Canadian becomes Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is proud to announce that one of its former executives, Dr. David Kendall, has been appointed to chair the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) for the next two years. This is the first time that a Canadian will chair the Committee.

Dr. Kendall has nearly 40 years of experience in the space sector. He joined the CSA upon its creation in 1989 and held various positions, beginning as a research scientist before becoming Director General of the Space Science directorate in 2004. Until 2014, Dr. Kendall was Senior Executive Advisor to the President. His knowledge and experience will be incredibly valuable as he takes on the role of Chair. He will continue to build upon the reputation that Canada has earned within the Committee through its leadership in key initiatives such as Global Health and Space Weather, as well as the mitigation of Space Debris.

Dr. Kendall’s educational experiences include a Bachelor of Science in Physics (Honours) from Swansea University (United Kingdom), as well as a Master of Science in Atmospheric Physics, and a PhD in Atmospheric Physics, both from University of Calgary. Dr. Kendall, who joined the Canadian delegation to COPUOS in 2008, has also been a longstanding faculty member of the International Space University.

Canada is a founding member of the UN COPUOS, and our continued participation is ensured through the coordinated efforts of Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Space Agency. Through consultation with other government departments, the Canadian delegation represents our national interests and policy positions at the COPUOS and its subcommittee sessions.

Quotes

“I am very pleased and proud to assume the Chairmanship of the Committee. My chief objective will be to help the Committee advance measures that will assure the long-term sustainability of outer space activities for the benefit of all nations and especially for future generations. For more than half a century, space has played a major role in the development of Canada and it is essential that we preserve our capacity to access and use space to continue supporting our society.”

David Kendall, Chair, UN COPUOS (2016-17)