United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

10/04/2026

🚀Artemis II has officially brought back the era of the Moon. 🌕

With humans involved again in lunar activities, the stakes have never been higher. Thankfully, we have the Outer Space Treaty to protect them!📜

Under Article V, astronauts are recognised as “envoys of humankind”, meaning all States must assist them in the event of an accident, distress, or emergency landing.

In space, cooperation like this isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Today, the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) puts this principle to work. Its dedicated Action Team on Lunar Activities (ATLAC) is working to help ensure future missions to the Moon are peaceful, safe, and sustainable.

💡Think none of this has to do with you? Think again!

Many of the digital and medical technologies we rely on every day — like digital imaging, telemedicine, and miniaturization — were developed during the Apollo missions.

Similarly, this new era of lunar activities will bring on unprecedented, high-impact research on human health and unique scientific investigations, from the formation of the Earth and the solar system to the very origins of the Universe.

👉 What happens on the Moon doesn’t just stay on the Moon. It shapes life on Earth.

🌐 Learn more about COPUOS and how global cooperation keeps space safe and benefits us all: https://shorturl.at/2VVhd

📸: NASA

09/04/2026

🚀 Happening next week: the COPUOS Legal Subcommittee 2026!

From 15–22 April, the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) meets in Vienna🇦🇹 to shape the rules that guide activities in outer space.

As space activity accelerates, global cooperation on space law has never been more important. This session brings together 110 Member States and 60+ observer organizations to tackle the legal challenges of a rapidly evolving space environment.

Here’s what’s on the agenda:
⚖️ Space resources
🌔 Lunar activities
🛰️ Space traffic management
🌌 Space debris & sustainability

Why it matters: Clear, cooperative legal frameworks help ensure space remains safe, sustainable, and accessible for all.

🔗 Go to the main LSC webpage to explore the agenda: bit.ly/2026LSC
And follow along for updates!

07/04/2026

How do we build a safer, more sustainable space environment as space activity accelerates?

Next week's IISL-ECSL 2026 Annual Space Law Symposium will bring together leading experts, practitioners and policymakers to tackle that question.

Organized by the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and the European Centre for Space Law, and held on the margins of the COPUOS Legal Subcommittee meeting, this year’s symposium will focus on “Legal Approaches for a Safe Space Environment,” examining evolving legal frameworks, emerging risks and cooperative approaches to responsible space activities.

Participants will have the opportunity to engage with distinguished speakers from international organizations, academia, and the space industry, fostering dialogue across disciplines and sectors.

The event will be held in a hybrid format. You are welcome to join in person or online!

📅 Tuesday, 14 April 2026
🕒 15:00–18:00 CET
📍 Vienna International Centre, Boardroom C
💻 Online via MS Teams: https://shorturl.at/XaAbD

02/04/2026

🚀 It’s the start of a new chapter in human space exploration!

For the first time since 1972, humans are set to travel beyond low Earth orbit, as the NASA Artemis II mission ventures into cislunar space and around the Moon.

Artemis II will carry a diverse, international crew, including the first woman, the first person of color, and the first Canadian to journey into cislunar space, showing how space exploration is becoming more inclusive, more representative, and increasingly global.

During the mission, astronauts will test systems crucial for deep space travel, such as life support, navigation, and communications beyond Earth’s orbit. They will also conduct experiments to better understand how the human body responds to deep space environments, helping to prepare for future missions to the Moon and beyond.

At UNOOSA, we see missions like Artemis II as part of a broader journey: advancing space exploration in a way that is sustainable, inclusive, and beneficial for all human kind. This milestone is not only about exploration—it is about what we can achieve together.

We wish the crew a safe and successful mission as they take this historic step for humankind!

31/03/2026

🚀 We’re honored to be featured in a new article by The Guardian spotlighting Director Aarti Holla-Maini and the critical planetary defence role played by UNOOSA.

This is a story about the moment the unthinkable felt real.

Just over a year ago, asteroid 2024 YR4 quietly moved up the risk scale. What started off as routine tracking soon turned into something much more serious. Behind the scenes in Vienna, a small UN Office kicked into gear, shifting from simulations to reality, to draft a warning message that could reach every government on Earth.

