Strategic Overview of European Space and Security Governance

The importance of security is increasing in strategic policies, activities, and programs of European countries, the European Union (EU), and the European Space Agency (ESA). Each European country has a unique national space governance structure that facilitates linkages with the aforementioned and other space-related organizations. National space governance in this chapter means “the way that national authorities and structures are managed within a state in order to supervise space related organizations, space budget, space strategy and policy.” These structures determine decision-making power, representative mandates, implementation of programs, and interaction among all organizational actors. The chapter, thus, focuses on the governance structures that enable decision-making processes when it comes to space and security, within which there is ample attention for coordination among and between the national, multilateral, regional, and intergovernmental levels. The chapter concludes with an archetype model of national governance for space and security that facilitates interconnections with relevant organizations.