Outer Space

Depuis 20 ans l’UNOSAT développe son expertise dans l’utilisation des technologies de l’information géospatiale afin de promouvoir la prise de décision reposant sur des données probantes en faveur de la paix la sécurité et la résilience. Créé en 2001 en tant que programme opérationnel de l’Institut des Nations Unies pour la formation et la recherche (UNITAR) l’UNOSAT a pour mission de soutenir les États membres les agences des Nations Unies les ONG et les organisations internationales. Il fournit des analyses géospatiales coordonnées et développe les capacités en matière de technologies de la géo-information afin de favoriser la réalisation des objectifs de développement durable (ODD). Il s’agit notamment de documenter et de sensibiliser à l’impact dévastateur que les dangers et les conflits peuvent avoir sur notre patrimoine mondial et de montrer comment les technologies et les données d’information géospatiale peuvent soutenir les efforts de préservation des sites culturels et naturels.

An upcoming UNESCO-UNITAR publication – Ten years of conflict the state of cultural heritage in Syria – will assess through satellite images the destruction the Syrian conflict has inflicted to date on the country’s cultural heritage.

Durante los últimos veinte años UNOSAT ha desarrollado su experiencia en el uso de las tecnologías de la información geoespacial para promover la toma de decisiones basada en la evidencia para la paz la seguridad y la resiliencia. Creado en 2001 como programa operativo del Instituto de las Naciones Unidas para la Formación Profesional e Investigaciones (UNITAR) la misión de UNOSAT es apoyar a los Estados miembros los organismos de las Naciones Unidas las ONG y las organizaciones internacionales. Proporciona un análisis geoespacial coordinado y desarrolla capacidades para la tecnología de geoinformación con el fin de impulsar la consecución de los ODS. Esto incluye documentar y concienciar sobre el impacto devastador que los peligros y los conflictos pueden tener en nuestro Patrimonio Mundial y mostrar cómo las tecnologías de información geoespacial y los datos pueden apoyar los esfuerzos para preservar los sitios culturales y naturales.

Humankind has already been using Earth observation satellites as a tool for over 50 years and observation data archives provide valuable information to fill in the gap due to lack of documentation and statistical records in the past. For example the Earth observation data archives are available to the public right from the earliest images taken from 1960 to 1984 by the very first USA photoreconnaissance satellite CORONA to the data acquired today by the latest satellite constellations. Recognizing the socio-economic value of this information several satellite data providers are offering open access to their archives which makes it possible to monitor natural and cultural heritage sites and assess their condition. As countries are relaxing their policies towards the use of drones collecting aerial images is coming within everyone’s reach and would complement the Earth observation data collected from space.

Casi una década después de que los mausoleos de Tombuctú sitio del Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO fueran destruidos por extremistas la Corte Penal Internacional (CPI) ha concedido un euro simbólico al Gobierno de Malí y a la UNESCO en reconocimiento del daño sufrido por el pueblo maliense y la comunidad internacional debido a la pérdida de dichos bienes culturales en Tombuctú.

Repartidos por 37 países desde los trópicos hasta los polos los 50 sitios marinos del Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO se encuentran entre las aguas más productivas del océano. Su abundancia de vida marina es vital para mantener los medios de vida de las comunidades indígenas las empresas locales y los artistas.

En 1946 lorsque la Commission baleinière internationale (CBI) a été créée qui aurait pu croire que la recherche sur les baleines serait un jour menée depuis l’espace ? Mais aujourd’hui alors que la CBI célèbre 75 ans de science et de conservation des cétacés le marquage électronique et l’imagerie satellitaire à très haute résolution ont des moyens de plus en plus importants pour étudier les baleines. Les informations recueillies servent à l’élaboration de stratégies de conservation et à la protection d’habitats sains dans le monde entier y compris dans un certain nombre de sites du patrimoine mondial.

For the past twenty years UNOSAT has been developing its expertise in using Geospatial Information Technologies to promote evidence-based decision-making for peace security and resilience. UNOSAT was created in 2001 to support Member States UN agencies NGOs and international organizations. As an operational programme of the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) it provides coordinated geospatial analysis and develops capacities for geo-information technology to further the achievement of the SDGs. This includes documenting and raising awareness on the devastating impact hazards and conflicts can have on our World Heritage and showing how geospatial information technologies and data can support efforts to preserve both cultural and natural sites.

