Space: Exploring NATO’s Final Frontier

Space has become increasingly vital to the security of the Euro-Atlantic region, as acknowledged by 2022 NATO Strategic Concept, presenting the international community with new challenges as it grows more contested, congested and competitive. Allies must enhance cooperation to address these evolving challenges, particularly those arising from potential military activities in space. A cooperation to focus on three critical areas: the multi-purpose applications of space, the increasing number of actors and systems, and the increasingly rapid technological advancements. NATO must strategically evaluate how to sustain its advantage in space, paralleling its strengths in other operational domains. A more united approach would help to deter adversaries, protect allied space assets, and secure an operational edge. This publication explores three key issues: the global space environment and NATO’s strategic posture, the Alliance’s space capabilities and decision-making processes, and the implications of space threats for NATO’s deterrence and defence.

This publication is the result of the ninth Academic Conference jointly organised by NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT), the University of Bologna and Istituto Affari Internazionali, entitled “Space: Exploring NATO’s Final Frontier” and held in Bertinoro (Forlì, Italy) on 8-10 November 2023.