Europe's Sovereignty at Risk: The Urgent Need to Bridge the Space Gap

6 hours ago7 min read2 comments

Russia's invasion of Ukraine delivered a powerful lesson to Europe: security cannot be taken for granted or delegated to others. Despite this, the European Union is dangerously close to creating a new strategic vulnerability by failing to keep pace in the critical domain of space.This arena is no longer a frontier for exploration alone; it is the foundational layer for modern economic and military power. Europe's Galileo satellite network, though a significant technical accomplishment, was hampered by delays and now operates in an orbit increasingly crowded by dominant American, Russian, and Chinese systems.The reliance on these external constellations poses a direct threat to European autonomy. Satellites are the unseen infrastructure powering our world, essential for the precision weapons reshaping modern warfare, the global financial system, and critical early-warning systems for agriculture.With the rise of commercial space companies and the proliferation of anti-satellite technologies, the stakes have never been higher. For Europe to neglect its independent capabilities is to willingly accept a status of technological dependence, akin to a nation dismantling its own defenses based on a neighbor's fleeting promise.The continent has no shortage of expertise, boasting brilliant scientists within the European Space Agency and leading aerospace firms. However, this potential is squandered by political fragmentation and a lack of bold, collective investment.The cost of continued hesitation is a future where European security and economic stability are subject to the whims and infrastructure of rival powers. Addressing this gap requires a fundamental shift in strategy—a recognition that true 21st-century sovereignty is impossible without autonomy in space. Europe must marshal its resources to develop sovereign launch capabilities, resilient satellite networks, and advanced space surveillance to secure its future as an independent power, not a bystander in the cosmos.

#editorial picks news

#European Union

#space race

#security

#Russia

#Ukraine

#defense

#satellites

#technology

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