Europe Must Close the Space Gap for Security.

5 hours ago7 min read1 comments

The stark lesson delivered by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was a brutal awakening for European capitals: security is a fragile construct, never to be taken for granted or outsourced entirely. Yet, in a stunning paradox of strategic negligence, the European Union now appears to be sleepwalking into a new era of dependency by allowing itself to be outmaneuvered and outpaced in the critical theater of space.This is not merely a scientific or economic lag; it is a profound security deficit in the making. The new space race is fundamentally different from the Cold War contest between the US and USSR; today, it is a multi-domain struggle where commercial satellite constellations provide vital intelligence, navigation, and communication for military operations, as Starlink’s decisive role in Ukraine has vividly demonstrated.While nations like China aggressively expand their celestial footprint with ambitious lunar and orbital projects, and the United States pours resources into the Space Force and private sector partnerships, Europe’s collective effort remains fragmented, underfunded, and strategically myopic. Relying on the technological benevolence of allies for such foundational capabilities is a gamble reminiscent of the pre-war appeasement policies of the 1930s—a failure to recognize a shifting global order until it is too late.The Galileo navigation system, Europe’s proud achievement, is a case in point; its creation was a statement of independence, yet its evolution has not kept pace with the militarization of orbit. Without sovereign, resilient, and advanced space-based assets—from spy satellites to secure comms networks—the EU’s ability to autonomously monitor crises, enforce sanctions, or even command its own defenses is severely compromised.This gap leaves Europe vulnerable to coercion and blackmail in a future conflict, where an adversary could simply deny access to the space-based services upon which modern warfare and civil society increasingly depend. The time for polite declarations and incremental budget increases is over. What is required is a Churchillian resolve—a collective European thrust to secure the ultimate high ground, recognizing that in the twenty-first century, security is not just measured by troops on the ground, but by satellites in the sky.

#editorial picks news

#Europe

#space race

#security

#Russia

#Ukraine

#defense

#satellites

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