June 2026 – UN COPUOS Plenary: Agenda Item 5 – General Exchange of Views

SECURE WORLD FOUNDATION

Statement under Agenda Item 5. General exchange of views

Sixty-ninth Session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

‍17 June 2026

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Chair, distinguished delegates, and observers, 

Secure World Foundation appreciates this opportunity to recognize the ongoing progress of the ​​Expert Group on Space Situational Awareness under the excellent leadership of Fatima Al Shamsi of the United Arab Emirates, and to share some of our observations on this topic. Progress in the Expert Group has been pragmatic and is already advancing the Committee’s work in support of the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. 

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Chair,

Discussions around space situational awareness information sharing in the Expert Group have been structured around three pillars, namely what information is shared, how it is to be shared, and where the information should be hosted for sharing.  This pragmatic approach is useful. However, these three pillars are necessarily coupled, and the appropriate institutional setting and process to manage SSA information sharing will depend on the type of information to be shared. For example, one useful working distinction is along the lines of operational cadence, separating information into static, semi-static, and dynamic categories. All three categories are important to capture in information-sharing frameworks. But higher operational cadence information, such as spacecraft metadata and maneuver plans, will benefit from more nimble sharing processes and platforms. In this regard, for information that needs to be updated frequently, the role of COPUOS may be best understood as defining what needs to be shared, and setting principles, guidelines, and baseline expectations for information sharing. The operational and dynamic information itself could be hosted on agile platforms and federated in some way still to be discussed. 

This does not preclude the potential role of UN OOSA as a host for static information, such as satellite operators' points of contact. Sharing of practical contact information is fully aligned with LTS Guideline B.1. It is a pragmatic and important first step to effective SSA coordination. 

Chair, we welcome the iterative approach of the Expert Group in this work. Improving global SSA information sharing is a progressive endeavor. It begins with low-risk exchanges that gradually build confidence, and expands toward cooperative practices as trust allows, always with respect for national practices and legal frameworks. This approach suits the operational realities of the current SSA landscape. Government-to-government information sharing carries different risks and responsibilities from operator-to-operator information sharing. And the technical and institutional capacities of both state and private sector actors can differ considerably; as can their adopted standards, their access to information, their ability to share information, and the structure of their information systems.

As the Expert Group continues its work, it would be helpful to keep these differences in mind, and to design recommendations that accommodate them. The long-term objective would be to establish a cooperative framework for SSA information sharing that comprises many parts working in concert. This would encompass national systems, regional systems, and direct exchanges between operators. Interoperability and consistency across these systems would be enabled by shared standards and practices, with appropriate safeguards to protect sensitive technical and commercial information, and national security concerns.  

Chair, distinguished delegates, the Secure World Foundation looks forward to continuing to support the Committee’s efforts to ensure peaceful uses of outer space. 

Thank you for your kind attention.