by Dennis-P. Merklinghaus, Spokesperson for Aerospace, Defense, Security at Rohde & Schwarz, Munich Space is globally recognised as being critical to economic success, national security and societal well-being. It is also a domain where confrontation with adversaries is more and more important, as an extension of the classical dimensions of warfare. This confrontation in space…
by Luke Hally, Founding Director of Terra Nova Consultancy, Brussels The security landscape of the 21st century is evolving rapidly, bringing new challenges that policymakers must swiftly address to adapt to the changing dynamics of the post-unipolar world. Key factors driving this change include the emergence of artificial intelligence, cyber defence, drone technology, and, notably,…
by Hideshi Tokuchi, President of the Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS) and Asia correspondent of this magazine, Tokyo Space is important not only for scientific research and economy but also for international security. Historically, space was regulated by international arms control agreements earlier than nuclear weapons or cyberspace. It only took ten years…
by Hartmut Bühl, Paris The European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) is the European Space Agency’s (ESA) control centre and Europe’s centre of excellence for satellite operations. ESOC has been responsible for the operation of all ESA satellites and the necessary global network of ground stations since 1967. To date, the centre has operationally supported over…
by Dr Antje Nötzold, Senior Research Associate, Department of International Politics, Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany After land, sea and air, space has become the fourth dimension of human civilisation and a day without space is virtually impossible. Space-based systems are not only militarily essential, of considerable economic value and therefore of strategic importance for…
by Dr Stefan Selke, Professor of Societal Change and Founder of the Public Science Lab, University of Furtwangen, Germany Imaginations about the new space age are increasingly finding a ready-to-receive audience. Corresponding future narratives exist in the form of visions, progress stories, meta-analyses, political-normative models, media reports but also fictional representations. These narratives are associated…
Interview with Margit Mischkulnig, Head of Department for Space Affairs, Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, Vienna The European: Ms Mischkulnig, you are the Head of the “Space and Aviation Technologies” department in the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Energy, Environment, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK). An impressive variety…
On 10 March 2023, the European Commission and the EU High Representative presented in a Joint Communication the “EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence” aimed at bridging the gap between space and defence. The Strategic Compass of March 2022, issued one month after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, already identified space as a strategic…
by Timo Pesonen, Director-General, DG Defence Industry and Space, European Commission, Brussels In today’s complex and volatile geopolitical environment, space plays a pivotal role. It is crucial to protect the safety and security of our citizens, safeguard the interests of the EU and our Member States and ensure the well-functioning of critical economic sectors. As…
by Gerhard Arnold, publisher and theologican, Middle East correspondent of this magazine, Würzburg The states of the Middle East have experienced considerable upheavals over the past few years, which should in principle lead to a reduction in tensions and greater stability. However, the Gaza war and the de facto state of war between Israel and…