Dear delegates_ my name is Sasha Belliveau and I am thrilled to be

							UN Aerospace Commission
Chaired by Sasha Belliveau



Dear delegates, my name is Sasha Belliveau and I am thrilled to be chairing the UN
Aerospace Commission at Hilton 2009. I am involved in my school's student
government, recycling club and I enjoy poor quality 80's music.
This committee will be run Harvard style, I expect all delegates to be familiar with each
topic and to be well versed in their nation's national policies. Please bring position papers
to the first day of committee if you are aiming to win an award. Good luck researching
and if you have any questions feel free to contact me at expectmagic@gmail.com .




Commercialization of Space

Outer space has long been thought to be out of grasp of commercial enterprises; however,
the commercialization of space is slowly gaining momentum. For example, the well
known restaurant franchise Pizza Hut became the first to deliver its pizza into space.
Additionally, in July 2000, Pizza Hut placed its logo on a Russian Proton rocket.
(http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=4921 ). The United States has
established the Office of Space Commercialization
(http://www.space.commerce.gov/general/#spectrum) to “foster the use of U.S.
commercial space capabilities around the globe and to enable a dynamic, domestic
commercial space sector." As nations begin to more robustly invest and focus
development efforts on the outer space sector several concerns arise. What standards
exist to dictate and control outer space commercialization? Is the commercialization of
outer space beneficial to the global community?

Resources

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/SPT/v3_n4/pdf/RATHMAN.PDF
http://science.howstuffworks.com/space-tourism.htm
Militarization of Outer Space

Since the Cold War outer space has been viewed as another potential battle field. A
memo from the Committee for U.S. Space Leadership to United States President Barack
Obama stated that "Just as the mastery and use of maritime and air domains helped define the
course of world affairs and the histories of the 19th and 20th centuries, so too mastery of space
will be a defining feature of the 21st century," (http://www.space.com/news/090223-obama-
space-system-plan.html ) Regulating bodies have been established to dictate appropriate

uses of outer space, including the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space;
however, concern still exists. Is the militarization of outer space a positive development?
How should the international community decide who is fit or unfit to participate in the
militarization of outer space?

Resources


http://www.politicalbase.com/issues/militarization-of-space/49/


http://www.space.com/news/090223-obama-space-system-plan.html
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/12/world/AP-EU-China-
Disarmament.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=Outer%20Space&st=cse




Space Pollution


“Space Junk” and debris currently pollute outer space. Seemingly benign junk can
become dangerous upon collision with other foreign objects. On February 12th, 2009 a
U.S. Iridium satellite collided with the Russian military's defunct Cosmos 2251 satellite,
producing a hazardous cloud of debris
(http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/02/photogalleries/satellite-collision-
pictures/ ). The unintentional destruction of satellites threatens communication and safety
on Earth. The growing presence in space inevitably increases the possibility of collision
and damage. How should the international community handle the issue of space
pollution? How should it rid outer space of the debris?


Resources
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/12/satellite-collision-focus_n_166272.html
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19760007896_1976007896.pdf