UN flag to wave again in outer space

A United Nations flag will make a historic round trip to the international space station this coming April, the Organization’s Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) announced today.

Upon its return to Earth, the banner will be presented to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon before being taken to Vienna later this year to take a prominent place among the permanent items at the space exhibition at the International Centre in the Austrian capital.

It will fly to the station with astronaut Ko San of the Republic of Korea, who will be conducting scientific experiments at the orbiting facility for eight days.

The tradition of astronauts carrying the UN flag into outer space began during the earliest manned space missions. To date, the blue and white symbol has orbited the Earth, flown aboard space stations and reached the moon.

OOSA is responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space and the development and codification of international space law. There are currently five UN treaties governing outer space.