SWF Statement – UN COPUOS STSC, Agenda Item 4: General Exchange of Views (February 2024)

Secure World Foundation reports its major 2023–2024 activities focused on promoting space sustainability, capacity building, and responsible behavior in outer space. The statement emphasizes new research, policy summits, industry dialogues, and international partnerships—all advancing the goals of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee.

Key Highlights:

• 5th and 6th Summits for Space Sustainability:
  The 5th Summit was held in New York City in June 2023 with over 500 participants and keynote remarks by Guy Ryder, UN Undersecretary-General for Policy.
  The upcoming 6th Summit will take place July 11–12, 2024 in Tokyo, co-hosted with the Japanese Government’s National Space Policy Secretariat and aligned with SPACETIDE 2024.
• Space Sustainability Research Fellowship:
  First cohort completed in March 2023.
  • Claire Oto: Focused on polycentric decision-making in global space governance.
  • Daniel Patton: Analyzed interpretations of space as a global commons.
    Their research and webinar are available on the SWF website.
• CONFERS Transition:
  SWF concluded its support of the Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS), which is now fully independent and continues developing global standards for satellite servicing.
• U.S.–China Space Dialogue:
  The 7th dialogue, co-hosted with the Chinese Society of Astronautics and Caelus Foundation, focused on large satellite constellations for connectivity and infrastructure.
  Emphasis was placed on operator-to-operator coordination for safety and sustainability.
• SSA and Debris Coordination:
  SWF hosted panels at the IAASS Space Safety Conference (Osaka) and the AMOS Conference (Hawaii), promoting SSA data sharing and development of global space traffic management standards.
• Engagement with GEO:
  SWF participated in the GEO Ministerial Summit in Cape Town (Dec. 2023) and helped shape the GEO Post-2025 Strategy: Earth Intelligence for All, via its seat on the GEO Programme Board.
• COPUOS Briefing Book:
  SWF reminds delegations of its COPUOS Briefing Book, launched in 2023, now available online and in limited hardcopies at the session. The publication provides a comprehensive overview of COPUOS’s structure, procedures, and working methods.