Planetary defence is not science fiction; it’s international cooperation in action. The article dives into:
🚨 How a single alert can activate a global response system
🌐 How scientists, space agencies, and the UN coordinate across borders in real time
☄️ How even a low-probability event can carry consequences we cannot ignore

👉 Read it here: https://www.theguardian.com/science/ng-interactive/2026/mar/30/asteroid-warning-earth-un-office-for-outer-space-affairs

🌍 ☄️ Learn more about about nearth-Earth objects, planetary defence and the role of the United Nations: https://shorturl.at/8rmiQ

30/03/2026

🚀 We need your input: Help shape the future of gender equality in the space sector!

The last phase of the Space4Women Landmark Study is now underway, and your contribution is essential to:
✔️ Measure progress on women’s representation in the space sector
✔️ Track changes over time across public and private organizations
✔️ Support evidence-based solutions to advance gender equality

To build a complete and accurate global picture, we need your input.

👉 If your organization is part of the public or private space sector, please encourage them to complete the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5XXBLQH
⏰ Deadline: 17 April, 2026

This third and final phase of the study will add to insights from earlier phases to create a lasting, sustainable framework for measuring progress. With regular data collection every 3–4 years, we will be able to track change and drive continued action on gender equality in the global space community.

❓ Want to learn more before responding?
Join our online information session on 8 April 2026 at 10:00 CEST. We will walk you through:
• The objectives of the study
• Who should respond within your organization
• How to complete the survey
• Live Q&A with the team

📩 Register for the info session here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=2zWeD09UYE-9zF6kFubccIAUlihn7kZHm6OLGTgJPBBUME8%E2%80%A6

Your input will directly contribute to advancing gender equality in the space sector worldwide!

27/03/2026

👏 That’s a wrap on the Earth Observation (EO) for Resilience and Humanitarian Aid training in Vienna for UN entities!

Timely, reliable data can save lives. From improving disaster response to strengthening climate resilience, Earth observation enables better, faster decisions when they matter most. 🛰️🌏

So over five intensive days, participants from across the UN system🇺🇳 explored how to apply satellite data and geospatial tools to real-world humanitarian and climate challenges, from flood monitoring to resilience planning and environmental analysis.

Delivered in collaboration with The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) and its members Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES), Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), and ESA - European Space Agency, as well as the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health (UNU-INWEH), and aligned with the work of the UN Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) — the training brought together expertise across the space and humanitarian communities.

Through hands-on exercises and collaboration with leading experts, participants are now better equipped to integrate EO into their workflows and bring these capabilities back to their teams and operations.

Participants came away with:
✔️ Practical experience with EO tools and platforms
✔️ Skills in crisis monitoring and damage assessment
✔️ New approaches to integrating data into decision-making
✔️ Connections with a global network of experts

We’re excited to see how these new skills will be applied in the field to strengthen UN preparedness, response, and resilience worldwide.

Thank you to our partners, trainers, and participants for an inspiring week! 🙏

24/03/2026

Join our upcoming webinar on 30 March with the inspirational Dr. Soyeon Yi! Don't miss it -- register now!

UNOOSA’s initiative is proud to partner with the Cosmic Girls Foundation to amplify women’s voices in space and inspire the next generation of women in STEM.

Join United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and Cosmic Girls for a conversation with Dr. Soyeon Yi —South Korea's first and only astronaut. On this webinar, Dr. Yi will share her inspiring story of her experience and journey to be selected from a pool of 36,000 candidates to become South Korea's first astronaut. She also embarked on an 11-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) where she conducted numerous experiments that later contributed to South Korean science textbooks and television lectures.

Sign up here: https://forms.gle/huknx3Zg8HYBvhWb6

23/03/2026

🌏🛰️We’re kicking off our Earth Observation Resilience and Humanitarian Aid training this week in Vienna!🇦🇹

Earth observation is no longer niche: it is now essential to humanitarian action, disaster preparedness, sustainable development, and climate resilience.

That’s why we’re bringing together colleagues from across the UN system for five days of hands-on training. Participants will build practical skills in using satellite and geospatial data for situational awareness, needs assessment, crisis monitoring, environmental analysis, and resilience planning.

