VIENNA, 4 April (UN Information Service) – The 53rd session of the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) closed today at the Vienna International Centre after two weeks of discussions on the laws governing the use of Outer Space.

The Legal Subcommittee is the main international forum for governments to discuss the regulatory aspects of space activities. During the session, advances in the field of space law included:

· Member States shared information on national space legislation, enabling international cooperation on the strengthening and development of national space laws and policies in line with common principles, norms and procedures.

· Member States continued to examine the range of mechanisms for international cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, a multi-year task leading up to the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Treaty on Outer Space Affairs in 2017.

· The Office for Outer Space Affairs was requested to have a dedicated page on its website to host a compendium of space debris mitigation efforts adopted by States and international organizations.

· The Subcommittee welcomed the official release of the new United Nations Education Curriculum on Space Law, enhancing capacity-building, training and education in space law in the regional centres on space science and technology education affiliated to the United Nations as well as other educational institutions and training initiatives.

· During the session, the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL) held a symposium on the theme “Regulatory needs for very small satellites”. This issue was also discussed in plenary and, as result of deliberations, the Office for Outer Space Affairs will now develop, in consultation with the International Telecommunications Union, an information handout on issues relevant to registration, authorization, debris mitigation and frequency management with respect to small and very small satellites.

Documents, digital recordings and presentations of the Subcommittee’s 53rd session are available at  http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/COPUOS/lsc/2014/index.html