Date

Format

21 January 2026

MS Teams  [link to be provided by information circular]

Date

Files

Mandate of the Expert Group

(a) Promote and foster greater awareness and cooperation on exchange of relevant information on space objects and operational environment ("space traffic information")  and  information sharing among Member States;

(b) Collect, compile and study existing and/or propose, as appropriate, new measures, and best practices to achieve consistency of data formats and in understanding and use of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) information-sharing practices to aid operational coordination;

(c) International cooperation, and identifying areas for future work, including capacity - building.   

Terms of Reference

UNOOSA shall invite all Member States interested in participating in the Expert Group to appoint a maximum of four experts. Representatives of Permanent Observers have access to meetings and may provide submissions to the expert group but shall not participate in formal decision-making 

The Expert Group may invite recognized technical, policy, and legal experts from intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, and other entities to its meetings on an ad hoc basis. The number of such external experts, shall be maximum of five per meeting, limited to one representative per entity.  Such external experts having received an invitation to participate, may observe, speak or submit written contributions, in the formal and informal meetings of the Expert Group. These submissions should be a maximum of five pages in length. 

The Expert Group will provide focused inputs, with the ultimate  objective  of creating a technical basis of  understanding  that can support actionable recommendations and voluntary standards aimed at enhancing global  SSA  operational coordination and safety in space activities including, for example, the role of the UN in possible examining SSA information sharing. A comprehensive final report will be presented for consideration with a view to a possible UNISPACE IV.  

Discussions will be precisely limited to those necessary for fulfilling the group's mandate, avoiding duplication with ongoing COPUOS efforts. 

The work of the Expert Group shall complement and support ongoing consultations within COPUOS, its subcommittees and their Working Groups. It will promote informal collaboration and exchange of information among existing SSA frameworks or ongoing initiatives. 

Method of Work

The Expert Group shall be  established  under the LTS Working  Group, and  works  on the basis of   consensus  of its member States.  

The Expert Group will directly contribute to and complement the ongoing efforts and  objectives  of the  Working  Group on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities by fostering effective implementation of relevant LTS Guidelines. 

The Expert Group shall meet as needed to advance its work, both on the margins of the sessions of the Committee and the STSC and during the intersessional period. All meetings of the Expert Group shall be organized in a hybrid format to allow for the inclusive participation of its members and maximize the use of time.  

The Office for Outer Space Affairs shall facilitate the work of the Expert Group by providing support in convening and facilitating meetings. 

Upon the establishment of the Expert Group, and at the proposal of States members, the Committee approved its Chair, and the Office for Outer Space Affairs appointed a secretary to support its work.

The Expert Group's scope specifically covers topics addressed in Section IV of the proposal. The Expert Group  may  adjust topics under discussion, as  appropriate .

The Expert Group will provide updates through LTS WG on its progress to the Scientific and Technical Sub Committee (STSC) under the LTS item.