In the latest “Space Café BeNeLux”, our host Dr. Heike Poignand, welcomed Major Nicolas Gérôme, Head of Space Office at the Belgian Ministry of Defence to an eye-opening discussion of the question: “Space for Defence or Defence for Space?”
Regarding Space for Defence 6 basic space applications are considered: Navigation and Timing, Satellite Communication, Earth Observation, Meteorology, Ballistic Missile Defence, and Space Situational awareness.
Military is addicted to space with vulnerability to an incredible number of threats and attack angles for Space assets and services that are crucial for our life on earth. They go beyond pure destructive means of hardware but range from electronic warfare in space and on ground to co-orbital manoeuvres, obstruction of solar panels, including cyber-attacks and misinformation, i.e., hybrid warfare that concerns us all.
Finally, it was an urgent call for action to do something against space debris but also regarding the vacuum of international space law before we witness a “Space Pearl Habor” that would finally trigger the necessary agreements.
Space Café BeNeLux took place Thursday 28 September 2023 at 4 pm CEST.
Here the video:
