--- title: "European Space Security Forum 2026 — Brussels" description: "European Space Security Forum 2026 is a professional conference in Brussels, Belgium, Jul 2, 2026. Dates, deadlines, fees, and prep links." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/conferences/professional/european-space-security-forum-2026" --- # European Space Security Forum 2026 Jul 2, 2026[Brussels, Belgium](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1\&query=Brussels%2C%20Belgium)In-person [Registration open](https://spacesecurityforum.eu/) The European Space Security Forum is a significant gathering focused on the multifaceted challenges and opportunities within the realm of space security. Hosted in Brussels, BEL, this event convenes experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to deliberate on the evolving landscape of space, encompassing both its strategic importance and the threats it faces. The forum serves as a critical platform for fostering dialogue and collaboration on safeguarding space assets and ensuring the sustainable use of outer space. Participants engage in discussions covering a wide array of topics, from geopolitical considerations to technological advancements in space defense. The forum aims to address the complexities of maintaining peace and stability in space, a domain increasingly vital for global communication, navigation, and security. Its location in Brussels, BEL, underscores the European Union's commitment to playing a central role in shaping international norms and policies related to space security. ## Committees & topics - Topics Space at the Heart of an Autonomous European Defence Architecture · Unlocking the Potential of Next-Generation Space Systems · Financing Europe's Space and Defence Ambitions · Space and Cybersecurity: Resilience in Orbit ## Why it matters The security of space is paramount in the contemporary geopolitical environment, as nations increasingly rely on satellites for critical infrastructure, defense, and economic activities. Disruptions to space systems, whether intentional or accidental, can have far-reaching consequences, impacting everything from daily life to international stability. This forum directly addresses these vulnerabilities, bringing together key actors to strategize on resilience and deterrence in space. The discussions at the European Space Security Forum are crucial for understanding the intricate web of state and non-state actors operating in space, as well as the dual-use nature of many space technologies. The event provides a venue for examining how technological advancements, such as the proliferation of small satellites and anti-satellite weapons, are reshaping the security paradigm. By facilitating expert exchange, the forum contributes to a more informed and coordinated international response to these challenges. Furthermore, the forum's focus extends to the development of international norms and legal frameworks for responsible behavior in space. As the number of space-faring nations grows, the need for clear guidelines to prevent conflict and ensure the long-term sustainability of space activities becomes ever more pressing. The outcomes of such discussions can influence policy decisions and diplomatic efforts aimed at preserving space as a peaceful domain for all. ## How to prepare To effectively engage with the European Space Security Forum, delegates should undertake thorough preparation, beginning with a comprehensive understanding of the current geopolitical landscape of space. This includes familiarizing oneself with the major space powers, emerging actors, and the strategic interests each holds in outer space. A review of recent incidents or developments related to space security, such as satellite interference or debris concerns, would also be beneficial. Delegates should also consider the diverse perspectives of various stakeholders, including governmental bodies, private industry, and academic institutions. Understanding their respective priorities and concerns, as outlined in the \What Is Stakeholder Mapping?\ and \Stakeholder Mapping Workshop\ lessons, will enable more nuanced and productive discussions. Identifying potential \[Hidden Stakeholders](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/hidden-stakeholders)\ whose interests might not be immediately apparent is also a valuable exercise. Finally, preparation should involve considering potential \[Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies)\ for influencing policy and fostering international cooperation. This could include preparing specific proposals for arms control in space, advocating for enhanced transparency measures, or suggesting collaborative research initiatives on space debris mitigation. A \Dynamic Analysis\ of how different policy choices might impact future space security scenarios would also be highly advantageous. ## Country perspectives Where the most-relevant 7 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile. [Belgium](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [As the host nation, BEL plays a key role in facilitating dialogue and consensus-building on space security within the European context.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [BEL provides the venue for the forum in Brussels, underscoring its commitment to international cooperation and its strategic position within European diplomatic efforts on space policy. Its role is largely facilitative, aiming to bring together diverse viewpoints.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [FRA is a leading European space power with significant military and civilian space assets, advocating for European strategic autonomy in space.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [FRA is a major player in European space initiatives, investing heavily in both civilian and military space capabilities. It often champions a strong European stance on space security, emphasizing the need for independent access to space and robust defense against threats.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [DEU is a key contributor to European space programs, focusing on the peaceful use of space and international cooperation for space traffic management.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [DEU is a significant financial and technological contributor to European space efforts. While emphasizing the peaceful uses of space, DEU also recognizes the growing security challenges and supports international frameworks for space governance and debris mitigation.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Italy](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) [ITA has a long history in space exploration and technology, contributing to European space defense and surveillance capabilities.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) [ITA possesses advanced capabilities in satellite technology and space operations. It actively participates in European defense and security initiatives related to space, contributing to surveillance and communication systems.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [GBR is a significant global space actor, focusing on commercial space growth, resilience, and international partnerships for space security.