Strategic Security and Defence Implications for the European Union
Timeframe: 07/01/1957 – 29/02/2024
Key Insights
- What does the rise of satellite mega-constellations mean for Europe’s strategic autonomy? As the space industry shifts to commercial dominance, mega-constellations like Starlink offer global connectivity but also pose strategic risks. This article explores how Europe’s dependence on non-EU satellite infrastructure could undermine its security and analyses the EU’s response, including the development of IRIS², a sovereign constellation project. Discover the challenges and opportunities Europe faces in securing space autonomy amidst growing US and Chinese influence in low Earth orbit.
Definition
EU Strategic Autonomy: The concept of EU strategic autonomy widely describes the ability of the European Union to act autonomously and protect its interests in diverse sectors such as trade, foreign policy, technology, defence, and security without being restrained by dependencies on foreign actors.
If the EU fails to deploy a sovereign LEO constellation, it risks becoming reliant on non-EU constellations for critical security and defence applications.
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