Belarus gearing up to join COPUOS

Belarus is gearing up to join the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), Director of the Geoinformation Systems Company under the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Sergei Zolotoi told media on 9 April.

Belarus has already launched the procedure of joining the Committee. The move will open up new opportunities for the country in the national research activity and developing the relevant legal framework in space activities.

Belarus also plans to join the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters. In view of the lengthy procedure, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has asked the Russian Federal Space Agency to represent Belarus in the charter till its accession.

Belarus launched its own satellite on 22 July 2012, and thus made it to the list of space-faring nations. Later on Belarus developed the Earth remote sensing space system, including the ground control system and Belarusian space vehicle.

At present, more than 20 R&D institutes and manufacturing enterprises (affiliated with the National Academy of Sciences, State Military and Industry Department, and the Education Ministry) are involved in space research in Belarus. Belarus produces components, devices and systems that are used for the manufacture of space equipment.