The international community is making proactive efforts for space development.

At the recent sci-tech panel meeting of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), a large number of member nations called for adhering to the equal space development principle.

At the meeting, the director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) said that the number of member nations of the committee increased to over 110 in the past two years, describing it as an expression of their support to the committee and evidence for the daily expanding space development activities in different countries, and added that this year, the office is facing lots of tasks such as the securing of resources for the removal of space debris and the regulation of AI use in space exploration.

India advocated the maintenance of the principles of equality and peaceful use in the promotion of international cooperation and the development and use of outer space, the improvement of space technological abilities of developing countries, the expansion of the transfer of space technology and equipment and the banning of use of unilateral coercive measures.

Egypt demanded the committee admit more African countries as its members in the future, asserting that it is important for all countries to have equal access to outer space irrespective of the level of socio-economic and sci-tech development. In particular, it stressed that it is a matter of urgency to take an immediate measure for developing countries to use the benefits of space science and technology in their economic development, response to climate change, etc.

Brazil and other developing countries asserted that in order to guarantee the peaceful use of outer space and development of space science and technology, the gap between advanced and developing countries should be eliminated, a legal framework should be created to prevent the deployment of nuclear weapons and arms race in space and the countries responsible for the generation of space debris should take due compensation measures.

Iran, Cuba and several other countries demanded that the US and the West should cancel their unilateral coercive measures hindering the development of space science and technology and access to space and refrain from abusing the space conferences in putting political pressure on sovereign states.

Welcoming the convening of the Fourth UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in 2027, the European Union said that all its member nations should enter into the space treaty for a safe, stable and sustainable outer space and promote regional and international cooperation to solve international problems including the removal of space debris and coordination of space orbits.

Many countries are active in developing space.

Last year, Russia launched 17 rockets to successfully put 45 satellites into orbit. While making positive use of space technology in measuring the decreasing rate of glaciers on the North Pole and monitoring against forest fire, it is drawing up a new national space programme for probing the solar system and making positive efforts to promote cooperation with developing countries, including BRICS member nations.

China, which sent 93 satellites into space last year, is rendering positive assistance to developing countries with space development, while channelling efforts into the development of space science and technology and improvement of international cooperation.

Iran, Thailand and Indonesia are stepping up their own space programmes. The volume of Africa’s space industry has exceeded US$20 billion.

Arab countries also make concentrated efforts to build up advanced space development forces.

Today, space development has become a strategic goal of many countries across the world and they make more active efforts to attain it.