ABSTRACT
In 2009 within a year of similar communications from Germany, the UK, Denmark and Brazil another space-active nation with immense and important investments in outer space wrote to the UN COPUOS in very clear terms stating its intention to continue its massive investment and involvement in outer space. It was stated that this country:
[h]as been utilizing both air- and space-based platforms for information and communications, and has developed air-based surveys using sophisticated aircraft equipped with the necessary imaging instruments. Moreover […] prospectively plans to launch a multi-mission geostationary satellite for telecommunications, telebroadcasting, information technology-based functioning and microwave remote sensing devices, in addition to telecommunications instruments. The geostationary satellite data will be used for meteorological applications such as monitoring cyclones, rainfall, floods and cold waves, which are regularly occurring phenomena in […]. The development of an air-based survey system, polar orbiting and geostationary satellites is very important for […]. 1
That country was Bangladesh, a state with 40% of its population living below the national poverty line according to the World Bank 2 and one of 49 countries that are currently designated by the United Nations as “least developed countries” (LDCs). 3 Yet its concern about outer space exploration and utilisation is both commendable and indeed imperative if it is to emerge from underdevelopment. This certainly underscores the importance and reality of aerospace exploration to all modern states and the need for the law to continue its relentless catching up game with technological advancements and the accelerating developments in outer space exploration.