NATO and Luxembourg boost Alliance Space Situational Awareness
Supported by Luxembourg, NATO plans to develop a Space Situational Awareness Capability that will provide NATO Headquarters with a clearer situational awareness of space.
At the 14 June Brussels Summit, NATO and Luxembourg signed a Joint Statement to develop a Strategic Space Situational Awareness System (3SAS) in the Situation Centre’s Geospatial Section at NATO HQ. With 6.7 Million Euro funding from Luxembourg, this capability will allow the Alliance to better understand space objects and space events, and their effects across all domains. The project will support the NATO’s Space Centre established in Germany in 2020.
During the signing ceremony with the Defence Minister of Luxembourg, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană highlighted the recent radical changes to the space domain. Space is becoming more congested, contested and competitive. NATO was the appropriate forum for Allies to share information, increase interoperability and coordinate actions in space. Mr. Mircea Geoană thanked Luxembourg for its contribution, demonstrating the enduring importance of Luxembourg as an Ally.
At the Summit, Allied leaders underlined the relevance of space for NATO’s operational domains. Allies agreed to strengthen their space domain awareness and better integrate space in Alliance activities, including training and exercises, resilience and innovation efforts.