United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

International Space Law

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is the Secretariat for the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), which is the primary international forum for the development of laws and principles governing outer space. In addition to providing parliamentary services, the Office prepares legal studies and background documents on various aspects of space law to assist member States in their deliberations. In accordance with the Action Plan endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 55/122, the Office provides information and advice, upon request, to governments, non-governmental organizations and the general public on space law in order to promote understanding, acceptance and implementation of the international space law agreements concluded under United Nations auspices.

Whats New:

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 and related resolutions adopted by the General Assembly
- ST/SPACE/11/Rev.2 (available in all official languages of the United Nations in PDF format)
United Nations/Thailand/European Space Agency (ESA) Workshop on Space Law "Activities of States in Outer Space in Light of New Developments: Meeting International Responsibilities and Establishing National Legal and Policy Frameworks" 24-27 November 2008, Bangkok, Thailand
- Information Note & Application Form

Report of the Legal Subcommittee on its forty-seventh session, held in Vienna from 31 March to 11 April 2008
- A/AC.105/917 (available in PDF format in all official languages)

Education Opportunities in Space Law: A Directory (updated for 2008)
- Publication available in PDF format in English only

Status of international agreements relating to activities in outer space (as at 1 January 2008)
- Publication available in PDF format in all official languages of the United Nations
- Searchable online database with dates of signatory/accession/ratification/succession/declaration of States and international organizations to United Nations international agreements relating to outer space

Legal Subcommittee 2008

Education Opportunities in Space Law:
- A Directory

Resources available on the United Nations space law web-site:

Full text of the United Nations treaties and principles on space law, including General Assembly resolutions adopting the treaties and principles

Full text of General Assembly resolutions relating to the peaceful uses of outer space

Full text of the annual reports of the Legal Subcommittee of COPUOS in English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish

Unedited Transcripts of the Legal Subcommittee

United Nations Workshops on Space Law

Full text of selected examples of national laws governing space activities

Full text of selected examples of bilateral and multilateral agreements governing space activities

A list of international agreements and other available legal documents relevant to space law (2001) (English only, in PDF format).

Questionnaire on possible Legal Issues with regard to Aerospace Objects: Replies from member States

Full text of legal studies and background documents on space law prepared by the Office for Outer Space Affairs

Space Law: Frequently Asked Questions

Space Law: WWW Links

Please contact us for further information

For further information on space law and related services and activities of our Office, please contact:

Office for Outer Space Affairs
Vienna International Centre
P.O. Box 500
A-1400 Wien, AUSTRIA
Tel: (+43 1) 26060-4950
Fax: (+43 1) 26060-5830
E-mail: oosa@unvienna.org