SWF Announces Initiative to Develop a Handbook for New Actors in Space

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Today, in a statement delivered during the 52nd session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (STSC) of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS), SWF Technical Advisor Brian Weeden unveiled a new SWF initiative to develop a Handbook for New Actors in Space.

The space domain is currently experiencing a rapid diversification and increase in the number of actors involved in space activities. The purpose of the proposed handbook is to provide these new actors with a broad overview of the fundamental principles, laws, norms, and best practices for peaceful, safe, and responsible activities in space. The handbook will be interdisciplinary in nature, linking information and perspectives across technical, legal, and policy disciplines. Where possible, it will provide selected, concrete examples of how existing actors have approached various issues, and highlight differences between existing practices and solutions. 

As part of the announcement of the handbook, SWF also released a draft outline of the proposed handbook. The outline provides an overview of the goals of he handbook, structure, and topics that we currently plan to include. SWF is inviting feedback from the space community on the detailed outline. Feedback can be provided through this electronic form (form now closed).

Throughout 2015, SWF will be working with governments, satellite operators, academia, and civil society to develop and refine the content of the handbook. Our goal is to make it a clear, concise, and useful resource that is understandable to new actors and reflects the knowledge the space community has already developed over the last six decades of activities in space. 

More details about the handbook can be found on this dedicated page, which will be updated as the project progresses.