UK Statement on Legal mechanisms relating to space debris and remediation measures at the 61st Legal Sub-committee of COPUOS

Chair, Distinguished delegates,

The UK delegation is pleased to have this opportunity to share with you the progress and developments we have made in the past year.

The UK is committed to the sustainable use of space for all and welcomes discussion on how we can work together to tackle the issue of space debris. We recognise our responsibility in this area and endeavour to play an active role in developing international best practice for the long-term sustainability of outer space. To this end the UK Space Agency will this year be co-hosting the 4th global Summit for Space Sustainability which will bring together partners in government, industry and academia from all over the world to agree new ways of ensuring a safe, sustainable and secure space environment, including tackling space debris.

Utilising the high-level framework provided by our Space Industry Act, the UK is developing a regulatory framework which will facilitate active debris removal missions which will help to clean up the orbital environment to ensure the future use of space for all.

Furthermore, the UK is taking measures to incorporate internationally recognised guidelines and standards relating to space debris into national legislation. Under the provisions of the Space Industry Act, the regulatory authority must take account of debris mitigation guidelines issued by international organisations for orbital licences. This measure will also apply to all objects launched from the UK when UK launches commence later this year.

The UK recently fully implemented its comprehensive policy on the registration of space objects. We believe good registration practice is the foundation for enabling active debris removal and in-orbit servicing missions, and that transparency and international collaboration will be essential to the success of these missions.

Thank you chair.