EVIDENCE OF LIFE ON MARS 3.6 BILLION YEARS AGO ADDS VITALITY TO WORK OF SPACE PROGRAMME, UNITED STATES TELLS FOURTH COMMITTEE

12 November 1996

Press Release
GA/SPD/94

EVIDENCE OF LIFE ON MARS 3.6 BILLION YEARS AGO ADDS VITALITY TO WORK OF SPACE PROGRAMME, UNITED STATES TELLS FOURTH COMMITTEE

19961112 Debate Continues on Global Cooperation in Space Matters; Need to Spread Practical Benefits to All Countries Is Stressed

Recent evidence suggesting that primitive life existed on Mars more than 3.6 billion years ago had made the work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Mars programme all the more crucial, the representative of the United States told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) this morning, as it continued its discussion of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. While reaffirming that the applications of space science and technology should indeed benefit all countries' efforts to address terrestrial problems, he said the exploration of the solar system also remained important in the search for the origins of the universe and life itself. The representative of Brazil told the Committee that the transfer of technology, training and education, and the growth of indigenous capabilities in developing countries made space exploration "no longer the privilege of a few, but an adventure shared by all humankind". The Brazilian Space Agency had just finalized plans with Mexico for the Regional Space Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean region. The representative of Zambia noted the outer space committee's role in making available information on space advances that enabled all countries -- including those with the least resources and technological know-how -- to assess the benefits to be derived from the peaceful use of space technology. The representative of Thailand, joining other speakers in addressing the problem of space debris, which remains before the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, urged the international community not to wait for disaster to strike before properly addressing that matter. The representative of Tunisia said the gap between developing and developed countries often prevented productive collaboration on space technology. His country had established a national remote sensing centre to enhance its work in monitoring harvests, managing land and desertification. Statements were also made by the representatives of Argentina, Bulgaria, India, Japan, Ukraine, Pakistan, Russian Federation, and Nepal. The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 13 November, to conclude its consideration of the peaceful uses of outer space, and to take action on two related draft resolutions.

Committee Work Programme

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this morning to continue consideration of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. (For further information, see Press Release GA/SPD/93 of 11 November).

Statements

EDGARD TELLES RIBEIRO (Brazil) reviewed his country's recent activities in the field of the peaceful uses of outer space. The Brazilian Space Agency was now fully structured, the Alcantara Launching Centre had become operational, and the first series of satellites manufactured in Brazil for data collection had proved successful. Brazil's space agency also signed a cooperation agreement with NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States).

He said the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space exemplified the promotion of scientific and technical cooperation between developed and developing countries. He noted the work of its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee on the issues of space debris and the utilization of micro and small satellites. Brazil and Mexico had finalized agreements for establishing the Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean.

He said the adoption of the "Declaration on international cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space" by the Legal Subcommittee was rewarding for Brazil and other members of the "Group of 77". Subjects such as space debris and the preservation of the space environment could be considered by the Legal Subcommittee in the near future. The principles of equitable geographical representation would be taken into account. As a member of the Bureau of the outer space committee, Brazil would take part in informal consultations of the working group on this subject.

He said transfer of technology, provision of training and education, and the development of indigenous capabilities in developing countries contributed to making space exploration not the privilege of a few but an adventure shared by all humankind.

OSVALDO N. MARISCO (Argentina) said his country's space plan had exclusively peaceful purposes. Its objectives aimed at meeting the needs of his country's population; it operated on the basis of international cooperation. In the interests of international cooperation on space technologies, he hoped the General Assembly would adopt by consensus the draft Declaration formulated by the Legal Subcommittee.

He supported the development of the regional centre for training in space science, and said his country's Mario Gullich space centre would be associated with that centre.

