International activities concerning the use of special nuclear materials in space

The 53 members of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space have been debating the safe use of space nuclear power sources (NPS) since the late 1970's. In 1988, the COSMOS 1900 incident, in which a low altitude reactor powered satellite was in danger of reentering earth's atmosphere, brought a renewed interest to concluding a set of non-binding principles regarding the safe use of space nuclear power supplies. The United States is ready to join the other COPUOS members in consensus of these principles which would take form of a UN General Assembly resolution that would be recommendatory in nature. This paper will summarize the issues which have been agreed upon, and those issues outstanding that require resolution prior to agreement being reached on a full set of Principles