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [GBR maintains a robust space sector with a focus on commercial applications and national security. It advocates for responsible behavior in space and seeks to strengthen international partnerships to address shared security concerns.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [USA is the world's foremost space power, driving advancements in space defense and advocating for norms of responsible behavior in space.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [USA is a dominant force in space, with extensive military and civilian space infrastructure. It plays a leading role in developing space defense technologies and promoting international discussions on space norms and arms control.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [RUS is a traditional space power with significant military space capabilities, often viewed as a key competitor and potential threat in space.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [RUS possesses extensive space capabilities, including anti-satellite weapons, and is a major actor in the geopolitical dynamics of space. Its actions and policies are closely watched by other space-faring nations, particularly in the context of space security.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) ## Topics & background The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it. 1 ### Space at the Heart of an Autonomous European Defence Architecture Europe's reliance on space-based capabilities for intelligence, navigation, secure communications, and early warning has grown sharply since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which exposed both the indispensability of orbital assets and Europe's continued dependence on US and commercial American providers such as Starlink and Maxar. The EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence, presented by the Commission and the High Representative in March 2023, was the first attempt to frame space explicitly as a domain of European strategic autonomy, complementing NATO's 2019 recognition of space as an operational domain. Flagship programmes such as Galileo, Copernicus, and the IRIS² secure connectivity constellation (adopted in 2023) are central to this push. The core dispute concerns how far 'strategic autonomy' should go: whether Europe should build sovereign launch, sensing, and SATCOM capabilities able to operate independently of Washington, or whether transatlantic interoperability through NATO remains the more realistic baseline. Member states diverge on governance — France favours a more sovereign, defence-oriented posture, while Germany and several northern states emphasise dual-use and civil-led approaches. The collapse of Ariane 6's launch monopoly assumptions, delays in IRIS², and competition from SpaceX have sharpened the debate. Today the question is operational as much as political: how to integrate ESA, EUSPA, the European Defence Agency, national space commands, and NATO's Space Centre in Ramstein into a coherent architecture that can deter hostile actions in orbit, survive jamming and spoofing, and underwrite conventional deterrence on the continent. Key players - [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Leading proponent of sovereign European space-defence capability and primary launch nation via Kourou.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Largest ESA contributor; pushes dual-use framing and industrial participation.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [Italy](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) [Major space-industrial base (Leonardo, Thales Alenia Space) and key IRIS² stakeholder.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Non-EU but central NATO space actor through UK Space Command and Skynet.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Dominant allied space power shaping NATO doctrine and commercial provision Europe depends on.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) 2 ### Unlocking the Potential of Next-Generation Space Systems The space sector is in the middle of a structural shift from large, bespoke geostationary satellites toward proliferated low-Earth-orbit constellations, reusable launchers, on-orbit servicing, and AI-enabled tasking. SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield, China's Guowang and Qianfan megaconstellations, and Amazon's Kuiper have set a pace that European programmes — IRIS², the next-generation Galileo, and Copernicus Expansion missions — are racing to match. Reusable launch, dominated commercially by Falcon 9, remains an open gap for Europe, with Ariane 6 now operational but expendable and projects such as ArianeGroup's MaiaSpace, Isar Aerospace, RFA, PLD Space, and Orbex still pre-revenue. The core questions concern technology, market design, and procurement. Quantum key distribution (the EuroQCI initiative), optical inter-satellite links, on-orbit refuelling, space-based ISR, and responsive launch all promise capability leaps, but Europe's fragmented demand signal and risk-averse procurement have historically slowed adoption. The European Commission, ESA, and EDA have begun shifting toward anchor-customer contracts and milestone-based funding modelled partly on NASA's COTS approach, but scale remains limited. The debate today is whether Europe can convert its strong upstream science base and growing NewSpace startup ecosystem into deployed, defence-relevant systems quickly enough to remain a Tier-1 space power alongside the United States and China. Key players - [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Anchors European launch and satellite primes; home to CNES and ArianeGroup.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Hosts a dense NewSpace launcher and smallsat ecosystem (Isar, RFA, OHB).](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [Italy](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) [Vega launcher operator and major satellite manufacturing hub.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) - [Spain](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/spain) [Rising launcher and EO player; hosts PLD Space and Hisdesat.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/spain) - [Luxembourg](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/luxembourg) [Pioneer in on-orbit servicing, space resources law, and government-LP investment.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/luxembourg) 3 ### Financing Europe's Space and Defence Ambitions Europe's space and defence financing model is under acute strain. The EU's 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework allocated roughly €14.9 billion to the Space Programme, while the European Defence Fund stands at around €8 billion — figures dwarfed by US Department of Defense and NASA budgets and increasingly inadequate against Chinese state investment. Since 2022, instruments such as ASAP, EDIRPA, and the proposed European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) have tried to scale production, and the European Investment Bank loosened restrictions on dual-use lending in 2024, but private capital for defence and space remains constrained by ESG screens, fragmented national markets, and export-control uncertainty. The core dispute is over who pays and on what terms. Proposals for joint EU borrowing for defence — championed by France and several southern and eastern members — face resistance from fiscally conservative states including Germany, the Netherlands, and the Nordics. Parallel debates concern whether non-EU allies such as the UK, Norway, and the United States should access EU-funded programmes, and how to reconcile cohesion-style geographic return rules (juste retour) with the need to back the most competitive firms. The current trajectory points toward a larger defence and space envelope in the post-2027 MFF, expanded EIB and national development bank involvement, and new instruments to crowd in private capital — but the political bargain over scale, conditionality, and third-country participation is unresolved. Key players - [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Champion of common EU borrowing and a 'Buy European' defence-industrial preference.