Davis Model United Nations Conference 2015 Topic Synopsis: UN Office for Outer Space Affairs Chair: Zelby Nelson 1
Letter from the Head Chair Greetings delegates. I, Zelby, write to you as your head chair for UNOSA. I possess a great deal of experience in Model UN in many different capacities. I am studying computer science and engineering. I say this in the present progressive tense as it is a discipline filled with constant changes, personal adaptivity and boundless learning. When I'm not working on one of my side projects, I often indulge in reading some technological journals, sampling various cuisines and simply exploring. I decided to return to DMUNC to chair this committee for several reasons, not the least of which includes braving uncertainty to forge my own path. The concept of space is one that is vast and provides numerous opportunities but also poses very intricate and relevant problems. As for your topics, one is rather conventional while the other poses a unique chance to grow and adapt. There is much to be said about both and yet I do understand that the amount of material for a number of countries will be scarce at best. Having said that, space is a frontier with much speculation. Do not be afraid of being creative, of a conspicuous lack of explicit information compared to more conventional committees or lastly, of criticism or even of failure. Just because your country isn't renowned for its space program does not mean it will not have anything to contribute or anecdotes to share. I am providing you all an opportunity to create something all your own. Come now, let us journey into the unknown. Zelby Nelson unoosa@davismun.org 2
Topic 1: Colonization of Celestial Bodies Topic Background Whether the reasons be scientific, economic, survival or imperialistic, there is a growing desire for humans to settle beyond Earth. Space exploration was dominated by the US and USSR during the Cold War, but there are now a multitude of countries able and willing to take part in the high stakes game of colonizing space. As it stands, there is much to be had from continued exploration in space; however, such gains can be expedited with a human settlement. At the same time, space exploration alone is a very costly enterprise. According to a blog co-written by Mike Chen - cofounder and chief strategy officer of Made In Space - on Forbes, anything sent to space costs about ($10,000/lb or 19,500/kg) because it has to be able to withstand G-forces leaving Earth and still function in space. Part of this prohibitive cost can be ameliorated by building in space. One such venture by Made In Space aims to utilize 3d printing aboard the International Space Station. Regardless of whether or not humans resort to 3D printing or use conventional methods for development, resources would still be a scarcity. An interesting part of the problem is that the Outer Space Treaty prevents national land grants or claims, as no country has sovereignty of any celestial body to grant. Siegelbaum states in her BBC article many potential investors are deterred because of the ambiguity of property rights. With mining for resources on the moon or any other celestial body effectively illegal by international law, even simple things as fueling stations and more sustainable settlements further add to the prohibitive costs for settlement. Aside from the economic and even political obstacles, there are other reasons that make settling in space increasingly difficult. While humanity maintains a permanent station in space in zero gravity, prolonged exposure to microgravity - the condition or weightlessness - creates 3
health risks to humans, most notably osteoporosis and muscle atrophy. Aside from resources and gravity, there are issues with securing food, as plant and animal life on many of the prospective settlement sites is nonexistent. Conventional farming methods would not be of any real help as well. Temperature becomes a large problem as well. On the moon alone, temperatures vary from -233ºC to 123ºC. Universe Today has the temperatures of Earth between -88ºC and 70.7ºC as of 2008. Lastly, atmosphere is a huge hindrance to human colonization. The atmosphere on the moon is negligible at best. NASA reports that there are trace amounts of helium, argon and metals, such as sodium and potassium. On Mars, most of the atmosphere is carbon dioxide. Both sites have considerably less atmosphere than Earth, which leads to a decrease in protection from solar radiation as well as breathing problems. UN Involvement There is only a small amount of framework from the UN regarding colonization of space. The aforementioned Outer Space Treaty of 1967 is one of five treaties and agreements regarding space law. Many of the key principles present in the treaty are as follows: The exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all mankind; Outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means; States shall not place nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies or station them in outer space in any other manner; The Moon and other celestial bodies shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes; 4
Astronauts shall be regarded as the envoys of mankind; States shall be responsible for national space activities whether carried out by governmental or non-governmental entities; States shall be liable for damage caused by their space objects; and States shall avoid harmful contamination of space and celestial bodies. 1 These principles are reflective of a willingness to cooperate by the international community, as well as the desire to deter an arms race in space. Aside from the treaties, there are also the five declarations and legal principles, including: The Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Uses of Outer Space, The Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth Satellites for International Direct Television Broadcasting, The Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space, The Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space and The Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for the Benefit and in the Interest of All States, Taking into Particular Account the Needs of Developing Countries. Outside of the UN, the international community has also made efforts to make human colonies in space a reality. In an interview with Sophie & Co., Jean Jacques Dordain, the Director-General of the European Space Agency, claims to cooperate with the United States, Russia, Japan, China and even countries in South America and Africa, which do not have a space program, on various space missions and information sharing. Case Study: The International Space Station Currently, the only manned settlement outside of Earth is the International Space Station. Initially a joint project between Russia and the United States launched in November 1998, it is 1 Outer Space Treaty last accessed January 22, 2015 http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/spacelaw/outerspt.html 5
