report of the action team on global navigation satellite systems (gnss)

REPORT OF THE ACTION TEAMON GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEMS (GNSS)FOLLOW-UP TO THE THIRD UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON THEEXPLORATION AND PEACEFUL USES OF OUTER SPACE(UNISPACE III)I. INTRODUCTIONA. Background <strong>of</strong> Action Team1. The Third United Nations Conference on <strong>the</strong> Exploration and Peaceful Uses <strong>of</strong> OuterSpace (UNISPACE III), held from 19 to 30 July 1999, at Vienna, Austria, adopted a strategy toaddress global challenges in <strong>the</strong> future through space activities. The strategy as contained in “TheSpace Millennium: Vienna Declaration on Space and Human Development” 1 included a few key<strong>action</strong>s to use space applications for human security, development and welfare. One <strong>of</strong> such<strong>action</strong>s was “to improve <strong>the</strong> efficiency and security <strong>of</strong> transport, search and rescue, geodesy ando<strong>the</strong>r activities by promoting <strong>the</strong> enhancement <strong>of</strong>, universal access to and compatibility <strong>of</strong> spacebasednavigation and positioning systems”.2. In 2001, Member States accorded high priority to a limited number <strong>of</strong> selectedrecommendations <strong>of</strong> UNISPACE III. The Committee on <strong>the</strong> Peaceful Uses <strong>of</strong> Outer Space(COPUOS) established <strong>action</strong> <strong>team</strong>s under <strong>the</strong> voluntary leadership <strong>of</strong> member States toimplement those priority recommendations. The Action Team on Global Navigation SatelliteSystems (GNSS) was established under <strong>the</strong> leadership <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> United States <strong>of</strong> America and Italyto carry out <strong>the</strong> recommendation relating to global navigation satellite systems.B. Terms <strong>of</strong> reference3. The Action Team <strong>report</strong>ed to <strong>the</strong> Committee and its Scientific and TechnicalSubcommittee at <strong>the</strong>ir forty-fourth and thirty-eight sessions in 2001 respectively concerning itsobjectives, work plan and final product. The terms <strong>of</strong> reference <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Action Team included itspurpose, a list <strong>of</strong> related activities, work plan, product and schedule <strong>of</strong> meetings and membershipas indicated below.Purpose• To survey current international and regional efforts to achieve a seamless multi-modalsatellite-based navigation and positioning system throughout <strong>the</strong> world;• To assess institutional models <strong>of</strong> international co-operation and co-ordination systemsand services and GNSS users interests;• To propose specific recommendations for <strong>the</strong> Secretariat and Member States <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>United Nations and o<strong>the</strong>r international organizations on <strong>action</strong>s that should be taken;1 Report <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Third United Nations Conference on <strong>the</strong> Exploration and Peaceful Uses <strong>of</strong> Outer Space,Vienna, 19-30 July 1999 (United Nations publications, Sales No. E.00.I.3), chap. I, resolution 1.1