Radio science encompasses the knowledge and study of all aspects of electromagnetic fields and waves. The International Union of Radio Science (Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale), a non-governmental and non-profit organisation under the International Council for Science, is responsible for stimulating and co-ordinating, on an international basis, studies, research, applications, scientific exchange, and communication in the fields of radio science. Included within the objectives are the following:

1. To encourage and promote international activity in radio science and its applications, for the benefit of humanity;
2. to encourage the adoption of common methods of measurement, and the inter-comparison and standardisation of the measuring instruments used in scientific work;
3. to stimulate and co-ordinate studies of:
   • the scientific aspects of telecommunications using electromagnetic waves, guided and unguided;
   • the generation, emission, radiation, propagation, reception, and detection of fields and waves, and the processing of the signals embedded in them;
4. to represent radio science to the general public, and to public and private organisations.