now a program with support from Canada, Japan and the European Union. It dwells in an orbit just outside of Earth. There are two sides to the station, consisting of a US side and a Russian side. The US side has enough funding until 2024 while the Russian side is continuing until 2020, due to the Ukrainian crisis. The station serves as a research facility as well as a checkpoint, to ensure the operation of equipment from Earth, en route to Mars or the Moon. The station's crew comes from a multitude of countries and the politics regarding the station must be addressed by the international community. For example, in the event of a crime, the case must be heard in the International Criminal Court. Even with the possibility of trial in the perpetrator s home country, that is not something that will be an option in a newly established human colony. Also, due to the known health risks, the University of California in Los Angeles is partnering with the International Space Station to study ways to deter or even reverse the effects of microgravity on rodents. Questions to Consider The Outer Space Treaty was written 60 years ago. Should there be updates? If so, what? The International Space Station will be around for about 10 more years. Is there a reason to establish another of its kind? Suppose humanity is in a position to begin colonization in the foreseeable future. What would make a location viable? What can be done now to lessen the risks when the time comes? 6
Works Cited Bracke, Peter M. UCLA and CASIS to collaborate on International Space Station study of possible therapy for bone loss http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-and-casis-tocollaborate-on- international-space-station-study-of-possible-therapy-for-bone-loss Dordain, Jean Jacques. Interview with Sophie Shevarnadze No way to live outside Earth: Space colonization a myth - ESA director http://rt.com/shows/sophieco/217739-nasaeurope-space-agency/ Fallows, James The Coming of Age of Space Exploration http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/03/the-coming-age-of-spacecolonization/273818/ Kotler, Steven and Chen, Mike The Future is Here: How 3D Printing Is Opening The Door To Space Colonization http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenkotler/2013/10/21/the-future-is-herehow-3d-printing-is-opening-the-door-to-space-colonization/ Siegelbaum, Debbie The companies vying to turn asteroids into filling stations http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-29334645 Wasser, Alan The Space Settlement Initiative http://www.spacesettlement.org/ United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs United Nations Treaties and Principles on Space Law http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/spacelaw/treaties.html 7
Topic 2: Use and Regulation of Space-Based Technologies Topic Background Think of all the times you watch something on television. Think of when you make a phone call. Think of how readily we rely on the weather report. These are all examples of how space-based technologies are prevalent in everyday life. One project with the aim of being less reliant on fossil fuels is a Japanese solar panel satellite. The goal of the project is to launch a satellite with solar panels into space, that sends the collected energy back to Earth. If the satellite remains in the sunlight, it can feasibly collect power at all times (Sasaki). Another venture utilizing space-based technology to benefit humanity is a system of satellites providing internet service to areas where the population density is relatively lower than that found in many other metropolitan areas (Majumdar). As with many other technologies, a large number of prominent countries possess them or are in development phases, but many other nations lack the capability to develop these on their own at present. In spite of this, space-based technologies can greatly facilitate communication, navigation, and disaster relief. Many states possess a space program or space capabilities of some degree. A number of countries maintain some sort of satellite. In 2003, China went even further and became the third country to independently send a man into space. There is also the International Space Station, which is a shared research facility between several nations. The International Space Station itself is the ninth station with plans from other nations to either create a station of their own or to send drones to explore the moon, Mars and asteroids near Earth. UN Involvement As with any technology, there is the potential for misuse. The UN has a framework which states the usual sentiments, such as: no nuclear weapons in space, space missions should benefit 8
humanity and nations are liable for damages they cause. Not surprising is the fact that not all countries have ratified some of these agreements. One of the important ones in this case is the Convention of Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (Registration Convention). The Convention has stipulations on what information must be provided and the time frame to do so upon launching an object into space. Of course, as pointed out by Dr. Jonathan McDowell, the responsibilities become muddled if one nation launches an object into space with the support of another nation. Another interesting note is that there were no initial provisions for the verification of registering objects in space in the Outer Space Treaty, according to the US State Department. While the Registration Convention did occur afterward, the list of unregistered objects serves to illustrate a lack of enforcement. The UN also established the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER). UN-SPIDER serves to provide technical advisory missions, institution strengthening missions and expert missions. Their target is immediate emergencies as well as space-based data and services to avert, ameliorate or act in response to natural disasters and subsequent humanitarian crises. Questions to Consider What can be done to encourage States to sign and adhere to the Registration Convention? Are there other technologies that would be beneficial to maintain in space? Given that space-related technologies are to advance humanity, should the international community be involved in the governance of commercial space travel as well? If so, are there any stipulations that should be addressed, including those listed in the Rescue Agreement? 9
Works Cited Majumar, Dave Why the Time Seems Right for a Space-Based Internet Service http://www.technologyreview.com/news/534361/why-the-time-seems-right-for-a-spacebased-internet-service/ McDowell, Jonathan Adherence to the 1976 Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space http://planet4589.org/space/un/un_paper1.html#tab2 Sasaki, Susumu How Japan Plans to Build an Orbital Solar Farm http://spectrum.ieee.org/green-tech/solar/how-japan-plans-to-build-an-orbital-solar-farm UN-SPIDER http://www.un-spider.org/ US State Department Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies http://www.state.gov/t/isn/5181.htm Space and Climate Change: use of space-based technologies in the United Nations system https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=400&nr=361&menu =35 United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs United Nations Treaties and Principles on Space Law http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/spacelaw/treaties.html 10