Mircea Geoana, deputy secretary general of NATO, has emphasized the role the commercial space industry plays in the alliance’s security.
At NATO’s first space reverse industry day, the Romanian leader talked to attendees about the importance of cooperation.
“This is not a job for NATO alone. It is something we must do together,” he said.
The industry day was attended by space industry representatives from 21 NATO nations. A sizeable percentage of the audience was from startups, small and medium enterprises, and non-traditional defense companies.
The event allowed commercial space companies to engage with the alliance and provide input informing NATO’s future space-related activities.
Among the topics discussed is space innovation through the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, which NATO formed in 2021 to foster cooperation and support the development of critical defense capabilities.
In 2023, NATO allies introduced the Alliance Persistent Surveillance from Space, an effort to build a virtual satellite constellation. Called Aquila, the constellation will be composed of national and commercial space assets. Aquila is expected to facilitate seamless data collection and sharing among allies.