Investigation Of Governmental Organization For Space Activities

Reviews space program administration and coordination by NASA and DOD. Focuses on differing roles of NASA and DOD in the development of a space program. Includes report "Interdepartmental Coordination in the Federal Administration of Scientific and Technological Functions" by the Legislative Reference Service of the Library of Congress, 1959 (p. 661-745).

This new Study Series (No. 34) focuses on the 2013 report of the Group of Governmental Experts on Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities that contains the Group's conclusions and recommendations. Part 2 includes the final report of the Secretary-General containing concrete proposals from Member States on international outer space transparency and confidence-building measures, and background papers submitted by experts from Australia, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan and Nigeria.

The legal regime of outer space, as enshrined in the Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space (General Assembly Resolution 1962 (XVIII), adopted in 1963, and in the 1967 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, while prohibiting the appropriation of space by any means, envisages exploration for the bene?t and in the interest of all countries on a basis of equality and in accordance with international law. Freedom of scienti?c investigation is also contemplated. Elaborating on these instruments, the Assembly in 1996 adopted the Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space (RES 51/122), in which it called for heightened international co-operation, with part- ular attention to be given to the bene?t for and the interests of developing countries and countries with nascent space programmes. Thus, it is self-evident that the outer space regime, including the 1972 Liability Convention, envisages the conduct of national activities “for the bene?t and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scienti?c dev- opment”. In this regard, Article 6 of the 1967 Treaty not only provides for national activities in outer space, but for international responsibility whether such activities are carried out by governmental agencies or non-governmental entities, and aims at ensuring that national activities are conducted in conformity with the Treaty.