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NATO is looking to set up a space domain awareness marketplace similar to the U.S. Space Force’s Joint Commercial Operations (JCO) effort.
NATO’s Space Operational Center is a JCO customer, but the alliance wants to go further so it can directly deal with commercial entities, according to an official speaking at the annual C4ISR Global Defense iQ event in London. The goal is to have the marketplace up and running as soon as possible.
The alliance has several other projects underway to work together: the Alliance Persistent Surveillance for Space program to tap national Earth observation capabilities, the Starlift responsive access to space imitative, and the Northlink Arctic satellite communications push. That list is likely to grow, though NATO has no plans for alliance-owned space systems at this point.
The various efforts are part of NATO’s broader push to expand its space capabilities as it continues trying to establish space as a full-fledged warfighting domain since deciding to do so in 2019.
As part of that effort, NATO’s Space Center of Excellence is writing a space operations doctrine. That document is expected to achieve ratification by year’s end, the official said.
The Toulouse-based center is also likely to expand, with the U.S. and Canada set to sign on as members. Australia, though not a NATO partner, is also due to join soon as a contributing member.
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