General Assembly: UNOOSA

APPROXIMATE COMMITTEE SIZE: 120

General Assemblies are big committees friendly to newbies and experts alike, where delegates debate in one of the six main organs of the United Nations. All Member States have equal representation to discuss and work together. Debate in the General Assembly is spirited, as delegates must balance their responsibilities to their respective nations, allies, and the committee as a whole.

This year the General Assembly will hold the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), a United Nations office established in 1958 to promote and facilitate peaceful international cooperation in outer space. Its primary mission is to promote the peaceful use and exploration of space, to support the development of legal and regulatory frameworks for space activities, and to assist states, especially developing states, in using space science and technology for sustainable development. UNOOSA also maintains instruments such as the Register of Objects Launched in Outer Space and works with the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to address issues like the rapid increase in space debris and the governance of military activities in space.

The committee will address two of the most pressing issues in space governance: preventing the weaponization and uncontrolled militarization of space, and clarifying international responsibility for space debris. As states and private actors increase their presence in orbit, the international community must ensure space remains safe, sustainable, and available for peaceful uses. Today, we invite all delegates to engage in focused debate and to propose concrete policy options for strengthening norms, improving transparency, and allocating responsibility for risk and remediation in Earth orbit. Your participation in this session is vital as we work toward practical measures that preserve long term access to space for science, commerce, and humanity.

Topic A: Militarization and weaponization of outer space

The Outer Space Treaty prohibits placing nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit, on celestial bodies, or stationing them in outer space, and it requires that the Moon and other celestial bodies be used exclusively for peaceful purposes. Despite this framework, concerns persist about the expansion of military activities in space, including the development of anti-satellite weapons, dual use systems, and the deployment of systems that could degrade strategic stability. Debate will cover definitions and distinctions between militarization and weaponization, existing legal limits, confidence building and transparency measures, and options for new norms or agreements to reduce risk to space systems and to global security.

Topic B: international regulation and responsibility of space debris

Orbital debris threatens operational satellites, human spaceflight, and long term access to key orbital regimes. The General Assembly endorsed the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines in 2007 as voluntary standards for spacecraft design, operation, and disposal, yet many states and operators face gaps in implementation and no binding global mechanism exists for removal and liability for persistent debris. Debate will focus on state responsibility under existing treaties, possible binding instruments versus voluntary codes of conduct, mechanisms for financing debris removal, and rules for authorisation and continuing obligations of operators after launch. Delegates should consider technical, legal, and economic approaches for assigning responsibility and for ensuring the sustainability of the near Earth environment.

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