Registration Convention

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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
Signatories25
Parties77
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, including The Outer Space Treaty, The Rescue Agreement, The Liability Convention, and The Moon Agreement are administered by the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. [6]

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. [7]

Current status

The register is kept by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and includes [8]

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 [A] 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 [B] 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 [C] 6 July 19786 July 1978
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic [D] 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 [E] 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 [F] 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 [G] 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 (official).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 [H] 17 June 197513 January 197813 January 1978
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia 18 July 201218 July 2012
Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia [F] [I] 12 March 200112 March 2001
Flag of Seychelles.svg Seychelles 28 December 197728 December 1977
Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia [D] 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 [C] 21 June 200621 June 2006
Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine [J] 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 [B] [K] 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: [9]

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. [10] As of 2021, there are nearly 12,000 objects registered in the UNOOSA Online Index of Objects Launched into Outer Space. [11]

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.

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 accessdate.
  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 accessdate.
  5. "1721 (XVI) - International Cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space". 20 December 1962. Archived from the original on 12 February 2008.
  6. "Space Law Treaties and Principles". www.unoosa.org. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
  7. Status of International Agreements relating to activities in outer space as at 1 January 2012
  8. "Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space". UNOOSA . Retrieved 2009-04-06.
  9. United Nations General Assembly Session 62 Resolution101. A/RES/62/101 page 3. 17 December 2007. Retrieved accessdate.
  10. 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.
  11. "Search OSOidx". www.unoosa.org. Retrieved 2021-11-30.