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On the working methods of the outer space committee, he said he supported keeping the Bureau composition at five members. These members should serve terms of three years, renewable once. Bureau members should be chosen on the basis of equitable geographical representation. While the agenda should be enriched, additional items should be accompanied by a plan of work, objectives to be achieved, and a time frame for their consideration. He supported a reduction in the length of sessions, and felt five-and-a-half weeks a realistic period. A greater reduction in the length of sessions might affect the depth and effectiveness of the work. On the decision-making process, he felt consensus was the best path, and preferred that decisions of substance and of procedure be in that manner.

IVAN MAXIMOV (Bulgaria) said it was a major success for the international community that the outer space committee had managed to avoid developments which, stemming from ideological and military conflicts, might have threatened world peace and security. Despite divergent opinions among nations, the new political realities increased the chances of finding solutions to two issues: the definition and delimitation of outer space, and the character and utilization of the geostationary orbit. A third UNISPACE conference, if well planned, could be useful for addressing outstanding problems.

One of the main challenges facing the outer space committee, he said, was to ensure that all countries shared the benefits of space technologies. Space activities had become an essential component of economic and social development. He hoped the Declaration on International Cooperation on the Exploration and Uses of Outer Space would be adopted by consensus by the General Assembly.

The outer space committee should continue its work on minimizing potentially adverse impacts of space activities, such as the generation of space debris. and the possible contamination of space and the terrestrial environment from space objects with nuclear power sources on board. Bulgaria neither supported nor participated in programmes involving satellites with nuclear power sources on board, and did not develop or launch transportation systems causing the release of space debris. He said the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency had begun cooperation with corresponding agencies from around the world. In view of the increasing importance of the outer space committee's work, he urged a thorough review of its working methods.

A.C. JOSE (India) said the decision of the outer space committee to convene the UNISPACE III conference, open to all Member States of the Organization, was an important step. Space technology had already

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demonstrated its immense potential to contribute to such global problems as protection of Earth's environment, and achieving sustainable development and managing disasters. The special session of the committee (UNISPACE III) should address the concerns of both developed and developing countries, focusing on practical issues that would benefit all countries.

He said post-cold war changes warranted assessment of the new possibilities for international cooperation. The involvement of all Member States was essential. He supported efforts to ensure democratic rotation in membership, as well as equitable representation and transparency of the Bureau of the committee and its subsidiary bodies.

He said the main thrust of the Indian space programme continued to be development of space technology for peaceful applications, particularly for rapid socio-economic development. Three satellites were launched last year, including a geostationary satellite to provide telecommunications services. Another of the satellites was part of a series to monitor crops, map forests, and facilitate environmental protection and better land management. Part of the IRS-P3 series had been set aside for promoting international cooperation. He said his country was also attempting to promote cooperation in education. Twenty-five experts from 15 countries had taken part in a remote sensing course this year at the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific Region.

TOSHIHIRO TAKAHASHI (Japan) said the promotion of peaceful uses of outer space benefited every country, including Japan. He welcomed the decision to convene a special session of the outer space committee, UNISPACE III. The session should address the concerns of developed and developing countries. Its agenda should include such issues as remote sensing of Earth and the environment, disaster prevention, satellite communications, and meteorology and spin-off benefits, as had been suggested by the Czech delegation. The special session would contribute to the promotion of transfer of technology.

He hoped the General Assembly would adopt the draft declaration on international cooperation over outer space. He said the Declaration was not intended to establish a new legal framework for the development of space technology. The committee and its subcommittees should hold inter-sessional consultations to facilitate consensus on the issue of the composition of the Bureau. The committee's efficiency would be improved by streamlining agendas, which should consider the space activities of each country. Agreement should be adopted by consensus.

He said committee meetings should be shortened during UNISPACE III. On the composition of the Bureau, he said it should reflect equitable geographical representation. Chairmen of subcommittees should take into account the specialized and technical nature of those bodies.

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KENNETH D. HODGKINS (United States) said international attention had focused on the application of space techniques to terrestrial problems. While this was proper, exploration of the solar system remained important in the search for answers to questions on the origins of the universe and life itself.

