European nations are stepping up their focus on space defence amid a surge in global conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, the Israel–Hamas fighting, and the ongoing United States–Israel conflict with Iran. These crises have pushed defence and security back into the political spotlight, prompting increased investment in military and space capabilities across the European Union.
In March 2025, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the ReArm Europe/Readiness plan, aimed at supporting member states’ defence investments. The initiative reflects a broader shift in Europe toward treating space as a central operational domain, rather than merely a supporting asset for communications, navigation, and intelligence.
Giulia Pavesi, lead of security and defence at the European Space Policy Institute, told Euronews Next that the EU is increasingly interlinking space, defence, and industry. “Europe is gravitating toward what could really be called a federated model for space defence capabilities,” she said. Countries are pooling resources, sharing satellite capacity, and developing national capabilities while cooperating regionally. Programs like GOVSATCOM allow member states to jointly manage satellite communications for military and governmental purposes.
However, experts warn that Europe still faces significant challenges in securing its space infrastructure. Jean‑Luc Trullemans, head of the European Space Security and Education Centre at the European Space Agency, highlighted four key vulnerabilities: growing reliance on space services for terrestrial operations, cyber threats, technological dependencies on external actors, and congestion in orbit caused by debris and crowded satellites.
Trullemans emphasized that while European systems are increasingly important for national security, risks must be actively managed rather than reducing international cooperation. “The issue is not to reduce openness, but to better manage the associated risk,” he said. Sharing data remains vital, but system access and security protocols must be tightly controlled.
The involvement of European commercial actors in space, Trullemans added, presents opportunities rather than threats. Strengthening cloud and data-processing capabilities and harmonizing cybersecurity standards across agencies, institutions, and industry are critical steps in ensuring resilience against cyber and operational threats.
Pavesi described the current moment as both a political and industrial turning point. Increased defence expenditure can be used to reimagine Europe’s space industry, ensuring autonomy from international allies like the United States while enhancing collective European capabilities.
As Europe continues to build its space defence architecture, officials are balancing openness with security, regional cooperation with national priorities, and industrial growth with protection against cyber threats, aiming to safeguard critical infrastructure in an increasingly contested and congested space environment.
