Skip to main content

Please take a few minutes to complete our survey and help us better understand how well we serve your needs.

Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank logo Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank

Popular searches:

  • China
  • BRICS
  • Ukraine
  • Internship
  • artificial intelligence
Sign in or create account Search Support us

Main navigation

  • Topics

    Topic themes

    Topic themes
    • Defence and security

      Defence and security

      • Arms control
      • Drugs and organized crime
      • European defence
      • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
      • Peacekeeping and intervention
      • Terrorism
    • Economics and trade

      Economics and trade

      • BRICS economies
      • China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
      • Circular economy
      • Drugs and organized crime
      • G7 and G20
      • International finance system
      • International Monetary Fund (IMF)
      • International trade
      • Investment in Africa
      • UK's global role
      • World Trade Organization (WTO)
    • Environment

      Environment

      • Agriculture and food
      • Circular economy
      • Climate policy
      • Energy transitions
      • Managing natural resources
    • Health

      Health

      • Access to healthcare
      • Coronavirus response
      • Health strategy
      • United Nations (UN)
      • World Health Organization (WHO)
    • Institutions

      Institutions

      • African Union (AU)
      • European Union (EU)
      • G7 and G20
      • International Monetary Fund (IMF)
      • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
      • United Nations (UN)
      • World Health Organization (WHO)
      • World Trade Organization (WTO)
    • Major powers

      Major powers

      • America's international role
      • China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
      • China's domestic politics
      • China's foreign relations
      • US domestic politics
      • US foreign policy
    • Politics and law

      Politics and law

      • Democracy and political participation
      • Demographics and politics
      • Disinformation
      • Gender and equality
      • Human rights and security
      • International criminal justice
      • Refugees and migration
      • UK's global role
      • US domestic politics
    • Society

      Society

      • Circular economy
      • Civil society
      • Digital and social media
      • Disinformation
      • Drugs and organized crime
      • Future of work
      • Gender and equality
      • Human rights and security
      • Radicalization
      • Refugees and migration
      • UK's global role
    • Technology

      Technology

      • Cyber security
      • Data governance and security
      • Digital and social media
      • Disinformation
      • Future of work
      • Radicalization
      • Technology governance
    View topics A-Z
  • Regions

    Regions

    Regions
    • Africa

      Africa

      • Angola
      • Central Africa
      • East Africa
      • Horn of Africa
      • Nigeria
      • Southern Africa
      • West Africa
    • Americas

      Americas

      • Canada
      • Central America and Caribbean
      • Mexico
      • South America
      • United States of America
    • Asia-Pacific

      Asia-Pacific

      • Afghanistan
      • China
      • India
      • Japan
      • Korean peninsula
      • Pakistan
      • South Asia
      • Southeast Asia
      • The Pacific
    • Europe

      Europe

      • Central and Eastern Europe
      • Eurozone
      • France
      • Germany
      • Turkey
      • United Kingdom
    • Middle East and North Africa

      Middle East and North Africa

      • Egypt
      • Gulf states
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Israel and Palestine
      • Libya
      • Maghreb
      • Syria and the Levant
      • Yemen
    • Russia and Eurasia

      Russia and Eurasia

      • Belarus
      • Central Asia
      • Russia
      • South Caucasus
      • Ukraine
    View regions A-Z
  • Events
  • Publications

    Publications

    Publications
    • Books
    • International Affairs journal: Celebrating 100 years
    • Journal of Cyber Policy
    • The World Today magazine
  • Become a member

    Become a member

    Become a member
    • Corporate membership
    • Individual membership
    • Gift membership
  • Leadership Academy
  • About us

    About us

    About us
    • Annual reviews
    • Careers
    • Chatham House Rule
    • Contact us
    • Our departments
    • Our funding
    • Our governance
    • Our history
    • Our mission and values
    • Our people
    • Our research agenda
Support us
Sign in or create account Go to sign in
Deployment of the NanoRacks-Remove Debris Satellite from the International Space
Station. Photo: NASA
— Deployment of the NanoRacks-Remove Debris Satellite from the International Space Station. Photo: NASA

