Finabel’s Space Handbook

With the publication of this Food For Thought (FFT), Finabel explores various strands of the strategic domain of space in the European context, involving analyses ranging from explorations of the sector’s legal dimensions to a further dive into the lessons learned from the Russo-Ukrainian War in the realm of space. The first paper tackles the issue of fragmentation in the EU’s space landscape, highlighting the limitations of governing the domain across numerous different organisations. The second evaluates the establishment of the EU’s Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²), while the third and fourth delve into European endeavours to bolster future capabilities in space and the upper atmosphere and the European Space Agency’s Ariane 6 Rocket, respectively. Moreover, it is here, in the fifth paper, where the space lessons of the Russo-Ukrainian War are considered. Finally, as previously touched upon, this FFT’s second section explores the legal dimensions of space in the realm of defence and security, including an examination of international space law, an exploration of anti-satellite weapons, and the future creation of EU space regulation.

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Hyper-Connectivity as a Trigger for Strategic Autonomy in the European Union: Through a Transformative and Disruptive Technological Transition

Over the past two decades, the European Union (EU) has intensely recalibrated its strategies to fulfil its mission of promoting peace and security and guaranteeing democracy, rule of law, freedoms, human rights, and equality to its citizens. Given the increase in non-conventional threats in the cyber, hybrid, and “cybrid” domains, the EU has started to strengthen its response to this changing security environment. In this context, technological change has become the main character in a society whose governments, economies, people, and armies are highly dependent on hyper-connectivity and impacted by it. The technological transition has transformed how enemies attack their counterparts, fostering digital rivalries and tighter industry competition. To this end, the Union has recently launched the EU’s Secure Connectivity Programme (2023-2027), which encloses the third EU constellation of strategic space infrastructures called IRIS2. The latter, inter alia, has been designed to foster strategic autonomy in the Union, thereby reducing foreign dependencies. It is fundamental for the Union to enhance its ability to respond and counter cyber challenges with a comprehensive and collaborative approach, as individual and protectionist actions from the Member States obstruct the achievement of a higher degree of strategic autonomy in the technological and defence arenas.

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The issue of the dependence of European commercial and institutional space projects on foreign technologies : Is it time to be autonomous in terms of commercially competitive launchers?

Space control is becoming increasingly important. What until now has been one of the most peaceful areas of international collaboration, despite the fierce competition for technological progress, is beginning to become an area of conflict. The consequences of the events in Ukraine, and the sanctions imposed in response to them, are also having repercussions in this field.

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Read more about the article Beyond Traditional Interoperability: Satellite as a ‘Key Enabler’ to the EU Defence Strategy
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Beyond Traditional Interoperability: Satellite as a ‘Key Enabler’ to the EU Defence Strategy

In the light of an increasing involvement of EU Member States’ armies on the international stage, the necessity of interoperability has never been more important. Indeed, many critical missions are conducted BOTH in Europe and overseas. These missions rely on secure communication networks for the EU, which are currently fundamentally lacking in certain areas of intervention.

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