small working group should be immediately constituted to draw up the text of a proposed treaty to govern the problem of liability. Our proposal is found in Part D of Annex III of the Outer Space Committee report. We think the great majority of States share our view as to the urgency of this topic.

Paragraph seven enunciates the principle of retention of jurisdiction by a launching authority over its space vehicles and their component parts while these are in outer space. It states what is in reality a simple proposition, namely, that ownership and property rights are not affected by the entry of a space vehicle into outer space or its return to the surface of the earth.

Mr. Chairman, let me turn now to the revision of the draft resolution originally introduced by my delegation as contained in document 320, revision 1. The United States is pleased to co-sponsor this revision together with other members of the Space Committee and commends it to the favorable consideration of the members of the First Committee.

I would like to note, sir, that preambular paragraphs 2 and 3 and operative paragraph 3 in Section A contain the words "activities of States in the exploration and use of outer space." The United States supports this phrase with the clear understanding, which we believe is shared by all, that it does not contain any suggestion that only States may carry on space activities. In particular, my delegation does not interpret the word "States" as importing any restriction upon the future space activities of international organizations. Sir Patrick Dean said at our 1291st meeting, last Tuesday afternoon, in speaking of the United Kingdom draft declaration, that, for the sake of simplicity, it "does not as presently formulated, make any reference to the exploration and use of outer space by international organizations of which States may be members." And he added that, "This is not, of course, intended to mean that the principles which, under the draft declaration would govern the conduct of States, would not also apply to such international organizations." In addition, there may be corporations, private or semi-private in character, which in the future will conduct space activities.

The activities conducted by such organizations must also conform to the rule of law. We adhere to the view that Part A of resolution 1721 has application to the activities of international organizations. We also recognize that in its work the Outer Space Committee must take their activities into account.

Mr. Chairman, I have but one final point. Members of the Committee will note in Section A that operative paragraph 3 states an urgent request to the Outer Space Committee to continue its work on a variety of problems. Those problems are listed. They include the further elaboration of basic legal principles, the question of liability, the question of assistance and return, and the question of "other legal problems." Now I wish to stress that, as between these four varieties of problems, no priority has been accorded. They are all deemed to be of equal importance and urgency. The order in which they are listed carries with it no, I repeat, no implication of any scheme of priorities. I understand that the distinguished representative of the Soviet Union is in agreement with what I have just stated.

For its part, the United States continues to hold the view that the Outer Space Committee can best and most wisely deal at this early stage with those practical problems, such as liability, and rescue, which are of immediate importance to the conduct of space activities. I should like to draw the attention of this Committee to the judicious and eloquent words of Ambassador Seydoux on this point. I might also note that Ambassador Chakravarty said, at our 1294th meeting, that the Outer Space Committee should give priority consideration to liability and rescue. On the other hand, we recognize that many members feel that the further elaboration of basic legal principles is a task of both importance and urgency. The United States supports this new operative paragraph 3 which puts that problem on an equal basis with liability, rescue, and other legal problems.

Indeed, Mr. Chairman, it is the hope of my delegation that the entirety of draft resolution 320, in its revised form, will commend itself for unanimous support by this Committee and the General Assembly.1

I need hardly add that it is the opinion of my Delegation that no specific action is called for to extend the mandate of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, a Committee of this Assembly which we hope will long play a constructive role in its task of harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of our common ends.

News Release by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on the Relay Experimental Satellite, December 11, 1962 5

[Extract]

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is scheduled to launch the first Project Relay experimental communications satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida, no earlier than December 13.6 Relay will be the first space communication experiment to link three continents North America, Europe and South America.

Objectives of Project Relay are to test intercontinental microwave communications by low-altitude active repeater satellites, measure energy levels of space radiation in the orbital path and determine the extent of radiation damage to solar cells and electronic components. A second Relay satellite will be launched next year. Information obtained from the Relay experiments will contribute, ultimately, to development of a future operational satellite system for worldwide communication.

A Delta rocket will boost the 172 pound Relay spacecraft into an elliptical orbit, inclined 47 degrees to the equator, ranging in altitudes from approximately 800 to 4,500 statute miles. Period of orbit is 3 hours and 4 minutes.

1 U.N. doc. L. 320 Rev. 1/Add. 2 was adopted unanimously by the First Committee on Dec. 11, 1962. On Dec. 14, 1962, the General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution. For the text, see post, p. 377.

pp. 1-4.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration news release 62-258, Dec. 11, 1962, The Relay satellite, an eight-sided prism weighing 172 pounds, was launched at 6:30 p.m. (E.S.T.) on Dec. 13, 1962.

Relay has the capacity of transmitting one-way wideband communications (television, 300 one-way voice channels or highspeed data) or two-way narrowband communications (12 two-way telephone conversations, or teletype, photofacsimile, and data). Wideband frequencies used are 1725 MC, (ground to satellite), and 4170 MC (satellite to ground).

Television, two-way telephone, teletype and data experiments will be conducted between the United States and Europe from the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. ground station at Andover, Maine, USA, the British General Post Office at Goonhilly, England, and the French National Center for Telecommunication Studies station at Pleumeur-Bodou, France.

Two-way telephone, teletype and data experiments between the United States and Brazil will be conducted from the International Telephone and Telegraph Co. station at Nutley, New Jersey, USA, and one near Rio de Janiero operated by Radio Internacional de Brazil by authority of the Brazilian Department of Posts and Telegraphs. One-way voice and teletype tests will be received from the U.S. and Brazil at Fucino, Italy, about 50 miles northeast of Rome. Telespazio is the cooperating organization in Italy.