In August, NASA had announced that a research team had found evidence suggesting the existence of a primitive form of microscopic life on Mars more than 3.6 billion years ago. That finding made NASA's Mars programmes all the more crucial.

He said his country was committed to the basic tenet that the exploration and use of outer space should be carried out for the benefit of all countries. His Government had developed a policy on the Global Positioning System -- GPS -- designed by the United States Department of Defense as a dual-use system of a 24-satellite constellation used for a wide range of purposes. The growing demand from military, civil, commercial and scientific uses had generated a global system of commercial GPS equipment and service industry.

He said his country had announced a new national space policy, the first post-cold war assessment of American space goals and activities. The policy reaffirmed his country's commitment to the exploration and use of outer space by all nations for peaceful purposes. It called on the United States space program to enhance knowledge of Earth, the solar system and the universe through human and robotic exploration. Under the policy, space nuclear reactors would not be used without the specific approval of the President or his designee. On space debris, the policy indicated that the United States would take a leadership role in adopting practices aimed at debris minimization and would cooperate internationally in this regard.

He said that the outer space committee had achieved positive results based on the principle of consensus. He was pleased to join consensus on the adoption of the Declaration. Strengthening international cooperation in space activities implied improving the outer space committee's working methods. In this regard, his country placed the highest priority on two results: the unambiguous commitment of all Member States to the principle of consensus in substantive and procedural matters; and significant reductions in the duration of the sessions of the committee and its Legal Subcommittee.

CHARIVAT SANTAPUTRA (Thailand) said his country wished to join the outer space committee at the first available opportunity. His country's space activities had concentrated on telecommunications and remote sensing. Its communications satellite system had provided service to government and private sectors. On remote sensing, the Thailand Remote Sensing Centre operated a ground receiving station to acquire remote sensing data from six satellites. That station would be upgraded in the near future to receive data from new

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operational satellites. It also served as a regional satellite data distribution centre, providing multi-level satellite data to users worldwide. Usage and training at the Centre were aimed primarily at its application of natural resource management and environmental monitoring.

He said Thailand's outer space activities had progressively developed in line with international advances. He fully supported the outer space committee's draft Declaration, considering it a victory for the greater whole.

He said he welcomed the decision to convene UNISPACE III as a special session of the committee. Such a conference would promote better information- sharing and mutual understanding among scientists of various nationalities which could lead to further cooperation among nations.

He regretted that further progress had not been made on the subject of space debris. Measures must be taken to combat the debris. The international community could not wait to address the matter until a disaster occurred. As the use of outer space became increasingly relevant to all people, the Committee's membership should be expanded, particularly on the basis of equitable geographical distribution.

VICTORIA ZAZA (Zambia) said she greatly valued the role of the outer space committee in making available information on developments in space technology. That allowed all countries to assess the benefits from peaceful uses of space technology, including those with the least resources and technological know-how. It was gratifying that the committee had identified spin-off benefits that could equip nations with technology in such areas as climate monitoring and early disaster warning.

"Accessibility to such technology would assist us substantially in redressing some of our problems", she said. The committee should continue to address hazards of debris from defunct satellites. She said she looked forward to the General Assembly's adoption of the Declaration on international cooperation in space.

VALERIY M. KRYCHENKO (Ukraine) said the potential benefits of space activities for improving living standards were far from exhausted. He regretted the fact that discussions of such issues as space delimitation and the geostationary orbit had not produced visible results. An infinitude of legal problems had made it impossible for the committee to adopt any decision regarding space debris in the geostationary orbit.

He stressed the application of side-benefits of space technology, as in medical research, data processing, remote sensing, meteorology, and the assessment of natural disasters. That knowledge, he said, should be used in the interests of all mankind. The coordinating role of the outer space committee should focus on expanding access of developing countries to advances

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in space science. Ukraine supported the use of low-cost, small satellites, and endorsed holding regular meetings between satellite owners, users and operators to expand access to space information and to reduce its cost.