La humanidad lleva ya más de medio siglo utilizando los satélites de observación de la Tierra como herramienta y los archivos de datos de observación proporcionan una valiosa información para llenar el pasado vacío debido a la falta de documentación y registros estadísticos. Por ejemplo los archivos de datos de observación de la Tierra están a disposición del público desde las primeras imágenes tomadas entre 1960 y 1984 por el primer satélite de fotorreconocimiento estadounidense CORONA hasta los datos adquiridos hoy día por las últimas constelaciones de satélites. Reconociendo el valor socioeconómico de esta información varios proveedores de datos satelitales están ofreciendo acceso abierto a sus archivos lo que permite vigilar los sitios del patrimonio natural y cultural y evaluar su estado. A medida que los países flexibilizan sus políticas respecto al uso de drones la recogida de imágenes aéreas está al alcance de todos y complementaría los datos de observación de la Tierra recogidos desde el espacio.

Los desafíos globales contemporáneos como el cambio climático las catástrofes naturales la deforestación la sobreexplotación de los recursos naturales la contaminación y la urbanización entre otros están complicando los esfuerzos para la protección de los sitios del Patrimonio Mundial. Garantizar el desarrollo sostenible de estos lugares requiere por tanto mejorar nuestros enfoques para vigilar y gestionar estos valiosos sitios. En este contexto las tecnologías espaciales proporcionan capacidades de vigilancia que permiten a las autoridades encargadas de la gestión del Patrimonio Mundial acceder a información oportuna objetiva y precisa lo que les permite evaluar rápidamente los riesgos e idear una respuesta adecuada para mitigarlos. Para facilitar la adopción de la tecnología espacial para la vigilancia del Patrimonio Mundial el Centro Internacional de Tecnologías Espaciales para el Patrimonio Natural y Cultural (HIST) un centro de categoría II bajo los auspicios de la UNESCO fue establecido oficialmente por la Academia China de Ciencias (CAS) en julio de 2011 tras la decisión de la Conferencia General de la UNESCO en su 35ª reunión en 2009.

Sub-Saharan Africa has known unprecedented land cover and land use changes over the past decades affecting species abundance and distribution and altering ecosystem productivity (Sala 2000; Pfeifer et al. 2012). The main drivers of these changes are both human and natural including a high rate of population growth economic development and globalization on one side and hazards such as drought and climate change on the other (Brink and Eva 2009). In this context protected areas (PAs) are vital for conserving natural habitats and their species; moreover they are critical for meeting global conservation targets defined under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Sustainable Development Goals.

La Iniciativa de Voluntarios del Patrimonio Mundial ha anunciado los resultados de su concurso de diseño de banderas y camisetas. Lanzado en 2020 su objetivo era encontrar una identidad visual global compartida para la campaña Voluntarios del Patrimonio Mundial 2020-2021 al tiempo que se celebraba la creatividad de las organizaciones participantes que permiten el éxito de la Iniciativa año tras año.

L’humanité utilise les satellites d’observation de la Terre depuis plus de 50 ans déjà et les archives de données d’observation fournissent des informations précieuses pour combler les lacunes dues au manque de documentation et d’enregistrements statistiques dans le passé. Par exemple les archives de données d’observation de la Terre sont accessibles au public depuis les premières images prises de 1960 à 1984 par le tout premier satellite américain de photoreconnaissance CORONA jusqu’aux données acquises aujourd’hui par les dernières constellations de satellites. Reconnaissant la valeur socioéconomique de ces informations plusieurs fournisseurs de données satellitaires offrent un accès libre à leurs archives ce qui permet de surveiller les sites du patrimoine naturel et culturel et d’évaluer leur état. À l’heure où les pays assouplissent leurs politiques en matière d’utilisation des drones la collecte d’images aériennes devient à la portée de tous et viendrait compléter les données d’observation de la Terre recueillies depuis l’espace.

