Europe Falls Behind in the New Space Arms Race

The growing militarization of space is intensifying global tensions, with recent incidents including a Russian satellite approaching a Finnish one too closely, highlighting the strategic value of orbital data and imagery. Space-based assets are increasingly used in conflicts, such as Finnish radar images aiding Ukrainian attacks and Chinese high-resolution satellite imagery helping Iran target US and Israeli positions. The US military's Starshield program, leveraging SpaceX capabilities, represents a significant global advantage. Europe lags behind, with only 8 launches last year compared to about 200 by the US, mostly SpaceX. While Germany's Isar Aerospace achieved a successful launch from Norway, European projects like Bromo and Iris² face bureaucratic delays and political disputes, underscoring the need to strengthen the continent's space industry.