A large portion of this speech is devoted to defending the record of the space shuttle. I found it interesting, and thought that other Brin-L'ers might as well.
So, should we - as _The Economist_ recently argued, scrap the Shuttle program in favor of unmanned missions? JDG >Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: PA List Manager <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Statement by Kenneth Hodgkins, > U.S. Adviser to the Fifty-sixth Se ssion of the UN General > Assembly On Agenda Item 86 >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >U.S. Department of State > >Statement by Kenneth Hodgkins, >U.S. Adviser to the Fifty-sixth Session of the >UN General Assembly >On Agenda Item 86: International Cooperation in the Peaceful >Uses of Outer Space in the Fourth Committee >October 23, 2001. > > >Peaceful Uses Of Outer Space > > >Mr. Chairman, since last year's session of the General Assembly, the UN >Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) has recorded a number >of significant achievements in promoting international space cooperation. > >I should like to recall that in 1958 the United States and 19 other states >submitted Resolution 1348, which established the Ad Hoc Committee on the >Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The resolution marked a significant step >forward for the world community. Since that time, the Committee has played >a crucial role in advancing space cooperation, establishing rules of the >road for space activities, and providing a unique opportunity for the >exchange of information among developed and developing countries on the >latest advances in the use and exploration of outer space. > >COPUOS thus became, and remains, the only standing body of the General >Assembly devoted to that purpose. Whereas other UN organs hold competence >to consider the disarmament aspects of outer space, COPUOS offers us a forum >focused exclusively on promoting the cooperative achievement -- and sharing >-- of benefits from space exploration. > >Before turning to the work of COPUOS, I should like to report on what has >been achieved in the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs. >The first 13 flights in the ISS assembly have been completed, marking the >end of Phase II of the ISS Program. The International Space Station is now >a fully functional operations facility with research capability. Just over >a year ago, the first crew arrived at a very modest facility. After seven >assembly missions in the last year, the third crew (Expedition 3) is now >living, working, and conducting research in the most complex and advanced >spacecraft ever built. With the new U.S. Airlock and the new Russian >Docking Compartment, Space Station crews are now able to spacewalk directly >from the ISS without the Space Shuttle, thereby facilitating construction >and expanding research possibilities. Between now and the first part of >December, three more spacecraft will visit the International Space Station. > > >Mr. Chairman, April 12, 2001, marked the 20th anniversary of the flight of >Columbia, America's first Space Shuttle. Since 1981, the Shuttle has >amassed an amazing array of accomplishments. > >-- It has launched nearly 1.4 million kilograms of cargo and more than 600 >passengers and pilots. > >-- Over 850 payloads have flown, including hundreds of individual >experiments. > >-- The Shuttle has deployed more than 60 payloads and retrieved more than >two dozen. > >-- Studies of the Earth from the Shuttle have mapped 90% of the surface with >greater precision than ever before. Observations by astronauts from the >Shuttle have discovered and confirmed ancient impact craters on Earth; >tracked deforestation; monitored coral reefs; studied air and water >pollution; and documented the effects of droughts, floods, volcanoes, and >hurricanes. > >-- Hundreds of investigations have studied the effects of weightlessness on >plants, animals, and materials aboard the Shuttle, contributing to our >understanding of their basic nature. > >In addition to the scientific achievements of the Space Shuttle, NASA and >its contractors have made continuous improvements throughout the program's >history, making today's Shuttle safer, more capable, and more reliable than >when it was new. > >-- Due primarily to weight reductions in the external tank, but also because >of performance enhancements and weight reductions in other areas, the >Shuttle today can lift almost 12 tons more cargo to orbit than when it first >flew. > >-- Since 1992 alone, the cargo capacity of the Shuttle has increased by 8 >tons; the annual cost of operating the Shuttle has decreased by 40%, the >engine improvements and other upgrades have reduced the estimated risks >during launch by 80%, and the number of all problems experienced in flight >has dropped by 70%. > >-- The Space Shuttle fleet still has more than three-quarters of its design >lifetime ahead of it and will fly for at least another decade, and probably >much longer. > >Mr. Chairman my delegation has previously noted the positive developments in >revitalizing the agendas and methods of work of COPUOS and its >subcommittees. One only has to turn to the last session of the Legal >Subcommittee to see the encouraging results that have emerged from our >efforts. Under the able leadership of Prof. Vladimir Kopal of the Czech >Republic, the subcommittee met in its 40th session, marking a significant >milestone for COPUOS and the promotion of international cooperation in the >peaceful uses of outer space. > >Since its first session in 1962, the Legal Subcommittee has formulated and >adopted five major outer space treaties and several sets of international >principles, producing a new branch of international law at a pace second to >none. These treaties and principles provide the foundation for the orderly >use of outer space for the benefit of all countries. Under this legal >regime, space exploration by nations, international organizations, and >private entities has flourished. As a result, space technology and services >contribute immeasurably to peace, security, economic growth, and >improvements in the quality of life around the world. > >The process by which these groundbreaking legal instruments were adopted is >an important example of productive multilateral diplomacy. Throughout its >history, the committee has been characterized by the process of consensus >and the desire and interest of member States to develop space law -- which >promotes, not hinders -- space exploration. This has led to achievements >that are significant for any UN organization responsible for negotiating >international law instruments. > >Mr. Chairman, allow me to call to the attention of delegates two other >important milestones in the work of the Legal Subcommittee. This year marks >the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the Principles Relating to Remote >Sensing of the Earth from Space and the 5th anniversary of the adoption of >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. > >The Principles on Space Benefits are particularly noteworthy. They >elaborated on the basic concept of Article I of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty; >that is, the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the >benefit