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TERMS OF REFERENCE
OF THE
SPACE AGENCY FORUM ON INTERNATIONAL SPACE YEAR

I. PREAMBLE

1.1 The Space Agency Forum on International Space Year (SAFISY) was established by assembled representatives of national space agencies throughout the world:

UNDERSTANDING the utility of space research for mankind;

ACKNOWLEDGING that nations in all stages of development can contribute to and benefit from space science and its applications;

CONSIDERING the autonomy of national agencies responsible for space activities;

REALIZING the advantages of ongoing communication and cooperation among governmental space agencies;

APPRECIATING the high priority attached by space agencies to the study of global changes of the planet Earth; and

RECOGNIZING the need to provide a forum for expression of views and informal coordination of projects by national civil space agencies in support of International Space Year (ISY), so as to enable the agencies to take these views and projects into account while planning their individual programs for ISY.

SAFISY will not supersede current or potential agreements by members. Participation in activities of SAFISY shall not be construed as being binding upon governments, or as restricting their right to develop and manage programs according to their needs and resources.

1.2 These terms of Reference were considered by representatives of national space agencies at the ISY Mission to Planet Earth Conference in Durham, New Hampshire, April 29-May 1, 1988.

II. MEMBERSHIP

2.1 Members of SAFISY are employees with broad management responsibilities of national agencies or organizations conducting civil space activities which receive their primary funding from public sources.

2.2 The status of Affiliate is open to representatives from national and international organizations which declare an intent to participate in the observance of International Space Year through production or sponsorship of a related program or event. Affiliates will periodically report on the progress of their plans for ISY.

2.3 Addition of new Members and Affiliates will be by consensus of existing Members of SAFISY.

III. OBJECTIVES

3.1 SAFISY will seek to enhance the observance of International Space Year.

3.2 SAFISY will serve as a forum for the exchange of information and ideas to encourage complementarity and compatibility among space agency programs for ISY, either in operation or development.

3.3 SAFISY will seek appropriate interaction with private sector and other non-governmental organizations planning ISY activities.

3.4 SAFISY will seek opportunities to coordinate its work with that of the United Nations and other international organizations involved in ISY.

3.5 SAFISY Members will present their plans for ISY and will discuss appropriate approaches for the coordination of ISY activities.

3.6 SAFISY encourages its Members to maintain communications as appropriate with other groups and organizations involved in iSY through the relevant channels within their respective governments.

IV. ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES

4.1 SAFISY will convene at least once per year in plenary session. Additional meetings may be convened at the request of any Member, provided that written notification is provided at least two months in advance and a majority of the Members agree to such a meeting.

4.2 SAFISY meetings will be organized and chaired by the host organization, which shall provide an agenda to Members at least once a month in advance of the scheduled meeting. The host organization will provide and distribute minutes of the meeting and will report on any follow-on activities at the next regular meeting. At each SAFISY meeting, the time, place, and host for the next meeting will be established.

4.3 SAFISY will seek to schedule its meetings to be contiguous with other meetings involving a plurality of Members, when appropriate.

4.4 SAFISY may establish ad hoc Panels of Experts and Working Groups to advise SAFISY and its member organizations on specific aspects of carrying out ISY activities.

4.5 Conclusions resulting from SAFISY plenary sessions, or the findings and recommendations of Panels of Experts and Working Groups, are non-binding and will be acted upon at the discretion of each SAFISY Member.