Registration Convention

Last updated
Registration Convention
Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space
Registroconvenio.svg
  ratified
  signed, but not yet ratified
Signed12 November 1974
Location New York City, New York, United States
Effective15 September 1976
Condition5 ratifications
Signatories3
Parties72
DepositarySecretary-General of the United Nations
LanguagesArabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

The Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (commonly known as the Registration Convention) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1974 [1] [2] and went into force in 1976. As of February 2022, it has been ratified by 72 states. [3]

Contents

The convention requires states to furnish to the United Nations with details about the orbit of each space object. A registry of launchings was already being maintained by the United Nations as a result of a General Assembly Resolution in 1962. [4] [5]

The Registration Convention and four other space law treaties are administered by the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.[ inconsistent ]

The European Space Agency, European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, the European Telecommunications Satellite Organization, and the Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications have submitted declarations of acceptance of rights and obligations according to the convention. [6]

Current status

The register is kept by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and includes [7]

Information on registered objects is available at the UNOOSA site

List of states parties

There are currently 72 states parties to the Convention. [3]

State partySignedDepositedEntered into force
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 9 March 20079 March 2007
Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg  Antigua and Barbuda 13 December 198813 December 1988
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 26 March 19755 May 19935 May 1993
Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia 19 January 201819 January 2018
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 11 March 198611 March 1986
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 14 October 19756 March 19806 March 1980
Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain 6 July 20216 July 2021
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus [upper-alpha 1] 30 June 197526 January 197826 January 1978
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 30 June 197524 February 197724 February 1977
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 17 March 200617 March 2006
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 4 February 197611 May 197615 September 1976
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 14 February 19754 August 197615 September 1976
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 17 September 198117 September 1981
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China [upper-alpha 2] 17 September 198117 September 1981
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 10 January 201410 January 2014
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica 14 October 201014 October 2010
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 10 April 197810 April 1978
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus [upper-alpha 3] 6 July 19786 July 1978
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic [upper-alpha 4] 22 February 199322 February 1993
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 12 December 19751 April 19771 April 1977
Flag of Djibouti.svg  Djibouti 14 July 202214 July 2022
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 15 January 201815 January 2018
Flag of France.svg  France 14 January 197517 December 197515 September 1976
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany [upper-alpha 5] 2 March 197616 October 197916 October 1979
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 27 May 200327 May 2003
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 13 October 197526 October 197726 October 1977
Flag of India.svg  India 18 January 198218 January 1982
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 16 July 199716 July 1997
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 8 December 20058 December 2005
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 20 June 198320 June 1983
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan 11 January 200111 January 2001
Flag of North Korea.svg  Korea, North 10 March 200910 March 2009
Flag of South Korea.svg  Korea, South 14 October 198114 October 1981
Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait 28 April 201428 April 2014
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon 28 April 200428 April 2004
Flag of Libya.svg  Libya 8 January 20108 January 2010
Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein 26 February 199926 February 1999
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 8 March 20138 March 2013
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 27 January 202127 January 2021
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 19 December 19751 March 19771 March 1977
Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia 30 October 197510 April 198510 April 1985
Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro [upper-alpha 6] 23 October 200623 October 2006
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 19 September 201219 September 2012
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 26 January 198126 January 1981
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand [upper-alpha 7] 23 January 201823 January 2018
Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 13 May 197511 July 201711 July 2017
Flag of Niger.svg  Niger 5 August 197622 December 197622 December 1976
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 6 July 20096 July 2009
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 28 June 199528 June 1995
Flag of Oman.svg  Oman 10 February 202210 February 2022
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 1 December 197527 February 198627 February 1986
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 19 January 202319 January 2023
Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 21 March 197921 March 1979
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 4 December 197522 November 197822 November 1978
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 2 November 20182 November 2018
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar 14 March 201214 March 2012
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 9 February 20239 February 2023
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia [upper-alpha 8] 17 June 197513 January 197813 January 1978
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia 18 July 201218 July 2012
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia [upper-alpha 6] [upper-alpha 9] 12 March 200112 March 2001
Flag of Seychelles.svg  Seychelles 28 December 197728 December 1977
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia [upper-alpha 4] 28 May 199328 May 1993
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia 20 February 201920 February 2019
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 27 January 201227 January 2012
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 20 December 197820 December 1978
Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 27 April 199927 April 1999
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 9 June 19769 June 197615 September 1976
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 14 April 197515 February 197815 February 1978
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey [upper-alpha 3] 21 June 200621 June 2006
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine [upper-alpha 10] 11 July 197514 September 197714 September 1977
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 7 November 20007 November 2000
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom [upper-alpha 2] [upper-alpha 11] 6 May 197530 March 197830 March 1978
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 24 January 197515 September 197615 September 1976
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 18 August 197718 August 1977
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 3 November 20163 November 2016

