38. It was noted that basic space science could be "subdivided into planetary exploration" and "Astronomy", which were discussed under two separate items of the agenda of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. Although the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee had been able to promote coordinated action between countries or action by the United Nations, in the past few years Member States had used the two agenda items mainly to inform each other about national activities. The initiative to hold the series of workshops on basic space science had emerged from a request by Member States to strengthen the development of basic space science worldwide. Many Member States had delegated persons to be participants at the workshops or, like ESA, had co-sponsored workshops. The workshops had been hailed particularly because of the positive impact they had made through follow-up projects. The Scientific and Technical Subcommittee at its thirty-fourth session had taken note of the results of the workshops under its agenda item on the "United Nations Programme on Space Applications" (A/AC.105/672, paras. 23-37). The results had been further discussed under the two agenda items on basic space science. In order to further develop basic space science, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee might wish to address the subject in a policy-oriented way in addition to exchanging information on the subject. In the field of basic space science, intergovernmental action (i.e. through space agencies) was needed and non-governmental cooperation might not be sufficient.
39. It was noted that the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space had discovered the advantage of multi-year work plans. The Scientific and Technical Subcommittee had initiated a three-year work plan on space debris in 1996 and the Legal Subcommittee would start a three-year work plan on the review of the outer space treaties in 1998. Topics from the field of basic space science, such as those contained in the reports on the workshops on basic space science, could become subjects for work plans in the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee as well. The most prominent topics were the proposal for a World Space Observatory, a small telescope network and the question of greater integration of developing countries in international research. Suggestions on possible future action had been prepared by the Secretariat in 1996 (A/AC.105/664). Additionally, the regional centres for space science and technology education could integrate regional activities in basic space science (A/AC.105/649).
40. It was noted that the General Assembly, in its resolution 52/56, paragraph 23, had
agreed that UNISPACE III should be convened at the United Nations Office at Vienna from 19
to 30 July 1999 as a special session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space,
open to all Member States of the United Nations. UNISPACE III would also have an exposition
and a programme with workshops, seminars and public outreach activities. Thus, UNISPACE III
would provide a forum in which Member States could: (a) provide guidelines for the United
Nations space agenda and activities; (b) coordinate their national space activities and
possibly generate cooperative projects; and (c) demonstrate also to the public the benefits
of space science and technology for life on Earth.
41. It was noted that, where as the First Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful
Uses of Outer Space, held at Vienna in 1968, had taken place at the very beginning of the
space age and UNISPACE 82 had been held at Vienna in 1982, at a time when the North-South
conflict had been most severe and the East-West conflict had been re-emerging, UNISPACE III
would in 1999 have an almost ideal international setting:
the East-West conflict had vanished and had given way to more cooperation than competition in outer space, as evidenced by the International Space Station;
the North-South conflict had been resolved, as evidenced by the adoption by the General Assembly of the 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 the Developing Countries (General Assembly resolution 51/122, annex, of 13 December 1996), which had originally evolved out of the conflicting concepts of 13 developing countries under the leadership of Brazil and a German-French proposal;
the increasing global interest in basic space science through the exceptional findings on the possible existence of life on other planets, particularly on Mars, and water on the moon Europe orbiting Jupiter; and
the inclusion of basic space science on the agenda of UNISPACE III.
42. It was noted that, in the draft provisional agenda proposed for UNISPACE III
(A/AC.105/672, annex II), basic space science was covered under substantive item 7 (b),
entitled "Status and applications of space science and technology" under the topic "Basic
space science and secondary applications of space technology". The purpose of dealing with
basic space science was first an assessment of the status of research and secondly, an
assessment of its benefits. According to the report of the Scientific and Technical
Subcommittee, on its thirty-fourth session, "while reviewing the sub-items below, special
attention should be paid to the scientific and technological developments that had taken
place, taking into account the interests of all countries, in particular the developing
countries, with regard to the global, regional and national issues" (A/AC.105/672, annex II,
para. 22).
43. Basic space science had also been included in the proposal for workshops and
seminars under item 8 of the proposed draft provisional agenda for UNISPACE III
(A/AC.105/672, annex II, para. 22). The proposed topic was "Science and education (including
astronomy)". The organizations that were to organize the activities included UNESCO, the
Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the
International Astronomical Union (IAU) and TPS. Other interested organizations would have an
opportunity to provide input.
44. It was noted that all presentations and deliberations on basic space science would be reflected in the report on UNISPACE III. The report on UNISPACE 82 (A/CONF.101/10), contained a chapter dealing with basic space science entitled "State of space science and technology" (A/CONF.101/10, part one, chap. I). The report on UNISPACE 82 also contained a section entitled "The role of the United Nations: an assessment and recommendations" (A/CONF.101/10, part one, chap. III, sect. F), which did not focus on specific projects in the field of basic space science, but emphasized the promotion of greater cooperation in space science and technology between developed and developing countries (para. 430 (b)). That was where the workshops on basic space science had their origin.
