A United Nations list of objects launched into space has been offline for months due to an IT problem. The outage affects a transparency tool established during the Cold War.
The Online Index of Objects Launched into Outer Space, maintained by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, shows only a message about mandatory IT infrastructure changes. Last updates to the list appeared on 23 February.
Jonathan McDowell of Durham University said the situation is not acceptable amid rising space tensions. He noted that countries must report launch details under a 1974 convention, yet the public can no longer access them.
Ram Jakhu of McGill University warned the outage threatens international peace and security while hindering treaty implementation on space accidents. Thomas Cheney of Northumbria University described the database as a basic but symbolic commitment to openness in an otherwise permissive space-law regime.
UNOOSA has not responded to questions about the problem or its expected duration. The outage coincides with broader funding strains at the UN that have already shortened related meetings.
