment ;
7. Recognising the equally vast potential (if appropriately applied) of satellite communications and direct satellite broadcasting for improving social and economic conditions in the developing countries, in particular through expanded provision of information, education and training ;
8. Considering that primary data from remote sensing satellites should be made available on a timely and non-discriminatory basis to the countries to which such data relates ;
9. Considering that direct satellite broadcasting must be developed in strict compliance with the plans and regulations of the International Telecommunication Union and on the basis of clear distinction between telecommunications and broadcasting frequencies ;
10. Aware that the radio frequency spectrum and geostationary orbit are limited natural resources, the proper and equitable uses of which require regulation and planning, and that technological progress (in the use of higher frequencies) and recourse to alternative technologies (such as fibre optics) for particular applications could enable them to be used more rationally and efficiently- facts which must be taken into account in any proposed planning and regulatory framework,
11. Calls on the governments of member states of the Council of Europe to concert their efforts within the United Nations system :
11.1 to promote equitable access to the geostationary orbit, having regard to the new technology which will have the effect of increasing its capacity ;
11.2 to conclude agreements on access to satellite remote sensing data and on principles for satellite broadcasting ;
11.3 to establish with satellite-launching states agreed means of ensuring that mankind is not put at risk in any way by satellites falling to earth ;
11.4 to exploit the potential of space technology as a stabilising factor in international relations, as exemplified by the proposal for an international satellite monitoring agency ;
11.5 to promote negotiations for a treaty banning anti-satellite weapons ;
11.6 to expand the United Nations space applications programme, with special regard to the contributions to be made thereto by the European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories and the post-graduate training programme of the Council of Europe's Standing Conference on University Problems ;
12. Calls on the governments of the states members of the European Space Agency :
12.1 to strengthen the Agency's consultancy role vis-à-vis Council of Europe countries not part of the Agency and vis-à-vis developing countries planning to invest in satellite communication or earth observation systems ;
12.2 to recognise that the application of space technology to the needs of developing countries requires careful prior cost-benefit analyses, in which the developing countries and regions concerned fully participate, and to this end to combine their national resources and the resources of the Agency to promote the development and marketing of :
a simple low-cost ground equipment for earth observation data reception and processing, together with simple low-cost user terminals ;
b low-cost community receivers for direct satellite broadcasting, together with low-cost, preferably renewable, power sources (for operating the system in unelectrified locations) ;
13. Instructs its Committee on Science and Technology to give due weight to the findings of the 2nd United Nations Space Conference in its contribution to the Assembly's Conference on North-South Relations organised pursuant to
Resolution 747 and Order No. 407.
