UNOOSA
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
There’s a growing conviction in the scientific community that “we are not alone“, that the universe is so vast that it is inconceivable that life could have emerged on just a small planet circling a small, almost insignificant star in one of the spiral arms of a galaxy, (just one amongst many), in a rapidly expanding universe.
As the Chinese Space Program sends a probe to the Moon, the Indians another to Mars, … NASA has probes exploring the far reaches of the Solar System, and several earthbound projects scour the heavens in the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence, (SETI), or asteroids and other Near Earth Objects, (NEO), that could pose a threat to the planet as they hurtle through space … not to mention the numerous sightings of unidentified flying objects, (UFOs), that might, or might not be, sightings of alien spacecraft. (I have written before about some of the local sightings, here in Kyrgyzstan.)
The annals of science fiction are full of stories of First Contact, initial encounters with alien races, some benevolent but others less so – some, indeed, positively malevolent. Given the experience of human history and the treatment of “native” populations during the exploration of own small planet by “civilized” nations, (including the treatment meted out to native Americans, Aborigines, and – some would say – the Kyrgyz), there may be good cause for real concern.
It’s interesting to note that this seems to be a frequent theme in Kyrgyz literature – even appearing in the works of Chingiz Aitmatov.
For the record: I have written before about the possibility that we in Kyrgyzstan might have played host to visitors from outer space, and also here.
It may, or may not, come as a surprise that the powers that be actually take an extensive interest in outer space affairs.
Apart from the use of any resources from outer space – such as minerals that might or might not be found in moondust or mined from asteroids, the “space race” exposed the potential use of space for military purposes – either as a launching pad for weapons, or simply the opportunity for the world’s Superpowers to observe, (“spy”), on each other.
There is a considerable body of “space law” – legislation governing human activity in “bright blue yonder” but what surprised me was that we, (the human race, that is, not just Kyrgyzstan), actually have an ambassador for outer space … if extraterrestrial aliens, be them “little green men” or in some other form, do appear and say “Take me to your leader”, then this is the person they will meet – at least in theory … somehow, I can’t see the leaders of the world handing over sensitive diplomatic discussions to an Astrophysicist.
She works for a branch of the United Nations which is based in Vienna, Austria: The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, (UNOOSA). It was set up on the 13th December, 1958, as a small expert unit within the Secretariat to assist the ad hoc Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. It is responsible for:
- implementing the decisions of the General Assembly and of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space;
- performing the functions of the Secretariat of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its Scientific and Technical and Legal Subcommittees;
- coordinating the inter-agency cooperation within the United Nations on the use of space technology;
- implementing the United Nations Programme on Space Applications;
- maintaining the coordination and cooperation among space agencies and other organizations involved in space-related activities.
At far as I am aware, Kyrgyzstan doesn’t have any direct relationship to UNOOSA … but if any of the relatives come looking for the visitors to Devil’s Bridge, that could all change.
More information about UNOOSA can be found on their website.
Bishkek