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The European Union and Space Defence

Since Sputnik was launched into orbit in 1957, space technology has evolved rapidly. Because of the connected world we live in, space-based technologies have become vital to our everyday lives for ensuring communication networks, navigation, and internet connexion, amongst others. Since the 1990s, the number of satellites orbiting around the Earth has continually increased, reaching 4,9872 by the beginning of 2019. The Cold War, and the end of the 20th century, were indeed characterized by the emergence of outer-space as a strategic area for world powers and emerging countries. From the 21th century, as a consequence of the development of digital technologies, space technologies have become one of the states’ most important assets in facing today’s security and defence issues.