UN Registry of Launched Space Objects for Transparency and Accountability Analysis

Data maintained since 1962, under the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), records objects launched into outer space. The dataset is curated by researchers to support a case study on transparency and accountability in space domain awareness using the ASTRIAGraph system. It includes integrated information from the UN online index and registration documents submitted by states.

Use Cases

• Visualizing registered space objects based on launch and registration data.
• Identifying launch state liability for anthropogenic space objects based on registration records.
• Assessing trends in registration patterns and promptness of different launch states.

Strengths

• Historical coverage dating back to 1962.
• Data is integrated from the UN online index and official state-submitted PDF documents.
• Curated specifically for analysis within the ASTRIAGraph framework.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data formats and labels from source documents are described as having a large variety, which may affect consistency.

Provenance

Source

United Nations Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space (UNOOSA).

Collection Method

Data retrieved and scrubbed from the UNOOSA website index and state-submitted PDFs, then processed and integrated.

Time Range

1962 to present.

Freshness

Last updated 2024-03 18 09:13:32; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global (objects launched by states and international organizations).