Safeguarding Space Security: Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space: Conference Report 21-22 March 2005

Space-based technologies play an increasingly critical role in the maintenance and development of national and international infrastructures. Along with the benefits of the widespread application of peaceful outer space technology, comes the urgent need for the international community to understand, communicate and cooperatively regulate activities in outer space. Potential dangers such as the dissemination of dual-use technologies, the shift from the militarization of space to the weaponization of space and the growing problem of space debris are threatening to undermine security in outer space as well as prospects for its peaceful use by humanity as a whole. More than 130 states have interests at stake either as space-faring nations or indirectly benefiting from the use of commercial satellites. There is an international consensus on the general principle of “the importance and urgency of preventing an arms race in outer space”, as shown by the regular adoption by the Untied Nations General Assembly, with no negative votes, of a number of resolutions since 1990. However, there has been a lack of political and diplomatic action, and existing frameworks such as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST) and the 1979 Moon Agreement are insufficient for dealing with the challenges that we now foresee. Understanding the political, legal and technical constraints and assessing avenues for progress are essential to building an international regime capable of effectively and comprehensively dealing with issues concerning space security. It is in light of this urgent need for research and communication that the Untied Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) has held a series of conferences.