SWF Statement – UN COPUOS LSC, Agenda Item 5: Activities of NGOs Relating to Space Law (April 2024)

Secure World Foundation provides an update on its activities since March 2023 in support of international space law and sustainability through research, partnerships, and capacity-building. The statement reinforces SWF's ongoing commitment to multilateral cooperation and legal development in the space sector.

Key Highlights:

• Summit for Space Sustainability
  SWF hosted the 5th Summit in New York City (June 2023) with 500+ participants and keynote by UN Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder.
  The 6th Summit is scheduled for July 11–12, 2024, in Tokyo, co-hosted with the Japanese government and aligned with SPACETIDE 2024.
• CONFERS Transition
  SWF completed its direct support of the Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS), successfully transitioning it to a fully independent, private-sector-led entity focused on global standards for satellite servicing.
• Space Sustainability Research Fellowship
  • 2023 Cohort: Claire Oto (polycentric governance), Daniel Patton (space as a global commons)
  • 2024 Cohort: Benjamin Silverstein (verification of ASAT prohibition), Olga Volynskaya (customary international law and non-binding instruments)
    All findings and executive summaries are published on the SWF website.
• UNOOSA Legal Advisory Project
  SWF collaborated with governments (Belgium, Chile, France, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg), Kyushu Institute of Technology, and APSCO on UNOOSA’s Space Law for New Space Actors project. This provides tailored legal capacity-building to Member States for drafting national legislation aligned with international space law.
• COPUOS Briefing Book
  SWF recently launched the COPUOS Briefing Book, offering guidance on Committee history, structure, procedures, and working methods.
  It is available online and in limited print copies during the session.