The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is the branch of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space. As a specialized office, participating members will discuss and vote on guidelines that affect how the global community interacts with space as a whole. In addition to establishing legal and regulatory frameworks, UNOOSA works to strengthen the capacity of developing countries to participate in space exploration by helping to integrate space capabilities into national development programmes.

As commercial space activity continues to expand, private space corporations have become increasingly influential in space exploration, satellite deployment, and launch services. In 2025, 325 orbital launches occurred with 4,544 spacecraft deployed. Commercial providers were responsible for 87% of these orbital launches — illustrating how space activity is no longer conducted primarily by states alone. 

For UNOOSA, the issue is not private companies themselves, but rather how member states can ensure that rapidly increasing participation of commercial entities in space stays consistent with the peaceful, equitable, and sustainable use of space under the UN Outer Space Treaty. Member states need to define a protocol regarding areas including resource extraction, space traffic, and regulation of space actors. While there are guidelines for these topics, it is crucial to recognize that Member States need to consider how guidelines should be applied and enforced in regard to corporations, especially because under Article VI of the Outer Space Treaty, governments are internationally held responsible for national activities in space, including those conducted by non-governmental entities.  

Space will only become a bigger target for commercial interests, given that the global space economy is expected to grow to $1.8 trillion USD by 2035. This discussion only becomes more relevant every year that passes. Member States through UNOOSA must come together to draft solutions to ensure that private companies are responsibly included in the future of outer space. 

1. What international guidelines should be in place to ensure that private space corporations are properly authorized and supervised by Member States?

2. How can UNOOSA create consistent rules for private space companies while still allowing innovation? What international agreements can guide liability when private space activities cause damage or accidents?

   • What should the repercussions be for states who allow private companies to violate space treaties?

3. What limits or guidelines should exist for commercial resource extraction in outer space? 

4. How can developing countries be included in the benefits of commercial space activity, especially if private companies control important space infrastructure?

• BryceTech Review of 2025 Orbital Launches

• Outer Space Treaty

• Why the Space Economy Matters

• UNOOSA Mandate

NASA defines orbital debris as any human-made object in orbit about the Earth that no longer serves any useful purpose. This can include debris created as a result of spacecraft explosions or collisions, debris released during spacecraft separation from its launch vehicle, or flecks of spacecraft paint released by high temperatures or impacts with small particles. As of June 25, 2026, ESA reports about 45,720 regularly tracked space objects, about 54,000 objects larger than 10 cm, 1.2 million debris objects from 1 to 10 cm, and 140 million debris objects from 1 mm to 1 cm. Orbital debris poses a danger to any object humanity wants to put into orbit, as even small pieces of orbital debris are moving fast enough (NASA reports that debris in low Earth orbit travels about 7 to 8 km/s) to cause significant damage.

This damage is not only a scientific or technical issue, but a challenge for international cooperation. Satellites support environmental monitoring, natural resource management, climate modelling, and communications; the integrity of Earth’s orbital environment is important for both developed and emerging countries. UNOOSA is aware of this issue, and every year, states and organizations exchange information on debris research through the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. These discussions led to the creation of Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, but these guidelines are not the same as an enforcement system. As more states and private actors launch satellites and spacecraft and contribute to the development of more orbital debris, Member States must consider how existing guidelines can be strengthened and coordinated internationally to ensure space remains open to future exploration and utilization. 

1. How can Member States prevent the creation of new space debris while still allowing continued space development?

2. Who should be responsible for damage caused by space debris?

3. How can states with limited space technology still participate in international efforts to monitor and reduce space debris?

4. How can UNOOSA improve international cooperation on tracking, preventing, and reducing space debris? 

• European Space Agency Explanation of Orbital Debris

• NASA Orbital Debris FAQ 

• UNOOSA Space Debris Documents Database

• UNOOSA Space Sustainability Documents Database