Signatories that are not parties

There are three states which have signed, but not ratified, the Convention. [3]

StateSigned
Flag of Burundi.svg  Burundi 13 November 1975
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran 27 May 1975
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 31 August 1976

Organizations accepting the rights and obligations

Several intergovernmental organizations, which cannot be party to the Convention, have nonetheless notified the Secretary-General of the United Nations that they have accepted the rights and obligations of the Convention. [3]

OrganizationNotified
European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites 10 July 1997
European Space Agency 2 January 1979
European Telecommunications Satellite Organization 10 June 2014
Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications 10 July 2018

Proposals

A General Assembly resolution from December 2007 that was accepted by consensus recommended that the data should be extended to include: [8]

Background

For many years, concern has existed surrounding the growing number of dead or inactive satellites in space. These litter the part of space near geostationary orbit and pose a major threat, as any collision would produce serious damage or loss of satellites. [9] As of 2021, there are nearly 12,000 objects registered in the UNOOSA Online Index of Objects Launched into Outer Space. [10]

Notes

  1. Belarus signed and ratified the Convention as the Flag of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (1951-1991).svg  Byelorussian SSR, which was a republic within the Soviet Union. The current Belarusian state did not begin to exist until after the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 26 December 1991.
  2. 1 2 On 30 March 1978, the United Kingdom declared that the Convention applied to all its territories, including Hong Kong, whose sovereignty was transferred to China on 1 July 1997. China filed a declaration that upon the transfer, the Convention would continue to apply to Hong Kong.
  3. 1 2 Turkey filed a statement when it acceded to the Convention which implicitly stated that it did not intend for the Convention to be in force with Cyprus. Cyprus objected to the declaration on 21 June 2007 and stated that it would recognize the Convention as being in force with Turkey.
  4. 1 2 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia signed the Convention on 5 April 1976 and ratified it on 26 July 1977, which was also the date it entered into force for Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia dissolved into the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 31 December 1992.
  5. Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany signed the Convention on 27 August 1975 and ratified it on 12 May 1977, which was also the date it entered into force for East Germany. East Germany was absorbed by West Germany (the current German state) on 3 October 1990.
  6. 1 2 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia acceded to the Convention on 24 February 1978, which was also the date it entered into force for Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia has since dissolved.
  7. The Convention is not in force for Tokelau.
  8. Russia is the successor state to the Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
  9. Serbia is the successor state to Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Serbia and Montenegro.
  10. Ukraine signed and ratified the Convention as the Flag of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (1949-1991).svg  Ukrainian SSR, which was a republic within the Soviet Union. The current Ukrainian state did not begin to exist until after the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 26 December 1991.
  11. On 30 March 1978, the United Kingdom declared that the Convention applied to all its territories, including Antigua and Barbuda, Brunei, Dominica, Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Solomon Islands, which, except for Anguilla, have all since become sovereign states.

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References

  1. United Nations General Assembly Session 29 Resolution3235. Convention on Registration of Objects Launched Into Outer SpaceA/RES/3235(XXIX) 12 November 1974. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  2. "Resolution 3235 (XXIX) - Convention on Registration of Objects Launched Into Outer Space". UNOOSA. 12 November 1974. Archived from the original on 28 March 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Convention on registration of objects launched into outer space". United Nations Treaty Collection. 2022-02-11. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  4. United Nations General Assembly Session 16 Resolution1721. International co-operation in the peaceful uses of outer spaceA/RES/1721(XVI) 20 December 1962. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  5. "1721 (XVI) - International Cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space". 20 December 1962. Archived from the original on 12 February 2008.
  6. Status of International Agreements relating to activities in outer space as at 1 January 2012
  7. "Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space". UNOOSA . Retrieved 2009-04-06.
  8. United Nations General Assembly Session 62 Resolution101. A/RES/62/101 page 3. 17 December 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  9. McKie, Robin (24 February 2008). "Warning of catastrophe from mass of 'space junk' - 'Failure to act would be folly,' says report to UN". London: The Observer. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  10. "Search OSOidx". www.unoosa.org. Retrieved 2021-11-30.