COPUOS

The explosive growth of satellite mega-constellations, led by Starlink and followed by OneWeb and Project Kuiper, is transforming low-Earth orbit into a congested and precarious environment. Nations, astronomers, and private actors are clashing over orbital lanes, collision risks, interference with scientific observation, and unequal access to space. Ultimately… who has the right to the skies?

As NASA and ESA prepare to bring Martian samples back to Earth, global concern is rising over potential mass biological contamination (both from Mars to Earth and from Earth to Mars.) Existing planetary-protection guidelines are non-binding, and no nation has ever handled extraterrestrial material with possible biological activity. Delegates of COPUOS will tackle these extraordinary challenges along with issues so novel and uncharted that your decisions here could set the precedent for how humanity explores the future, final frontier.