Task Groups are established, modified, or discontinued by the COSPAR Commissions or by the President and/or Bureau. The period for which a Task Group is established is determined by the Bureau. The period may be indefinite.

The chairpersons, other officers (as needed), and members of Task Groups are elected by the Commissions or appointed by the Bureau for the period of the (rest of the) mandate of the Task Group, or four years, whichever is shorter. Chairpersons, officers, and members of Task Groups may be re-elected by Commissions or re-appointed by the Bureau once for a second term lasting until the end of the mandate of the Panel, or four years, whichever is shorter.

Current Task Groups, in order of creation, include:

• URSI/COSPAR Task Group on the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI)
• COSPAR/URSI Task Group on Reference Atmospheres, including ISO WG4 (CIRA)
• Task Group on Reference Atmospheres of Planets and Satellites (RAPS)
• Task Group on the GEO (TG GEO)
• Task Group on Establishing a Constellation of Small Satellites (TGCSS)
  • Sub-Group on Radiation Belts (TGCSS – SGRB)
• Task Group on Establishing an International Geospace Systems Program (TGIGSP)