Répartis dans 37 pays des tropiques aux pôles les 50 sites du patrimoine mondial marin de l’UNESCO comptent parmi les eaux les plus productives de l’océan. L’abondance de leur vie marine est essentielle pour assurer la subsistance des communautés autochtones des entreprises locales et des artistes.

En 1946 cuando se creó la Comisión Ballenera Internacional (CBI) ¿quién podía pensar que la investigación de las ballenas se llevaría a cabo desde el espacio? Pero hoy cuando la CBI celebra 75 años de ciencia y conservación de los cetáceos el marcado electrónico y las imágenes satelitales de muy alta resolución (VHR) son formas cada vez más importantes del estudio ballenero. La información recopilada se pone al servicio del desarrollo de estrategias de conservación y protección de hábitats saludables en todo el mundo incluso en varios sitios del Patrimonio Mundial.

Depuis que l’homme a ressenti le besoin d’étudier ce qui se passait dans l’environnement qui l’entourait un point d’observation plus élevé a été considéré comme utile. Les arbres les collines et les montagnes ont servi à cette fin jusqu’à ce que les humains soient capables de « voler ». Les ballons les avions et plus tard les satellites ont offert des plates-formes d’observation permettant une perception plus générale et plus complète de la surface de la terre. Le besoin d’une telle vue était initialement motivé par des objectifs militaires mais d’autres applications ont également largement exploité les possibilités offertes.

Contemporary global challenges such as climate change natural disasters deforestation overexploitation of natural resources pollution and urbanization among others are complicating efforts for the protection of World Heritage sites. Ensuring sustainable development of these sites therefore requires improvements in our approaches to monitor and manage these valuable places. In this context space technologies provide monitoring capabilities that allow World Heritage management authorities access to timely objective and accurate information enabling them to promptly assess risk and devise an appropriate response to mitigate them. To facilitate adoption of space technology for World Heritage monitoring the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) a category-II Center under the auspices of UNESCO was officially established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in July 2011 following the decision of UNESCO’s General Conference at its 35th session in 2009.

This report has been prepared following the Day of 8 Billion designated by the United Nations as the day when the world population reached 8 billion people to showcase how space technologies and its synergies can help to tackle the challenges of the world increasing population and complex societies while ensuring sustainable development and bolster resilience leveraging the guidance of the “Space2030” Agenda and supporting the implementation of the global agendas. The present report has been conceived within the cooperation agreement signed between UNOOSA and EUSPA with the goal of promoting how the use of space technology data and services can contribute to achieving sustainable development in the context of an 8 billion world and how the “Space2030” Agenda establishes the priorities of Member States for the space community.

The tenth anniversary of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) brings with it the opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the vital role that satellite technology has played as an innovative tool for sustainable development. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs as the Executive Secretariat of the ICG has worked with Member States to enhance the compatibility and interoperability of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) constellations so that satellite technologies remain equally accessible for all. The ICG demonstrates tangible international cooperation where leading global satellite operators have coordinated their GNSS services to provide global coverage in satellite-based positioning navigation and timing for the benefit of all. As a platform for open discussions and information exchange under the umbrella of the United Nations the ICG promotes the use of GNSS technology for the management and protection of the environment disaster risk reduction agriculture and food security emergency response improving the efficiency in surveying and mapping and to enhance the safety and effectiveness of transportation by land sea and air.

This is the official report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on the fifty-seventh session held in Vienna from 11 to 20 June 2014.

This report investigates how European Union space technologies support the fulfilment of the SDGs. It has been jointly prepared by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)—in charge of promoting international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space and in the utilization of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development—and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) which is the European Union agency operating EGNOS and Galileo and is in charge of ensuring the maximization of socioeconomic benefits from the use of the European Union satellite navigation systems. The analysis shows that all the SDGs are positively impacted by the benefits stemming from the use of European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (EGNSS) and Copernicus applications and out of the 169 indicators associated 65 (almost 40 per cent) directly benefit from using the EGNSS and Copernicus services either helping monitor the status of achievement of a given SDG or actively contributing to its fulfilment.

