  This paper contains an overview and summary on the achievements of the United
Nations basic space science initiative in terms of donated and provided
planetariums, astronomical telescopes, and space weather instruments,
particularly operating in developing nations. This scientific equipment has
been made available to respective host countries, particularly developing
nations, through the series of twenty basic space science workshops, organized
through the United Nations Programme on Space Applications since 1991.
Organized by the United Nations, the European Space Agency (ESA), the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States of America,
and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the basic space science
workshops were organized as a series of workshops that focused on basic space
science (1991-2004), the International Heliophysical Year 2007 (2005-2009), and
the International Space Weather Initiative (2010-2012) proposed by the
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on the basis of discussions of
its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, as reflected in the reports of the
Subcommittee.