Alexandra Stickings

Research Fellow, Space Policy and Security, RUSI

Topics

  • International trade

Departments

  • International Security Programme

Projects

  • Cyber and Space
Download PDF
The Future of EU–US Cooperation in Space Traffic Management and Space Situational Awareness
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • Definitions
  • Background
  • Current landscape
  • Challenges of providing STM
  • Future of SSA/STM
  • Scenarios for EU–US cooperation
  • Conclusion
  • About the Author
  • Acknowledgments
The Future of EU–US Cooperation in Space Traffic Management and Space Situational Awareness
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • Definitions
  • Background
  • Current landscape
  • Challenges of providing STM
  • Future of SSA/STM
  • Scenarios for EU–US cooperation
  • Conclusion
  • About the Author
  • Acknowledgments

Topics

  • International trade

Departments

  • International Security Programme

Projects

  • Cyber and Space
Loading, please wait

Conclusion

Taking into consideration the anticipated developments in space over the short- to medium-term, it is clear that there are opportunities for increased cooperation between the EU and the US in SSA and that such collaboration is needed. The EU has publicly noted its intention to act as a leader in promoting the responsible use of space, for example through its proposal of an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities.36 Cooperation mechanisms between the US and the EU would not only improve the individual SSA capabilities of each and the global effort but also act as a blueprint for cooperation with other partners, such as the Five Eyes community, Japan and India.

Cooperation is also essential when considering the possibility that SSA capabilities, rather than space assets, could become a target of adversarial action with the aim of decreasing a state or operator’s ability to track objects or otherwise affect their knowledge in such a way as to put their assets in danger. For example, it is possible that that an adversary of the US would target its SSA capabilities to gain an advantage by ‘blinding’ the US to what is happening in orbit. International cooperation in SSA among global partners, which could provide orbital information if it is lost by one partner, would add a layer of resilience to SSA capabilities.

There are obvious challenges to EU–US SSA integration. The first is the issue of secrecy. In this area Europe and the US may not be as far apart as might be initially thought as most state space actors have some military aspect within their capabilities. The key will be to find ways to encourage cooperation in the commercial and civil spheres while allowing individual states to operate and monitor their classified assets as they see fit – sharing what information they are willing to and able to depend upon the military or civilian nature of future EU member state tracking capabilities. As already described, changes within the US government’s SSA policy may provide the best mechanism for such activity to move forward. Secondly, the US always wants to be the leader in everything in the space domain rather than be an equal partner. This is becoming even more obvious through the rhetoric of many US military and government leaders, with talk of the need to dominate and lead in space as a reaction to the activities and perceived threats of Russia and China. Therefore, the EU needs to prove its value as a partner in space and advocate for international cooperation as the best way for both parties to achieve state goals and maintain the stability of orbit. Finally, it is important for there to be a cohesive understanding of how EU SSA programmes will cooperate both with member states and with ESA.

The EU needs to increase its capabilities, either through activities that plug existing gaps or through using its geographical situation to augment the activities of other states. This approach will provide it with a platform to become a leading player in this regard and prove it can add value to the global SSA effort. The US will then see it as an indispensable partner in ensuring the sustainability of the near-Earth environment over the coming decades.

36 European External Action Service (2014), ‘EU Proposal for an international Space Code of Conduct, Draft’, 31 March 2014, 
https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/14715/eu-proposal-international-space-code-conduct-draft_en (accessed 18 May 2019).
Back to top
Previous chapter Next chapter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

Our flagship newsletter provides a weekly round-up of content, plus receive the latest on events and how to connect with the institute.

Follow us on social

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Subscribe to our YouTube channel
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on Medium
  • Follow us on SoundCloud
  • Subscribe to our shows on Podcasts
  • Follow us on Flickr
  • Take an RSS feed of our content

Popular links

  • Careers
  • Chatham House Rule
  • Library
  • Press office
  • Simulation Centre
  • SNF CoLab
  • Podcasts
  • Venue hire

Chatham House is a world-leading policy institute with a mission to help governments and societies build a sustainably secure, prosperous and just world.

Footer

  • Accessibility
  • Cookie settings
  • Privacy notice
  • Terms and conditions

© Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, 2023