NATO is advancing its preparations for the defense of the alliance in space. According to information from the German Press Agency and the Süddeutsche Zeitung , the defense ministers of the 30 member states want to set up a space this Thursday Announce Center. It is to be affiliated with the NATO air force command in Ramstein, Rhineland-Palatinate and primarily serve as a coordination point for space surveillance.

Think tank for space activities In future, information about possible threats against satellites could flow together in Ramstein. It is also conceivable that the Space Center will later be expanded into a command center for defense measures a kind of think tank for NATO’s space activities will also be set up. Kalkar in North Rhine-Westphalia and Toulouse in France were recently discussed as locations for the so-called competence center.

Kalkar is already home to the Joint Air Power Competence Center for the NATO air force – JAPCC). Toulouse advertises that the French national space command is currently being set up there.

Independent operational area NATO’s plans are the result of the fundamental decision made last year to declare space an independent operational area. The resolution enables NATO, for example, to request the Allies to provide capacities for satellite communication or image data transfers for operations. In addition, it has led to even more intensive discussions in the alliance about the case in which possible attacks from or in space should be treated as an alliance case in the future To station weapons in space, but we have to ensure that our missions and operations have the appropriate support, “said General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg on the subject last year. For example, space is of crucial importance for early warning systems, communication and navigation.

Dependent on technology in space The Norwegian was alluding to the fact that NATO is increasingly dependent on technology in space. Communication during military operations takes place via satellites; they are used for reconnaissance and espionage as well as for navigation systems. Conversely, this means that an attack on satellites of the NATO countries could significantly reduce their defense capabilities.

In addition, attacks on satellites could be used in the event of a war to protect parts of the public Paralyze life. For example, the handling of cashless payment transactions or navigation systems for road, sea and air traffic could be severely impaired.

Satellite launch In addition to the NATO country USA, countries such as Russia, China and India have recently significantly expanded their capabilities in space. Russia caused a sensation this year with several tests of anti-satellite weapons, after India already last year