ACCESS TO SPACE FOR ALL: AN INITIATIVE OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR OUTER SPACE AFFAIRS

The Office for Outer Space Affairs manages and implements the program on the peaceful uses of outer space, which is aimed at strengthening international cooperation in space activities and in the use of space science and technology for achieving sustainable development, and represents the United Nations in promoting international cooperation in the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space for economic, social and scientific development, in particular for the benefit of developing countries. The Office discharges these responsibilities by, among other duties, implementing the Program on Space Applications, which has been created in 1971. The program was created to increase awareness about the benefits to be derived from the applications of space technology and today provides capacity-building in the form of conferences, training courses, advisory services, fellowships, and hands-on opportunities.

The Office for Outer Space Affairs launched the Access to Space for All Initiative in 2018 providing research and orbital opportunities for United Nations Member States to Access Space. Under the Initiative, the Office for Outer Space Affairs has been collaborating with spacefaring governmental, intergovernmental, and private sector entities to open ground- and space-based facilities to all Member States of the United Nations for micro- and hypergravity experiments, space missions, and human spaceflight-related activities.

This report presents the objective of the Initiative and the specific achievements of its different opportunities as of end of 2020. Lessons learnt also guide the development of new actions for future cycles and new partnerships.