The North Atlantic Space Schism and the Ambiguity Problem: NATO’s Collective Space Defence Posture

Abstract

As NATO seeks to integrate space as an operational domain, a schism between the US and the remainder has emerged as to how best to operate in space. Is it sufficient to merely operate through the domain - to support and enable operations? Or is it necessary to command the domain - to operate in, from and through. NATO’s approach to space lacks maturity, and attempts to treat the integration of space as it has with the traditional domains are insufficient. As a result, NATO’s collective approach to operations and security in space are reactive rather than visionary.