Satellite Operator Hub Announced by United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) announced on September 7, 2026 that the United Nations Satellite Operator Contact Hub (UN-SOCH) is live for verified satellite operators, free of charge.
In response to the growing orbital congestion threatening satellite collisions, UN-SOCH enables communication channels (listed points-of-contact) between satellite operators worldwide. UN-SOCH does not track satellites, assess collision risk, or analyze orbital paths. Rather, UN-SOCH provides a “secure, neutral, and global directory” of verified satellite operators for the use of other operators.
The effectiveness of UN-SOCH will be dependent on the number of operators that voluntarily opt-in to the directory, the responsiveness of those operators when contacted, and degree to which the directory is up-to-date. As such, UNOOSA welcomes operating entities worldwide to join and asks member states to encourage their operators to do the same.
The Space Debris Foundation supports UN-SOCH in its efforts to increase communication
between operators globally. The success of UN-SOCH has yet to be seen, but the directory shows promise to reduce satellite collisions, thus reducing the creation of new orbital debris.
This initiative by UNOOSA stemmed from discussion between delegations within the Space Situational Awareness Working Group, where the Space Debris Foundation participated via insight to the U.S. Department of State, and by attending the meeting in-person in Vienna around February 2026. The main point of discussion was the need to establish points-of-contact between operators, emphasizing that 24/7 communication is essential to orbital safety. We reiterate the importance of this effort.