BRUSSELS (RIA Nov-osti): The North Atlantic Alliance on Monday rele-ased NATO’s Comprehen-sive Space Policy, which sets out its intention to extend the organization’s collective defense principles, including Article 5, to outer space.
NATO agreed on its space strategy back in 2019. The decision on a joint response to threats in space, including the possibility of invoking Article 5, was made at the NATO summit in Brussels in June 2021. According to the Fifth Article of the North Atlantic Treaty, an attack on one member of the alliance in Europe or North America is considered an attack on the alliance as a whole.
“At the Brussels summit in 2021, the allies agreed that attacks from space, from space and in outer space represent a clear challenge to the security of the alliance,” the document says.
The consequences of attacks in space “may threaten the prosperity, security, stability of states and the Euro-Atlantic area” and “may be as devastating” to modern societies as the consequences of the use of conventional weapons.
“Such attacks could trigger Article 5. The decision on when such an attack could trigger Article 5 will be made by the North Atlantic Council on a case-by-case basis,” the document emphasizes.
The “Policy” also reflects NATO’s intention to integrate space into the alliance’s collective security and defense system, along with cyberspace, sea, air and land.
“Space is a global environment, any conflict spreading in space can affect all users of this space. Even in cases where NATO is not involved in the conflict, the space systems of allies can be affected… Space is important for coordinated deterrence and defense,” they emphasize in NATO.
At the same time, the alliance notes that NATO’s activities in space will be carried out within the framework of international law, including the UN Charter.
“Free access, exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes is in the common interest of the entire global community. NATO and allies will carry out their activities… in the interests of maintaining peace and security and promoting international cooperation,” the document states.
The Alliance advocated international efforts to “develop norms, rules and principles for responsible behavior in space.”
The Alliance, according to the Comprehensive Policy, “does not seek to develop its own space capabilities. Allies have voluntarily committed themselves in accordance with national law to provide data, products and services that may be required for the operations, missions and other activities of the alliance”.
“NATO does not seek to become an autonomous player in space. NATO will coordinate the activities of allies, interact with relevant international organizations, including the UN and the EU,” the document emphasizes.
The alliance indicates that “NATO intends to serve as a forum for military-political consultations and the exchange of information on developments in the field of deterrence and defense in space… To promote the development of compatibility and interoperability between space services and the capabilities of allies.”
According to the strategy, the allies are also going to more actively include space in the exercises. “Space should feature more consistently and prominently in NATO exercises to work out partial or complete loss of access to space services provided by allied forces. NATO forces should be ready to act when space support in operations deteriorates or is interrupted,” the document explains.
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