Vienna: Once the exclusive domain of a handful of technologically advanced countries, outer space is now within the reach of emerging nations from the Global South, as costs fall and technology becomes more widely available. The exploits of the long-established spacefaring nations - particularly the US - may still dominate headlines, but countries as diverse as Zimbabwe, Honduras, and Malta are signalling their intention to reap the benefits of space-related activities.

According to United Nations, these smaller states, and many more, are applying for membership of the UN body which helps to shape internationally agreed rules on the peaceful use of outer space, and avoid a new Wild West free-for-all, which could potentially lead to conflict. UNOOSA's Space Law for New Space Actors project supports emerging spacefaring nations in developing robust legal and policy frameworks for outer space activities. Additionally, the Space4Women initiative developed the Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit for the Space Sector to help organizations commit to gender equity, promote equal opportunities, empower women and girls through dedicated programming, and track measurable progress.

Another flagship initiative, UN-SPIDER, delivers specialized capacity-building on the use of space applications for disaster risk reduction and emergency response. The UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1959, plays a central role in shaping international space law, addressing emerging issues such as space sustainability, and fostering cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of outer space.

The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), which serves as the Committee's Secretariat and as a capacity-builder, supports this work by helping countries build the legal, institutional, scientific, and technical capacities needed to kickstart their national space ecosystems and economies and meaningfully benefit from space. The 68th session of COPUOS convenes on 25 June, and interested parties can follow the session via UN WebTV.