Course: International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

Lecturer: Sergio Camacho

Teaching Hours: 16

Schedule:

Venue: Room 505, International School, Beihang University

Purpose and Role of the Course:

Space science and technology provide powerful tools to support sustainable economic and social development. Access to these tools is best achieved through international cooperation, which has its origins with the launch of Sputnik I in 1957.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with the framework within which international cooperation in space is carried out and the expected contributions of the UNISPACE+50 event to be held in 2018 to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the actions contained in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

General theme: Space Policy and Law, Space Science and Technology - The importance of the work of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)

Main Chapters and Teaching Hours

The United Nations in the peaceful uses of outer space

1. The work of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)

1.1 History

1.2 Process of the UN sessions – Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (STSC), Legal Subcommittee, Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee), General Assembly (GA)

1.3 STSC, LSC and COPUOS structure of their agendas; Working Groups of the three bodies

1.4 Bureau of the Committee and of its two Subcommittees

1.5 Consensus and other methods of work

2. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

2.1 The Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section

2.2 The Space Applications Section.

3. The STSC

3.1 Discussion of all items on the Agenda

3.2 Discussion on the Working Group on Long-term Sustainability of Activities in Outer Space

4. The LSC

4.1 Discussion of selected items on the Agenda

5. The COPUOS

5.1 Discussion of selected items on the Agenda

6. The Fourth Committee (C.4) and the General Assembly

6.1 Annual Resolution on International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

The international outer space treaties

7. The treaties

7.1 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and

Other Celestial Bodies

7.2 Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts

and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space

7.3 Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by

Space Objects

7.4 Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space

7.5 Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and

Other Celestial Bodies

Principles adopted by the General Assembly

8. The principles

8.1 Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space

8.2 Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth Satellites for International Direct Television Broadcasting

8.3 Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space

8.4 Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space

8.5 Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for the Benefit and in the Interest of All States, Taking into Particular Account the Needs of Developing Countries

The UNISPACE+50 process agreed by COPUOS to develop the Space 2030 Agenda

9. The seven thematic priority areas UNISPACE+50, COPUOS agreed on.

9.1 Global partnership in space exploration and innovation

9.2 Legal regime of outer space and global space governance: current and future perspectives, and

9.3 Enhanced information exchange on space objects and events

9.4 International framework for space

9.5. Strengthened space cooperation for global health

9.6. International cooperation towards low-emission and resilient societies

9.7. Capacity-building for the twenty-first century

10. The UNISPACE+50 event – June 2018

10.1 Preparation of the draft UNISPACE+50 General Assembly resolution.

10.2 Implementation of the UNISPACE+50 resolution

Role of the Office for Outer Space Affairs

Role of the Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education (Alliance of Regional Centres)

Presentations on selected topics (as time allows)

11. Motivation and establishment of the regional centres for space science and technology education

12. Capacity Building at the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (CRECTEALC)

13. Presentation on the international response to the threat of an impact on Earth by an NEO

14. Presentation on the International Committee on GNSS and its relationship to COPUOS

15. Presentation on UN-SPIDER

16. Other presentations.

Teach Method

- Power Point presentations on all topics

- Class discussion

Test and Examination: Final written examination with essay and multiple choice questions

Pre-request Course: Enrolment in any of RCSSTEAP (China) long-term education courses

References: http://www.unoosa.org/

Introduction to Dr. Sergio Camacho

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

1. Interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter

2. Remote sensing applications to disaster early warning systems

3. International asteroid impact to Earth warning and response

EDUCATION:

1975 - 1978: Ph.D. in Aerospace Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America.

1973 - 1975: Master’s Degree in Aerospace Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America.

1968 - 1973: Bachelor Degree in Physics from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Dr. Sergio Camacho is the Secretary General of the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (CRECTEALC). The Centre is affiliated to the United Nations and has a Campus in Brazil and a Campus in Mexico.

Dr. Camacho is a former Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA). Before that, he held the posts of Chief of the Space Applications Section and of Chief, Committee Services and Research Section also of OOSA.

As a member of the United Nations Secretariat and as a member of the delegation of Mexico to  the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), he has been involved in many issues dealt with by COPUOS and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and Legal Subcommittee. He has directly contributed to the establishment of the International Committee on GNSS (ICG), the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER), the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG), all issues that contribute to the long-term sustainability of activities in outer space.

Prior to joining the United Nations, Dr. Camacho carried out research in the area of electromagnetic radiation transfer at the Institute of Geophysics, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).