The availability and performance of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) signals at high altitude is documented as the GNSS Space Service Volume (SSV). While different definitions of the SSV exist and may continue to exist for the different service providers within the context of this booklet it is defined as the region of space between 3000 km and 36000 km above the Earth’s surface which is the geostationary altitude. For space users located at low altitudes (below 3000 km) the GNSS signal reception is similar to that for terrestrial users and can be conservatively derived from the results presented for the lower SSV in this booklet.

This is the annual report submitted to the General Assembly by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on its Sixty-first Session (20-29 June 2018)

Today humanity faces a plethora of challenges related to water. As an effect of drought some regions’ populations see their water reserves gradually but surely emptying. Around 40 per cent of the world’s population is affected by water scarcity. Elsewhere people suffer from flash floods rising sea levels or extreme weather. Rising sea levels affect agriculture livelihoods biodiversity and coastal habitats that are home to 900 million people. The next step in fully tapping the potential of space assets to improve life on Earth is to democratize access to these transformative tools and scale their application to benefit communities worldwide. In a world riddled with inequalities we cannot let the space sector become yet another field of persistent gaps among and within countries. To advance access to space solutions for addressing water challenges the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) launched a dedicated Space4Water project at the beginning of the Water Action Decade in 2018. The Project with its three pillars of conference series web portal and community building addresses knowledge exchange between scientific communities policymakers intergovernmental organizations the private sector civil society and the public. Through these efforts we are strengthening communities amplifying the voices of Indigenous communities connecting them with professionals with the technical background to address their issues and sharing a vast range of learning opportunities at different knowledge levels.

Forging global partnerships and building resilient societies through better coordination are among the key challenges of the twenty-first century. Given the global consequences of a near-Earth object (NEO) impact and the considerable resources required to prevent a collision the United Nations through its Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) has been involved in the international discourse and dialogue on the topic of NEOs raising awareness and promoting global cooperation. Addressing such a hazard including the identification of objects that pose a threat of impact to Earth and planning a corresponding mitigation campaign require cooperative action in the interest of public safety on the part of the global community. Acting as a gateway to space in the United Nations system UNOOSA is uniquely positioned in intergovernmental cooperation and coordination on outer space activities and in the broader perspective of space security including the area of planetary defence. The Office supports and cooperates with two entities established in 2014: the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG). These two entities came into being through a series of recommendations for an international response to the threat of near-Earth object impact endorsed by the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and ultimately recommended by the General Assembly. The aim of these recommendations is to address the global challenge posed by NEOs beginning with their detection and tracking and subsequently deflection and planetary defence.

The “Space2030” Agenda and implementation plan is a forward-looking strategy for reaffirming and strengthening the contribution of space activities and space tools to the achievement of global agendas addressing long-term sustainable development concerns of humankind. It also contributes to charting the future contribution of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to the framework for the global governance of outer space activities consistent with international law.

« L’espace pour les femmes » est une initiative du Bureau des affaires spatiales de l’Organisation des Nations unies (UNOOSA) visant à promouvoir l’égalité des genres dans le secteur spatial et dans les domaines des STIM. Les objectifs de l’initiative « L’espace pour les femmes » consistent à sensibiliser à l’importance de l’égalité des genres et l’autonomisation des femmes au sein de la main-d’œuvre mondiale du secteur spatial; à consolider et à fournir des activités ciblées de renforcement des capacités tant au niveau institutionnel qu’individuel; à encourager les femmes et les filles à poursuivre des études et des carrières dans l’espace et les STIM; et à contribuer à la réalisation de l’objectif de développement durable (ODD) 4 Éducation de qualité et de l’ODD 5 Égalité entre les sexes. La boîte à outils est une ressource exhaustive qui aborde une grande variété de défis et son objectif ultime n’est pas nécessairement utopique – il est en fait inscrit dans la Charte des Nations Unies.

La agenda “Espacio2030” y su plan de aplicación constituyen una estrategia con visión de futuro para reafirmar y fortalecer la contribución de las actividades y herramientas espaciales a la consecución de las agendas mundiales abordando las preocupaciones de la humanidad en materia de desarrollo sostenible a largo plazo. También contribuye a trazar la futura contribución de la Comisión sobre la Utilización del Espacio Ultraterrestre con Fines Pacíficos al marco para la gobernanza mundial de las actividades en el espacio ultraterrestre de conformidad con el derecho internacional.

