Europe in the Race for Space Warfare.
We're going to have a European Space Force too.
The race to militarize space has accelerated to an unprecedented point since the end of the Cold War.
The reasons are many, but the main one stems from the combination of explicit Russian threats, covert sabotage, and an international architecture incapable of stopping the emergence of atomic weapons outside the atmosphere.
The latest to join: Europe
Moscow has not only revived its classic nuclear rhetoric but has also opened a second front in low Earth orbit with the development of anti-satellite systems equipped with nuclear warheads that openly violate the Outer Space Treaty.
In this scenario, European and North American experts agree that the Kremlin considers the real possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons on Earth and in space, simultaneously testing platforms that can conceal orbital bombs intended to neutralize satellites vital to the economy, defense, and communications.
Thus, the possibility of a “space Pearl Harbor,” with a nuclear explosion capable of destroying thousands of satellites and leaving low Earth orbit uninhabitable for generations, led Europe to abandon the concept of a purely civilian space and confront a new reality that demands deterrence, diplomacy, and operational preparedness.
Constellation of satellites with atomic bombs over our heads
Europe took a historic step by approving, for the first time, the funding of a space program with military objectives.
The European Resilience from Space (ERS), designed as an integrated system of surveillance, secure navigation, encrypted communications, and Earth observation, assumes that European security depends as much on what happens on the ground as in space.
With €1.2 billion already secured and more planned, the project redefines what “peaceful purposes” are at a time when China is expanding its space power and Russia is using orbit as a tool of pressure.
The almost unanimous support reveals a clear consensus: without its own capabilities, Europe risks becoming a vulnerable target in a conflict decided by the speed and resilience of its satellite constellations.
The central role of France and Germany in the new European space effort
France and Germany have become the pillars of the new European space effort, investing heavily in their space commands: Paris with €10 billion for orbital operations and satellite protection, and Berlin with €35 billion until 2030 for guardian satellites and early warning systems.
Both recognize that orbital infrastructure is as critical as energy or digital infrastructure and that a Russian attack could paralyze European defense and civilian life.
The greatest risk identified by analysts is the detonation of a nuclear weapon in orbit, capable of generating electromagnetic pulses and debris that would destroy low Earth orbit for decades, as demonstrated by the "Starfish Prime" test in the 1960s.
Such an explosion would devastate satellites, global navigators, astronauts, and the digital economy, potentially bringing conflict from space to Earth.
Nuclear risk in orbit and the European response
This scenario has revived debates about nuclear disarmament and led the ESA to achieve a record budget of 22.1 billion euros, which funds both space security and scientific and commercial projects.
The movement, supported by the main European powers, seeks to guarantee strategic autonomy in the face of growing competition between the United States and China and dependence on private systems such as Starlink.
With the ERS project, the expansion of space commands, and investment in dual-use capabilities, Europe is building a new defense ecosystem to avoid an escalation that no one wants, demonstrating that it has the means to resist, respond, and recover in a possible orbital conflict.
Sources: Breaking Defense / European Parliament / Pplware
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