Global Space Sector Proves Resilient Despite Disruptions Caused By COVID-19 - UNOOSA

Global Space Sector Proves Resilient Despite Disruptions Caused by COVID-19 - UNOOSA

The world's space sector has showcased resilience and even proved to be useful in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic although some space activities have been canceled or shelved, Niklas Hedman, the chief of the Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section at the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), said in an interview with Sputnik

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2020) The world's space sector has showcased resilience and even proved to be useful in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic although some space activities have been canceled or shelved, Niklas Hedman, the chief of the Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section at the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), said in an interview with Sputnik.

In April, Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, said that Russia's cooperation with other countries on space projects had been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Overall, it appears that the global space sector is resilient, and is in fact gaining increased attention for how it is assisting in various areas of the pandemic. The industry will not only endure and recover from the effects of the pandemic, but it may see a jump in demand for space technologies that can improve lives here on Earth," Hedman said.

Even though numerous in-person events on space have been canceled and many employees within the space sector now have to work from home, space activities continue, the UN official noted.

"Human spaceflight continues, as astronauts have returned from and launched to the ISS in the midst of the pandemic, and further human spaceflight events remain scheduled. The Mars missions planned by various countries for July 2020, to capture the favorable alignment between the Earth and Mars at that time, are also going ahead as scheduled," Hedman added.

According to media reports, both China and the United Arab Emirates plan to launch separate missions to Mars in July. Their plans currently remain unchanged despite the COVID-19 outbreak.