United Nations and Space

The United States has a space program, so does Russia and the European Union, but did you know that the United Nations also has an office dedicated to space? The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs works to promote the peaceful use of space. The office has several charges, some of which are listed here:

• the activities and resources of the United Nations, the specialized agencies and other international bodies relating to the peaceful uses of outer space
• legal problems which might arise in programmes to explore outer space
• to assist in the study of measures for the promotion of international cooperation in outer space activities.

Want to know what objects have been launched into space? You can search their database, which lists both manned and unmanned spacecraft.

Want to know the latest information on space exploration and research? Check out Highlights in Space 2006.

Want more resources? Check out the library's guide on Space and Astronomy.