Relay will be launched during the evening hours. During its first four orbits the spacecraft will receive maximum exposure to sunlight in order for the solar cells, by converting solar energy to electrical energy, will fully charge the spacecraft's storage batteries before it is used for transmitting communication signals.

If a nominal orbit is achieved Relay will pass within range of a NASA test station, also located at Nutley, N.J., during its fifth orbit. This should occur about 1311⁄2 hours after launch. The test station will command the satellite and check its system to determine if it is operating properly. If it is functioning normally communications tests will be undertaken by a pair of ground stations.

The orbit programmed for Relay was chosen to obtain maximum mutual visibility between the ground stations during its first month in space. The orbit will prove three passes per day of 15 to more than 50 minutes during which the U.S. ground stations can conduct tests with one or more of the overseas facilities.

As soon as Relay is injected into orbit the worldwide NASA Minitrack network will begin to track and receive data from Relay. These data will be transmitted to the Goddard Space Flight Center Operations Control Center for analyses by Relay project officials.

The Radio Corporation of America, Astro-Electronics Division, at Princeton, New Jersey developed the Relay spacecraft under contract to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The Goddard Center has management responsibility for the NASA communications satellite program. Relay and all other NASA communications programs are directed by the NASA Headquarters Office of Applications.

Relay is designed to operate at maximum efficiency for the first 30 days in orbit and render useful data for one year.

General Assembly Resolution 1802 (XVII): International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, December 14, 1962 1

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 1721 (XVI) of 20 December 1961 on international co-operation in the peaceful uses of outer space,

Believing that the activities of States in the exploration and use of outer space should be carried out in conformity with international law including the Charter of the United Nations, in the interest of friendly relations among nations,

Stressing the necessity of the progressive development of international law pertaining to the further elaboration of basic legal principles governing the activities of States in the exploration and use of outer space, to liability for space vehicle accidents and to assistance to, and return of, astronauts and space vehicles, as well as to other legal problems,

Bearing in mind that the application of scientific and technological advances in outer space, particularly in the fields of meteorology and communications, can bring great advantages to mankind and contribute to the economic and social progress of the developing countries as envisaged in the United Nations Development Decade programme, Having considered the report submitted by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in response to resolution 1721 (XVI),2

I

1. Notes with regret that the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space has not yet made recommendations on legal questions connected with the peaceful uses of outer space;

2. Calls upon all Member States to co-operate in the further development of law for outer space;

3. Requests the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to continue urgently its work on the further elaboration of basic legal principles governing the activities of States in the exploration and use of outer space, on liability for space vehicle accidents and on assistance to, and return of, astronauts and space vehicles, as well as on other legal problems;

4. Refers to the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to a basis for this work, all proposals which have been made thus far, including the draft declaration of the basic principles governing the activities of States pertaining to the exploration and use of outer space submitted by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,3 the draft international agreement on the rescue of astronauts and space-ships making emergency landings submitted by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the draft proposal on assistance to, and return of, space vehicles and personnel submitted by the United States of America, the draft proposal on liability for space vehicle accidents submitted by the United States of America, the draft code for international co-opera

1 U.N. doc. A/RES/1802 (XVII), Dec. 19, 1962. Adopted unanimously.

2 A/5181. [Footnotes 2-12 inclusive are in the source paper. U.N. doc. A/5181 is printed ante, p. 336.]

8 Ibid., annex III, A. 4 Ibid., annex III, B. Ibid., annex III, C. • Ibid., annex III, D.

7

tion in the peaceful uses of outer space submitted by the United Arab Republic, the draft declaration of basic principles governing the activities of States pertaining to the exploration and use of outer space submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the draft declaration of principles relating to the exploration and use of outer space submitted by the United States of America, and all other proposals and documents presented to the General Assembly during its debates on this item and the records of those debates;

II

1. Endorses the recommendations set forth in the report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space concerning the exchange of information; 10

2. Notes with appreciation that a number of Member States have already, on a voluntary basis, provided information on their national space programmes, and urges other States and regional and international organizations to do so;

3. Urges all Member States and appropriate specialized agencies to give whole-hearted and effective support to the international programmes mentioned in the report and already under way, including the International Year of the Quiet Sun and the World Magnetic Survey;

4. Notes that the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space considers that the creation and use of sounding rocket launching facilities under United Nations sponsorship would contribute to the achievement of the objectives of resolution 1721 (XVI) by furthering international collaboration in space research and the advancement of human knowledge, and by providing opportunity for valuable practical training for interested users;

5. Notes the recommendation that Member States should consider the establishment under United Nations sponsorship of a sounding rocket facility, or facilities, on the geomagnetic equator, in time for the International Year of the Quiet Sun;

6. Endorses the basic principles suggested by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space for the operation of such facilities under United Nations sponsorship;

7. Affirms that such facilities when established and operated in accordance with these principles, shall, at the request of the host Member State, be eligible for United Nations sponsorship;

III

1. Notes with appreciation the prompt initial response of the World Meteorological Organization to the request of the General Assembly, as embodied in resolution 1721 C (XVI), that it report on a programme to advance atmospheric science research and to develop improved weather forecasting capabilities in the light of developments in outer space;

11

Ibid., annex III, E.

8 A/C.1/879. [Ante, p. 353.1 A/C.1/881. [Ante, p. 371.]

10 A/5181, pars. 14. [Ante, p. 338.]

11 A/5229. [Not printed.]