and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree >of economic or scientific development. The Principles have made a lasting >contribution to international space cooperation by establishing two basic >considerations: 1) States are free to determine all aspects of their >international cooperation, whether it is bilateral or multilateral or >whether it is commercial or non-commercial and 2) States should choose the >most effective and appropriate mode of cooperation in order to allocate >resources efficiently. > >This year marks the second phase of a 3-year process to examine the concept >of the launching State as contained in the Liability Convention and the >Registration Convention as applied by States and international >organizations. There were substantial discussions on how States implement >their responsibilities as launching States and how the concept has evolved >since the treaties were negotiated. We look forward to next year's >discussion when we will review the Secretariat's report that will contain a >synthesis of State practice in applying the concept of the launching State, >questions regarding the application of the concept arising from State >practice and new developments in space activities, and elements that could >be included in national space legislation and licensing regimes. > >The Legal Subcommittee also made substantial progress in considering the new >convention and protocols for the registration of security interest in high >value mobile equipment, including aircraft, rail, and space property, under >development at the International Institute for the Unification of Private >Law (UNIDROIT). It should be noted that the Office for Outer Space Affairs >and the secretariat of UNIDROIT produced useful reports that contributed to >the positive results achieved by the Subcommittee. This is an important >international agreement that deserves our full attention. In this regard, >we support the recommendation that the item should be retained on the agenda >and the agreement to establish a consultative mechanism to review the issues >relating to the item. The first consultations were hosted last month by >France and the European Space Agency. The meeting was highly productive, >and we look forward to the next round of talks to be hosted by Italy early >next year. > >On behalf of my delegation, I would like to express our deep appreciation >for the efforts of Dr. Karl Doetsch of Canada in moving forward the >activities of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. In addition, my >delegation commends the extensive work of the Office for Outer Space >Affairs, particularly for intersessional work that produced useful >documentation for review by the Subcommittee on a variety of topics. Most >notable among these was the compilation of information about the use of >space technology within the UN system. Also, the office has done a superb >job in focusing the attention of member States and non-governmental entities >on concrete ways to use the results of UNISPACE III for promoting greater >cooperation in space exploration. > >This year, we embarked on a multi-year effort to look at the implementation >of the results of UNISPACE III and related matters. Emerging from this >initial phase was the formation of action teams to deal with specific >UNISPACE III recommendations. All of this work will culminate in the >preparation by COPUOS in 2004 of a report to the General Assembly on the >progress made in implementing the results of UNISPACE III. This work plan is >a priority for the committee and we were pleased with the substantial >progress made at the last session of COPUOS. More details on what has been >accomplished to date are contained in document A/56/394, Report of the >Secretary-General on the Implementation of UNISPACE III. > >The report of UNISPACE III identified the need to determine precise >locations on the ground for use with Earth observation images and ancillary >information in geographic information systems. This location information is >needed for a large number of remote sensing applications, some of which >support strategic areas for development such as disaster management, >monitoring and protecting the environment, management of natural resources, >and food production. The Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), which >include the GPS system of the United States, provide a signal that can serve >this purpose and in addition could be used for a range of other applications >with economic benefits for users. In this regard, I am pleased to note that >the United States has provided $500,000 to the Office for Outer Space >Affairs to support up to five regional workshops on the use of Global >Navigation Satellite Systems for environmental applications and sustainable >development. The first workshop was held in August in Malaysia. Subsequent >workshops are planned to take place between now and the end of 2002 in >Austria, Chile, and Africa. > >My delegation is pleased that informal consultations conducted by the >committee's chairman, Ambassador Raimundo Gonzalez of Chile, have resulted >in a consensus agreement on expanding the membership of COPUOS. Ambassador >Gonzalez is to be commended for his skill and patience in bringing this >matter to a successful conclusion. We welcome Saudi Arabia and Slovakia as >new members of the committee, and we are pleased to see the countries that >were rotating seats now join us as full members. We note the committee's >recommendation that each regional group would be responsible for holding >consultations among its members who are also members of COPUOS, for the >purpose of urging them to participate in the work of the committee and its >subcommittees, and that the regional groups would present a general report >to the committee on the results of their consultations. We anticipate that >this recommendation will be fulfilled in time for the next session of COPUOS >and suggest that the Secretariat notify the chairs of each regional group of >this decision. > >Before concluding my remarks, my delegation wishes to exercises its right of >reply to a statement made by the delegation of the Democratic People's >Republic of Korea. Let me be clear: we categorically reject the assertions >made by that delegation concerning our space activities. Today, we are >involved in unprecedented international space cooperation, and there is no >arms race in outer space. The U.S. space program has been and will continue >to be guided by the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, international >law, and the outer space treaties. To argue otherwise, as North Korea has >sought to do, is baseless and a distortion of the truth. > > >(###) > >************************************************************ >See http://www.state.gov for Senior State Department >Official's statements and testimonies >************************************************************ >To change your subscription, go to http://www.state.gov/www/listservs_cms.html > __________________________________________________________ John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ #3527685 "Our campaign against international terrorism does not represent some sort of 'clash of civilizations.' Instead, it is a clash between civilization and those who would destroy it." -Amb. Richard N. Haass