He noted that Ukraine manufactured the Zenit and Cyclon rockets, and had signed agreements with the Russian Federation, the United States and China for international cooperation in space.

WALID DOUDECH (Tunisia) said the peaceful use of outer space aroused ever-growing interest as the number of benefits and uses increased. His country had established a national centre for remote sensing to enhance its capacities for monitoring harvests, land management, the struggle against desertification and other uses.

He said he attached great importance to international cooperation in this field. The gap between developing and developed countries on space technology prevented productive collaboration between them. It was disturbing that outer space had become the preserve of a few States, all the more so because of the need for international cooperation in this area.

He said the exchange of information must be advanced by the international community. Often it was important that access to information in this area be timely. The high cost of using the technology was also an obstacle for many countries, narrowing their ability to use it for such purposes as furthering sustainable development. International support for technology transfer needed to be further strengthened to implement UNISPACE II. He regretted that financial limitations had hindered the work of technology-sharing and other recommendations of that conference.

NAVID HANIF (Pakistan) said outer space was a common heritage of mankind. As such, it should be used to realize the universally shared goals of international security and socio-economic development. A comprehensive convention to prevent an arms race in outer space should be pursued. International legal norms governing the uses of outer space should be strengthened, and existing agreements on peaceful applications should be promoted.

Within the United Nations, he noted, there were separate bodies dealing with different aspects of outer space. Mechanisms for coordination between such bodies should be established. The "weaponization" of outer space had to be curbed. He welcomed the Declaration and hoped it would enjoy consensus in the Assembly.

He said international cooperation in remote sensing for environmental monitoring and sustainable development could not be over-emphasized, and he called for the establishment of institutional mechanisms to share such information at reasonable cost and in a timely manner. Spin-offs of space

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technology had provided new techniques in numerous areas including the industrial sector and human health; developing countries should have access to such benefits, particularly those by which social and economic needs could be addressed.

Despite achievements, the Organization had not implemented many of the recommendations from the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE 82). The primary reason was the Organization's lack of financial resources. On the issue of a third UNISPACE conference, he said it was important that provisions be made to ensure the financial resources necessary to fully implement any recommendations from the conference.

BORIS V. OBNOSOV (Russian Federation) said that to enhance the work of the outer space committee, the principle of taking decisions by consensus should be adopted. He also supported equitable geographical representation in the Bureau.

He said there had been changes in the agenda of the legal and technical subcommittees. The text of the draft Declaration was balanced, and that should allow its passage by the General Assembly. It would be possible to achieve a streamlined process of access to geostationary orbit, but only for the purpose of serving specific countries. It was possible to reach agreements in this area without infringing the responsibilities of the International Telecommunications Union.

On the issue of space debris, he pointed out that there would be hundreds of launches of communications satellites in years to come. Before discussing legal norms, the technological aspects of space debris that might result from that number of launches should be assessed.

BASUDEV GHIMIRE (Nepal) said space technology had contributed to global economic and social development, and could be important to the future prosperity of developing countries, which, among other uses, had employed it to promote sustainable development, forecast and monitor weather, and mitigate natural disasters. Developing and least developed countries, however, had neither the resources nor the technological capabilities for the necessary research; broader international cooperation was therefore urgent.

He noted the useful role of the outer space committee in promoting the peaceful uses of outer space. Its work had included the preparation of international agreements, development of legal norms, formulation of recommendations on remote sensing, space debris and coordination of space activities in the United Nations system. The Organization's Programme on Space Application could play an important role in forming necessary infrastructure and technological capabilities in developing countries. The

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development of regional educational centres was a positive achievement in that regard.

He said the least developed countries should be given more opportunities to attend training and workshop programmes. Member States and inter- governmental organizations should increase voluntary contributions for activities on the peaceful uses of outer space. He called on all Member States, particularly major space-capability countries, to contribute to measures that would advance transparency, and promote confidence and security in the peaceful uses of outer space.

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