While established spacefaring nations like the US continue to dominate headlines, countries including Zimbabwe, Honduras, and Malta are increasingly looking to benefit from space-related activities. These smaller nations are seeking membership in the UN body that establishes internationally agreed-upon rules for the peaceful use of outer space, aiming to prevent a potentially chaotic “Wild West” scenario that could lead to conflict.

The Rising Interest in space

Nations such as Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, and the maldives are drawn to outer space for various reasons. Space technologies provide access to crucial data and services that support climate resilience, disaster response, and sustainable development. As an example, in small island developing states, satellite data aids in monitoring sea-level rise and enhancing early warning systems for hurricanes and floods.

Space technologies enable access to critical data and services that support climate resilience, disaster response, and sustainable development.

In Ghana and Tonga, the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) has recently assisted in developing “digital twins” of capital cities using satellite data and AI.these virtual models can simulate flooding scenarios, enabling governments to identify vulnerable infrastructure, strengthen emergency response plans, and improve disaster response effectiveness.

Many emerging space actors face challenges, including technical and financial hurdles, as well as underdeveloped national regulations and legal frameworks. UNOOSA helps address these gaps by advising on national space legislation and assisting countries in navigating international obligations under UN treaties such as the Outer Space Treaty and the Registration Convention, which aims to provide an accurate picture of all objects launched into space.

The Access to Space for All program helps non-spacefaring nations launch payloads, conduct experiments, and access data from space missions. Kenya, Mauritius, Guatemala, and Moldova have all successfully launched their first satellites in partnership with the REASE, which collaborates with teams from developing countries to deploy small cube satellites from the International Space Station.

UNOOSA’s Space Law for New Space Actors project supports emerging spacefaring nations in developing robust legal and policy frameworks for outer space activities. The Space4Women initiative developed the Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit for the space Sector to help organizations commit to gender equity, promote equal opportunities, empower women and girls through dedicated programming, and track measurable progress. Another initiative delivers specialized capacity-building on the use of space applications for disaster risk reduction and emergency response.

The Maldives archipelago – images from the NASA Earth Observatory