The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) has an impressive record of being in the vanguard for over sixty years in leading the development of multilateral treaties, principles, guidelines and best practices to assist states and non-governmental organizations in ensuring the safety, security and sustainability of outer space activities for peaceful purposes. However, there are currently several stresses and challenges relating to the governance of the Committee suggesting that COPUOS is in jeopardy of losing this leadership in providing this essential guidance for the global space community. In this article we outline some of these stresses and propose that COPUOS or the UN General Assembly (UNGA), to which the Committee reports, conducts a review and analysis of the organization and method of work of the Committee to determine if adjustments might be adopted in order to deliver its mandate more effectively.