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1.1. Statement to the 16th session of the scientific and technical sub-committee of the un copuos, New York, USA
REPORTS OF PAST MEETINGS 1.1. STATEMENT TO THE 16TH SESSION OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE UN COPUOS, NRN YORK, USA
by Prof. J. F. Denise, President of COSPAR Mr. Chairman, Members of the Secretariat, Distinguished Delegates, I am pleased to transmit to you the greetings from the International Scientific COSPAR Community, and to wish you great success in your important deliberations. COSPAR, a Scientific Committee of the International Council of Scientific Unions since the beginning of the space era, maintains close contact with the United Nations. and its Specialized Agencies. It responds to specific requests from the United Nations. For several years, COSPAR has been submitting, annually, a progress report on important developments in scientific space research (the last of these reports, covering the period 1977-1978, is before you). At the end of 1975, our Committee submitted, on the request of the United Nations, a special study on “Altitudes of Artificial Earth Satellites” (Document A/AC.105/164), which was one of the background documents for discussions taking place within your Sub-Committee in regard to the definition and/or delimitation of outer space. In 1977, responding to another request from the United Nations, a group of COSPAR specialists prepared another study, entitled “Characteristics and Capabilities of Sensors for Earth Resources Surveys” (Document A/AC.105/204/add.l), which was tabled at the Fifteenth Session of the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee. Following the wish expressed for the theoretical and experimental continuation of the above study, the COSPAR specialists have prepared a document entitled “Comparison of the Resolution of Photographic Cameras and Instantaneous Field of View of Linescan Instruments” which is now before you as background material to the discussions at this session in regard to classification of remote sensing data. I believe that another activity of COSPAR is also of interest to this distinguished assembly. The group of eminent scientists of the COSPAR Panel on Potentially Environmentally Detrimental Activities in Space, under the chairmanship of Prof. K. Rawer, of the Federal Republic of Germany, is continuing work on the possible harmful effects of human activities in space. The list of subjects to be covered from this viewpoint includes: optical astronomy, fast transient phenomena, infrared astronomy, radio astronomy, strong laser/lidar beams, chemical releases, active experiments (fields, waves, particles) exobiology, ozone, releases by technological experiments, high-power beams, balloons, spacecraft debris (including search for debris), burnout of spacecraft. The Panel is not limited to participation of COSPAR scientists: some subjects are being considered by specialists from the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the International Union of Radio 5
Science (URSI), and the Scientific Ballooning and Radiations Monitoring Organization (SBARMO). One should also note that, in this regard, URSI has recently created a group with the aim to consider the effects of man-made electromagnetic radiation and will report its findings to the COSPAR Panel. The studies mentions above are progressing; a number of texts were submitted and critically evaluated. It is planned that this difficult and responsible work would be terminated in 1980 and, if the report giving the conclusions of these studies is accepted by COSPAR, its findings will be submitted to the United Nations. COSPAR appreciates very much the interest shown by the United Nations in the events associated with the fo~hcoming 1979 COSPAR Meeting (Bangalore, India, 29 May-9 June 1979)through granting its cosponsorship to the Vikram Sarabhai Symposium on Space and Development Workshop on Remote Sensing and Mineral Exploration and, in particular, by the valuable support being given to the Symposium on the Contribution of Space Observations to Water Resources Studies and the M~agement of these Resources. The three above events are of special interest to the host country and to developing countries in general. In regard to the dissemination of information to the workers in developing countries involved in the use of earth resources data, COSPAR is continuing the preparation of technical manuals for this purpose. They are being distributed free of charge to approp~ate scientific co~itt~ in developing countries and to interested individuals. In conclusion, I wish to inform this distinguished assembly that during the 1978 COSPAR Meeting, our Committee adopted a resolution in which it decided “. . . to offer its co-operation to the organization of the Second United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. . .” We hope that the expertise of COSPAR in the matters of Scientific Space Research will continue to be useful to the United Nations. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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by Prof. J. F. Denise, President of COSPAR Mr. Chairman, Members of the Secretariat, Distinguished Delegates, I am pleased to transmit to you the greetings from the International Scientific COSPAR Community, and to wish you great success in your important deliberations. COSPAR, a Scientific Committee of the International Council of Scientific Unions since the beginning of the space era, maintains close contact with the United Nations. and its Specialized Agencies. It responds to specific requests from the United Nations. For several years, COSPAR has been submitting, annually, a progress report on important developments in scientific space research (the last of these reports, covering the period 1977-1978, is before you). At the end of 1975, our Committee submitted, on the request of the United Nations, a special study on “Altitudes of Artificial Earth Satellites” (Document A/AC.105/164), which was one of the background documents for discussions taking place within your Sub-Committee in regard to the definition and/or delimitation of outer space. In 1977, responding to another request from the United Nations, a group of COSPAR specialists prepared another study, entitled “Characteristics and Capabilities of Sensors for Earth Resources Surveys” (Document A/AC.105/204/add.l), which was tabled at the Fifteenth Session of the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee. Following the wish expressed for the theoretical and experimental continuation of the above study, the COSPAR specialists have prepared a document entitled “Comparison of the Resolution of Photographic Cameras and Instantaneous Field of View of Linescan Instruments” which is now before you as background material to the discussions at this session in regard to classification of remote sensing data. I believe that another activity of COSPAR is also of interest to this distinguished assembly. The group of eminent scientists of the COSPAR Panel on Potentially Environmentally Detrimental Activities in Space, under the chairmanship of Prof. K. Rawer, of the Federal Republic of Germany, is continuing work on the possible harmful effects of human activities in space. The list of subjects to be covered from this viewpoint includes: optical astronomy, fast transient phenomena, infrared astronomy, radio astronomy, strong laser/lidar beams, chemical releases, active experiments (fields, waves, particles) exobiology, ozone, releases by technological experiments, high-power beams, balloons, spacecraft debris (including search for debris), burnout of spacecraft. The Panel is not limited to participation of COSPAR scientists: some subjects are being considered by specialists from the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the International Union of Radio 5
Science (URSI), and the Scientific Ballooning and Radiations Monitoring Organization (SBARMO). One should also note that, in this regard, URSI has recently created a group with the aim to consider the effects of man-made electromagnetic radiation and will report its findings to the COSPAR Panel. The studies mentions above are progressing; a number of texts were submitted and critically evaluated. It is planned that this difficult and responsible work would be terminated in 1980 and, if the report giving the conclusions of these studies is accepted by COSPAR, its findings will be submitted to the United Nations. COSPAR appreciates very much the interest shown by the United Nations in the events associated with the fo~hcoming 1979 COSPAR Meeting (Bangalore, India, 29 May-9 June 1979)through granting its cosponsorship to the Vikram Sarabhai Symposium on Space and Development Workshop on Remote Sensing and Mineral Exploration and, in particular, by the valuable support being given to the Symposium on the Contribution of Space Observations to Water Resources Studies and the M~agement of these Resources. The three above events are of special interest to the host country and to developing countries in general. In regard to the dissemination of information to the workers in developing countries involved in the use of earth resources data, COSPAR is continuing the preparation of technical manuals for this purpose. They are being distributed free of charge to approp~ate scientific co~itt~ in developing countries and to interested individuals. In conclusion, I wish to inform this distinguished assembly that during the 1978 COSPAR Meeting, our Committee adopted a resolution in which it decided “. . . to offer its co-operation to the organization of the Second United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. . .” We hope that the expertise of COSPAR in the matters of Scientific Space Research will continue to be useful to the United Nations. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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