45. It was noted that basic space science should be dealt with in the report of UNISPACE
III in a way that was distinctly different from the way in which it had been covered in the
report of UNISPACE 82. Besides a part on the status of research, an equally elaborate part
on policy should be included that would be based on the findings of the series of workshops
on basic space science and would contain recommendations for action by Member States as well
as by the United Nations. A proposal for a policy on basic space science is given below.
46. It was noted that basic space science not only reflected the human quest for
knowledge of space, Earth and life itself, but was also a natural gateway to building
indigenous space capabilities. Investment in basic space science not only increased
knowledge but also opened the door for developing technologies of the space age. Those
technologies included applications in the fields of telecommunications and Earth
observation, many of which had originated in technologies developed for basic space science
missions.
47. Member States should foster the educational and academic occupation with basic space
science and provide for the necessary infrastructure for information in order to profit from
the abundance of available data. Topics to be dealt with, which had been identified in the
framework of the United Nations/ESA workshops on basic space science since 1991, included
the following:
promotion of the advancement and dissemination of knowledge of basic space science and its applications to human welfare;
provision of on-line databases and e-mail and/or Internet services;
provision of abstracting and indexing services in basic space science;
dissemination of reliable information on basic space science to the public and for education;
collection and analysis of statistics on basic space science as a profession and as a branch of education;
encouragement of the documentation and study of the history and philosophy of basic space science; and
cooperation among organizations on educational projects at all levels, in particular in the field of coordination of educational material, as well as in public outreach programmes.
48. It was noted that since basic space science had not been involved in the trend of
commercializing space activities, it remained the foremost field for international
cooperation. There had traditionally been an open exchange, be it bilateral or multilateral,
in intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations or in non-governmental
organizations such as COSPAR, IAF, IAU and TPS. Most missions in basic space science were
conducted through international cooperation and the data and results were distributed almost
worldwide. Cooperative networks had emerged not only between countries with space
capabilities, but also between them and developing countries lacking such capabilities. That
network of international cooperation should be developed further in order to integrate
developing countries into the international scientific community. International cooperation
should be conducted on the level closest to where it would have its impact. Thus, there
would be a system of global, regional or bilateral cooperation that would be able to take
particular account of the needs of developing countries. Through their own efforts in the
field of education, those countries would be able to participate in international programmes
with activities ranging from analysing data to being partners in space missions, as in the
World Space Observatory concept.
49. It was noted that the role of the United Nations should be to focus on the needs
which would have to be dealt with at the global level and which would require the
involvement of Member States. The Scientific and Technical Subcommittee might wish to
identify topics that could be dealt with in multi-year work plans in order to find a common
understanding among Member States of the need for coordination or joint action. Such topics
could include
coordination of the observation of near-Earth objects;
basic space science education;
data analysis and participation in space missions; and
utilization of the World Space Observatory concept.
50. It was noted that Member States should constructively work on finding solutions for
topics in basic space science dealt with in the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer
Space. They should also support the United Nations in the implementation of activities in
the field of basic space science. They should maintain the cooperative and open spirit
prevailing in the field since the beginning of space activities. Member States with space
capabilities should focus their activities in the field of cooperation with developing
countries on the topics mentioned in paragraph 49 above. All Member States should be called
upon to promote basic space science in their educational systems and in their space
programmes.
51. It was noted that basic space science was increasingly coming into conflict with
other, often commercially oriented space activities, such as in the use of the
electromagnetic frequency spectrum. It would also be affected by space debris and light
pollution to an increasing extent. While basic space science benefited from various general
provisions of outer space law through reference to the international scientific community,
no special provision had been made in its favour.
52. Regarding policy-oriented fields of action, it was noted that it had been necessary to integrate basic space science in the proposed draft provisional agenda for UNISPACE III. The presentation of basic space science at such an intergovernmental conference under item 7 (b) would primarily depend on the interests of Member States. They would have to be convinced by the above developed line of policy-oriented action. A prominent place should be given to the follow-up projects of the workshops on basic space science and the possible endorsement of the World Space Observatory concept. Subjects in the field of basic space science could also be discussed under item 7 (d), entitled "Promotion of international cooperation". In particular, the exploration of Moon and Mars as an international task could become a leading theme. In addition, all efforts should be made to reflect as much as possible the fascination of basic space science in the accompanying workshops and seminars and in the public outreach programme. Non-governmental organizations should take the initiative in those efforts.