<P> In 2009, Takao Doi became Chief of Space Applications . </P> <P> In 2010, the Human Space Initiative was launched . </P> <P> In March 2014, the Secretary - General appointed Simonetta Di Pippo (Italy) as the new Director of the Office, having previously served as the Director of Human Spaceflight at the European Space Agency . </P> <P> In September 2016, UNOOSA announced the first - ever United Nations space mission, partnering with the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). Using the SNC Dream Chaser spaceplane, UNOOSA will enable developing nations to send microgravity payloads into low - Earth orbit, with a target launch in 2021 . </P>

Director of the united nations office for outer space affairs