The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is pleased to cooperate with the University of Tokyo in organizing the United Nations/Japan Nano-Satellite Symposium to be held from 10 to 13 October 2012 in Nagoya, Japan.

The recent arrival of the new class of micro- and nano-satellites has allowed governmental and non-governmental institutions in a growing number of countries to participate in the exploration and peaceful uses of Outer Space. Advances in technology have contributed to lowering the cost and development times of space missions using micro- and nano-satellite platforms, and we see progressively more innovative missions being realized. The overall theme of the Symposium - “Paradigm shift” is, therefore, aptly chosen.

For more than four decades, the United Nations through its Programme on Space Applications has contributed to capacity building in the field of space activities. Micro- and nano-satellite missions and their applications can provide a wide range of benefits that contribute to social and economic growth. For this reason the Office for Outer Space Affairs launched the Basic Space Technology Initiative (BSTI) in 2009 with the aim to support international cooperation in this field. The UN/Japan Nano-Satellite Symposium is the major BSTI event scheduled for 2012. It is the first in a series of similar Symposiums we plan to organize in the coming years in different parts of the World.

I am confident that the Symposium will provide valuable opportunities for everyone involved in micro- and nano-satellite missions to learn about the latest technological advances, applications and relevant legal and regulatory issues as well as to discuss overall strategies for capacity building in space technology development.

I therefore encourage you to join us in Nagoya and to participate in this important Symposium!