Topic: Private Sector Access to Outer Space
Country: Portugal
Delegate Name: James Schafer
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Portugal position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
The largest problem concerning outer space is the access to private sectors and the humanitarian problems that may arise from it. Currently there are multiple pieces of legislation that has been ratified by the United Nations such as the Outer Space Treaty, the UN’s five declarations and legal principles for outer space. The issue lies in the fact individual countries are becoming lackadaisical about these terms and are allowing space launches regulations to be loosely controlled. Without government interference, there is the possibility for both economic prosperity and development, but also runs the risk of human lives without necessary regulations.
Portugal supports equitable access to the benefits of space science and technology deriving from the use of outer space. Space science and technology is important to Portugal because of the country exports minerals like Uranium and Wolframite to countries that are building rockets. These exports are of great importance to Portugal’s economy and allow for Portugal to be a part of space programs of other countries as well as its own space program. Unfortunately, private sectors in the economy have had high indebtedness rates in past years. Portugal wishes to see all activities carried out benefit mankind as well as the countries that participate.
Portugal would like to see the issue of private sectors be resolved by added legislation to the Outer Space Treaty as well as added legislation to the UN’s 5 declarations that clearly specify what private sectors should/should not be able to and regulations to enforce humanitarian concern. Such regulations would include safety checks that countries who already send a multitude of spacecraft out have. Such countries include China, The United States, Japan, Iran, Israel, South Korea and the U.K. Also, Portugal would like to suggest governments to be involved in any private sector space programs to not only keep an eye on the regulations but to encourage the development of new space technologies. We would expect to find allies in major space program nations like The United States, China, Israel, Japan, Iran, India, France, and South Korea.