This is about helping the UN system turn data into faster, smarter, more coordinated action when it matters most.

Delivered by UNOOSA, the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health, and The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) partners (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, CNES, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), and ESA - European Space Agency) and closely linked to the work of UN-SPIDER, the training aims at equipping UN entities with knowledge about different EO technologies, data and tools.

🖥️ A major highlight of the training: access to the ESA Space High Performance Computing Facility, a state-of-the-art supercomputing platform that participants will use during AI and deep learning practical sessions.

We’re looking forward to an engaging week of learning, collaboration, and innovation!

22/03/2026

💧 This World Water Day, we spotlight this year’s theme: Water and Gender Equality.

Around the world, women and girls are disproportionately affected by water challenges. They are often responsible for collecting water, caring for those impacted by unsafe water, and managing household needs. Yet they are too often excluded from decision-making.

🛰️ Space is part of the solution.
Satellite data helps us:
• Map and monitor freshwater resources, including groundwater�
• Track water quality and detect pollution�
• Forecast floods and droughts to protect communities�
• Support climate resilience and sustainable water management

Through , UNOOSA connects experts, decision-makers, and communities to turn space-based data into real-world solutions. We also support disaster response through UN-SPIDER, helping countries access satellite data when water-related hazards strike.

And as a founding member of the Space4Ocean Alliance, UNOOSA advances the use of space technologies to tackle ocean challenges and support sustainable marine governance.

🌍 Where water flows, equality grows.�When women and girls have a voice in water management, solutions are more inclusive, effective, and sustainable.

👉 Explore Space4Water and how space supports water solutions: www.space4water.org

👉 Learn more about the Space4Ocean Alliance: https://shorturl.at/tylIa

19/03/2026

On this International Day of Digital Learning, we celebrate the power of education to open doors and create opportunities for all.

At UNOOSA, we’re working to make space knowledge accessible to everyone, anywhere.

🎓 Explore our free online courses:

🚀 Introduction to the Space Economy
Understand how space activities drive innovation, support industries, and shape our future.

⚖️ Space Law for New Space Actors (English | Français | Español)
Discover the fundamentals of international space law and policy.

🌍 Introduction to the Guidelines on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities (English | Français | Español)
Learn how these global guidelines support the safe, sustainable use of outer space for future generations.

Digital learning helps build the skills needed to ensure space remains accessible, sustainable, and beneficial for all.

👉 Start learning today: https://shorturl.at/66vE6

17/03/2026

🚀 We’re strengthening regional capacity for a safer, more sustainable space environment.

As space becomes more congested, understanding what is happening in orbit and sharing that knowledge is critical to protecting the space-based services we rely on every day.

That’s why we recently joined partners in Manila for the ASEAN Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Workshop, co-organized with the Philippine Space Agency🇵🇭 (PhilSA) and GISTDA สำนักงานพัฒนาเทคโนโลยีอวกาศและภูมิสารสนเทศ (องค์การมหาชน)🇹🇭.

This workshop brought together policymakers, technical experts, and commercial operators to advance a coordinated regional approach to space safety through data, transparency, and cooperation.

Key discussions focused on:
🛰️ Space Situational Awareness (SSA): improving observation, tracking, and understanding of objects in orbit
🔄 Space Traffic Coordination (STC): translating data into action through communication and operational coordination
🌐 Understanding space weather impacts on satellites and critical infrastructure
📜 Strengthening national legal and policy frameworks to support SSA and coordination efforts
🤝 Building ASEAN regional capacity through collaboration, trust, and data-sharing

These discussions reflect a clear reality: Space safety depends on information-sharing, coordination, and collective action, which cannot be achieved by any one actor alone.

UNOOSA continues to support Member States in engaging with global efforts, including through the Expert Group on SSA under , to help shape practical approaches for safe and sustainable space operations.

🖋️ Following the workshop, UNOOSA and PhilSA signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen cooperation across space law, capacity-building, public engagement, and more.

This includes an exciting initiative: “Tala and her journey through space”, a children’s book by PhilSA introducing space law and international cooperation, now being adapted into all six UN languages.

Together with our partners, we are working to ensure that space remains safe, sustainable, and accessible — now and for future generations.

👉🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gTdA8DRC