Newswise — The Secure World Foundation (SWF) has begun a dialog with the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (CRECTEALC) " an important step in efforts to harmonize space policies throughout Latin America.
A number of substantive topics were addressed by attendees that took part in an August 28-29 conference, held in Mexico City, Mexico, convened by Sergio Camacho, Secretary General of CRECTEALC and Jesus Gonzales, Academic Coordinator of CRECTEALC, Mexico.
CRECTEALC, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico and the National Institute for Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE) organized the event.
The conference included representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Panama, Peru, Venezuela, Nigeria and Morocco, as well as the European Space Agency, Brazil's National Institute for Space Research, and the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).
The meeting laid the diplomatic and procedural elements required to effect progress in the Latin American political environment. A range of discussions took place, including a briefing by Satmex -- a leader in providing satellite services to Latin America " and updated discussions regarding the establishment of La Agencia Espacial Mexicana (AEXA) " The Mexican Space Agency.
Important step
This confab of experts was hosted and co-sponsored by the Government of Mexico (Ministry of Foreign Affairs: General Directorate for Technical and Scientific Cooperation and General Directorate for the United Nations System), the National Institute for Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics and the Secretariat of the Centre.
"The CRECTEALC conference was an important step in bringing the Latin American space community together to share information and approaches to space education and the development of space capabilities," said Ray Williamson, Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation. "This conference helped to close the wide gap of technological capabilities between countries with small or emerging space programs and the established ones."
Both SWF's Williamson and Ben Baseley"Walker took part in the event, delivering viewpoints on the sustainable use of outer space and space policy development.
Williamson noted that the CRECTEALC gathering served to spotlight a key fact: The growth in the number of countries " both large and small -- that are now launching or planning to loft their own satellites.
"That being the case, as useful orbits around Earth become more crowded and space debris proliferates," Williamson explained, "emerging space states will have to join the international community in contributing to a global effort to maintain the long term sustainability of space activities."
Williamson explained that in the near-future the global space community will need some sort of a space traffic management system - in order to assure the many benefits that space activities provide to multiple nations.
"The Secure World Foundation is prepared to assist these countries to develop the necessary space policies and operating standards for a space traffic management system," Williamson concluded.
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