The “Space2030” Agenda and implementation plan is a forward-looking strategy for reaffirming and strengthening the contribution of space activities and space tools to the achievement of global agendas addressing long-term sustainable development concerns of humankind. It also contributes to charting the future contribution of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to the framework for the global governance of outer space activities consistent with international law.

The “Space2030” Agenda and implementation plan is a forward-looking strategy for reaffirming and strengthening the contribution of space activities and space tools to the achievement of global agendas addressing long-term sustainable development concerns of humankind. It also contributes to charting the future contribution of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to the framework for the global governance of outer space activities consistent with international law.

This is the annual report submitted to the General Assembly by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on its Sixty-seventh Session (19–28 June 2024).

This is the annual report submitted to the General Assembly by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on its Sixty-fourth Session (25 August–3 September 2021).

This booklet was published by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in its capacity as executive secretariat of ICG and its Providers’ Forum. Sincere thanks to all who have helped and who recognize the in-space advantages of the SSV specification and provide leadership in developing an SSV specification for the GNSS constellations.

The Working Group B of the International Committee on GNSS (ICG WG-B) has simulated the GNSS single- and multiple-constellation performance expectations in the SSV based on the individual constellation signal characteristics documented in chapter 4. As outlined in chapter 3 navigation performance in the SSV is primarily characterized by three properties: user range error (URE) received signal power and signal availability. The focus of these simulations is on signal availability which serves as a proxy for navigation capability.

Historically most space users have been located at low altitudes where GNSS signal reception is similar to that on the ground. More recently however users are relying on these signals at high altitudes near to or above the GNSS constellations themselves. The availability and performance of GNSS signals at high altitude is documented as the GNSS SSV. While different definitions of the SSV exist and may continue to exist for the different service providers within the context of this booklet it is defined as the region of space between 3000 km and 36000 km above the Earth’s surface which is the geostationary altitude. For space users located at low altitudes (below 3000 km) the GNSS signal reception is similar to that for terrestrial users and can be conservatively derived from the results presented for the lower SSV in this booklet.

The vast majority of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) users are located on the ground and the GNSS systems are designed to serve these users. However the number of satellites utilizing on-board GNSS space receivers is steadily growing. Space receivers in the SSV operate in an environment significantly different than the environment of a classical terrestrial receiver or GNSS receiver in low Earth orbit. SSV users span very dynamic and changing environments when traversing above and below the GNSS constellation. Users located below the GNSS constellation can make use of direct line of sight (LoS) signals while those above the orbit of the GNSS constellations must rely on GNSS signals transmitted from the other side of the Earth passing over the Earth’s limb. These space users experience higher user ranging error lower user-received power levels and significantly reduced satellite visibility.

To convey a consistent set of capabilities across all GNSS constellations an SSV capabilities template has been completed by each GNSS service provider to capture their contributions to each of the parameters identified in section 3.2. The full text of these completed templates along with appropriate context is available in annex A. This chapter presents an aggregated subset of the full data so that the individual SSV characteristics of each constellation can be readily compared and contrasted.

This annex provides the orbital parameters used for every constellation for the SSV simulations reported in this booklet. These parameters are defined at the simulation start epoch 2016/01/01 12:00:00 UTC.

Even though the SDGs are not legally binding governments are expected to take ownership and establish national frameworks for the achievement of the 17 Goals introduced previously and presented in figure VIII. Countries have the primary responsibility for follow-up and review of the progress made in implementing the Goals which will require quality accessible and timely data collection.

Between the providers of satellite signals/data and final users there are many actors that support the final implementation of end-to-end solutions. Their overall role in offering the best value to users and citizens is critical and may have a large impact on how the space technologies eventually contribute to the SDGs. The value chains of the two European flagship programmes EGNSS and Copernicus present many commonalities despite the complementary nature of the services they provide. As highlighted in figure VI four common levels can be identified between the two value chains: