February 13, 2026

This Week in Space 197: Inside UNOOSA

58 minutes

Most people don't think of spaceflight when talking about the United Nations, but the UN, through its Office of Outer Space Affairs, or UNOOSA, has been pivotal in securing agreements on space poilicy and behavioral norms. This week, we speak with Aarti Holla-Maini, the director of UNOOSA, and Dr. Rick Jenet, the executive director of Expanding Frontiers and the National Space Society's representative to the UN, about the importance of this office. It's a wide-ranging discussion of the intersection of international space efforts and the intersection with commercial space as we expand activities into Earth orbit, the moon, and beyond.

Headlines:

SpaceX Crew-12 Launch Sends New Astronauts to the ISS

Vast Joins Commercial Flights to the ISS, Prepares for Private Space Stations

Axiom, Voyager, and Vast Face Off in Commercial LEO Station Race

International Collaboration Ramps Up for Future of Space Policy

Main Topic: Inside UNOOSA—The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

Dr. Rick Janet Explains the Role of COPUOS and UNOOSA in Global Space Governance

Aarti Holla-Maini Shares Her Path to Leading UNOOSA and Her Vision for Its Future

Distinguishing UNOOSA (the office) from COPUOS (the committee)

UNOOSA's Expanding Mission: Capacity Building, Disaster Response, Space Law, and Sustainability

The Importance of Neutral Convening, Capacity Building, and Industry Input

Growing Need for Space Sustainability, Debris Mitigation, and New Regulatory Focus

Anticipating Lunar Activity: Resource Use, Transparency, and Non-Appropriation Principle

Engaging Commercial Space Actors While Maintaining Member State Authority

Megaconstellations: Building New Norms for Responsible Behavior in Orbit

Future UNOOSA Goals: Coordinating Space Traffic, Centralizing Satellite Data Access, and Fostering Global Partnerships

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guests: Fredrick (Rick) Jenet and Aarti Holla-Maini

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