The appearance of new threats calls for greater knowledge and anticipation capabilities. The use of space can clearly help in this, in particular by supplying autonomous evaluation and by contributing in a more decisive way to the planning and execution of operations. So we should look again at space as an environment, and gain a sound knowledge of the industrial scene and services that will condition the military ability to gain access to applications under the best operational conditions.
A New Lease of Life for Military Space in France and Europe
On 12 February this year, an Ariane 5 rocket took off with two SPIRALE(1) experimental space-based optical early warning micro-satellites on board. With the SPIRALE system, which will collect infrared imagery against a land background, France has just made a major step forward in the development of an operational early warning space-based facility.
Two days earlier, a Russian and a US satellite collided above Siberia creating a potentially hazardous cloud of debris, on an orbit which had already witnessed the destruction of a Chinese satellite in January 2007. Is space, formerly tuned by celestial mechanics, turning into a potentially hostile environment?
Addressing the question is all the more urgent since space is set to play a prominent role in France’s and Europe’s defence and security strategies. Our nation has decided to step up its effort in spaced-based defence and security with a view to better meeting the challenges it faces.
Il reste 90 % de l'article à lire