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Largest contributor; gatekeeper on joint debt and fiscal rules.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [Netherlands](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/netherlands) [Fiscally conservative voice shaping limits on common financing.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/netherlands) - [Poland](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/poland) [Fastest-growing defence spender, pushing for eastern-flank-oriented investment.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/poland) - [Italy](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) [Major space-industrial beneficiary and advocate of expanded EU instruments.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) - [Luxembourg](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/luxembourg) [Hub for defence and space venture financing and EIB headquarters host.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/luxembourg) 4 ### Space and Cybersecurity: Resilience in Orbit Space systems are now a recognised cybersecurity frontier. The February 2022 cyberattack on Viasat's KA-SAT network, which disabled tens of thousands of European modems including German wind-farm controllers and Ukrainian military communications at the outset of Russia's invasion, demonstrated that ground segments and user terminals are often the softest targets. Persistent GNSS jamming and spoofing in the Baltic, Black Sea, and eastern Mediterranean — widely attributed to Russian electronic warfare — and reported interference with commercial constellations have since become routine features of the European threat picture. The regulatory response is still maturing. The EU's NIS2 Directive and the Cyber Resilience Act extend baseline obligations to space operators and connected components, while ENISA, EUSPA, and national CERTs have begun publishing space-specific guidance. ESA's Cyber Security Operations Centre in Redu and the Commission's work on a Space Law package aim to formalise security-by-design across launch, platform, link, and ground segments. NATO's 2024 endorsement that significant attacks on allied space assets could trigger Article 5 consultations adds a deterrence layer, but attribution and proportionate response remain unresolved. The debate today centres on mandatory standards for commercial operators serving critical infrastructure, supply-chain security for satellite components, the role of quantum-resistant cryptography and EuroQCI, and how to defend against grey-zone jamming, spoofing, and rendezvous and proximity operations that fall below the threshold of armed attack. Key players - [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Operates the most developed European space command and cyber-defence doctrine.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Lead on EuroQCI and host to major commercial satcom operators.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [Belgium](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [Hosts ESA's Redu cyber centre and key NATO institutions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) - [Estonia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/estonia) [Drives EU cyber policy and hosts the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/estonia) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Principal source of jamming, spoofing, and the 2022 Viasat attack against European users.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Sets allied standards via US Space Command, CISA, and intelligence-sharing arrangements.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) ## Resources News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for European Space Security Forum 2026. Recent reporting to ground your prep [Europe's June Heatwave: Infrastructure Crisis](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/europes-june-heatwave-infrastructure-crisis) [Canada's Saab GlobalEye Deal Shifts Defense](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/canadas-saab-globaleye-deal-shifts-defense) [Macron's $27B Investment in Africa Explained](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/macrons-27-billion-africa-bet-targets-europes-reset) [OpenAI, Anthropic Brief Congress on AI Risks](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/openai-and-anthropic-brief-congress-on-ai-cybersecurity-risks) Lessons Bite-sized lessons to build the basics [Hidden Stakeholders](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/hidden-stakeholders) [Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies) [Dynamic Analysis](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/dynamic-analysis) [Stakeholder Mapping Workshop](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/stakeholder-workshop) Courses Guided courses that go deeper on the topic [Advanced Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/advanced-negotiation) [Multilateral Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/multilateral-negotiation) [Policy Brief Writing](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/policy-brief) [Conflict Resolution](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/conflict-resolution) The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance [Belgium](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Italy](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/italy) [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Spain](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/spain) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/spain) [Luxembourg](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/luxembourg) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/luxembourg) [Netherlands](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/netherlands) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/netherlands) [Poland](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/poland) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/poland) [Estonia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/estonia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/estonia) [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) ## Frequently asked questions - - - Free account Save conferences, research any topic with AI, build position papers, and keep your daily prep streak — free. 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