Reviewing the Astronauts Agreement: the Role of COPUOS

The 1968 Astronauts Agreement is aimed at ensuring astronaut safety, notably in the event of rescue operations following an accident or the unintended landing of a spacecraft, and their prompt return to their country of origin. The history of space flight has shown that security and safety must remain at the forefront of our preoccupations where astronauts are involved. With the technological progress in the development of space systems, space organisations are now able to launch astronauts into space in larger numbers and give them the means not only to live in more comfortable conditions but also to conduct meaningful scientific research in state-of-the-art in-orbit facilities such as the International Space Station (ISS). A distinction established more recently in the frame of ISS cooperation is between a career astronaut and a spaceflight participant, the latter often being referred to as a space tourist to whom specific rules apply. The product carries out a careful assessment of the practice of States, with a view of elaborating a pre-law instrument, such as a set of recommendations for the Member States of the COPUOS. Thus, it would be a suitable option that, more than 45 years after the conclusion of the Astronauts Agreement, States put again these issues at the core of their attention.