UAE Tells UN It Is Leading Expert Work to Cut Satellite Collision Risks

Ibrahim Al Qasim, deputy director general of the UAE Space Agency, delivered the statement at the General Assembly's Fourth Committee during its 81st session, under the agenda item on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

The UAE chairs the UN Expert Group on Space Situational Awareness, which it helped to establish under the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). Set up in 2025 with a mandate running to 2028, the group addresses the growing risks from space debris and the increasing number of objects and activities in Earth orbit, WAM reported.

According to the statement, the group's work draws on contributions from 96 experts from 40 countries, briefings from 18 UN member states and written input from member states and permanent observers. It is currently drafting two recommendations. The first would establish designated points of contact for satellite operators, including channels for coordination around the clock. The second focuses on better sharing of orbital information and data on spacecraft characteristics to help assess and reduce collision risk.

Al Qasim said that as more countries and companies operate in space, international cooperation has become essential to keeping the orbital environment safe and sustainable. He described that cooperation as a shared responsibility and a strategic priority for the UAE, consistent with its plans to build an advanced national space sector and a larger role in the global space economy.

Commercial Satellites and Exploration

The statement highlighted the growing role of the UAE private sector. In October 2026, OrbitWorks launched Altair-1, described as the first commercial satellite manufactured in the UAE. It is the first of a planned constellation of ten AI-supported Earth observation satellites.

In exploration, the UAE said the lander for its asteroid belt mission, developed, assembled and tested in the country, was unveiled this year. It is due to launch aboard the Mohammed Bin Rashid Explorer spacecraft in 2028 on a journey of about five billion kilometres to study seven asteroids. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre is also preparing the Rashid 2 rover mission to the far side of the Moon, and the Hope Probe mission to Mars has been extended to 2028.

The UAE also pointed to its chairmanship of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters from April to October 2026, during which it worked with national and international partners to provide satellite imagery and geospatial data to countries responding to floods, earthquakes, wildfires and other disasters.

The statement reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to international space treaties and said the country is continuing to develop national legislation and regulation to support the safe use of space and to encourage more private sector participation. The delegation also included Fatima Salem Al Shamsi, director of space policy and international relations at the UAE Space Agency, Abdullah Al Shehhi, head of strategic research, and Hamda Al Hosani, a space policy and legislation specialist.

Why It Matters

With commercial constellations multiplying, rules for coordinating between operators and sharing tracking data are becoming a practical concern for satellite businesses, insurers and investors. By chairing the UN group drafting those recommendations, the UAE has a voice in the norms that will govern a sector it is trying to grow at home, from Earth observation start-ups to its national exploration programme under the National Space Strategy 2031.