Space Policy & International Cooperation News

SpaceWatch Global

Bavaria and NRW compete to host Germany’s European Space Component Command and Academy

Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia are vying to host Germany’s European Space Component Command and Space Safety and Security Academy. Accessibility could prove decisive in selecting the location, positioning the outcome as an early test of how Germany will organize its space-security institutions.

SpaceWatch Global

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Riyadh space-policy talks weigh direct-to-device timelines, 2 GHz MSS deadline and WRC-27 countdown

Day two of the Riyadh discussions covered direct-to-device satellite timelines, Europe’s 2 GHz mobile-satellite-services deadline, the costs of orbital debris and preparations for WRC-27. Regulators stressed that allocating spectrum does not itself authorize its use, underscoring the distinction between international frequency decisions and national licensing.

SpaceWatch Global

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Earth observation sovereignty depends on what remains operational when systems come under pressure

An analysis of sovereign Earth observation examines the dependencies behind national capabilities, the role of interoperability and which functions must remain available when systems are stressed or fail. It frames sovereignty not simply as ownership of satellites, but as the resilience of the broader capability.

CNBC

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Analysts weigh SpaceX’s wireless push against AST SpaceMobile’s launch risks and carrier competition

SpaceX’s planned acquisition of up to 14 MHz of paired 800-MHz spectrum from Grain Management has sharpened investor focus on its satellite-to-phone ambitions. Piper Sandler downgraded AST SpaceMobile to Neutral and cut its price target to $54 from $98, citing deployment uncertainty in 2026–27; Bernstein also downgraded AT&T over SpaceX competition.

SpaceWatch Global

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Riyadh space forum highlights Europe’s challenges on IRIS², direct-to-device links, spectrum and space security

Day-one discussions in Riyadh offered five lessons for Europe, drawing on perspectives from France’s ANFR, the UK’s Ofcom, Ookla, the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs and Foradori. The issues included the IRIS² satellite program, direct-to-device connectivity, spectrum negotiations ahead of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference and space security.

SpaceWatch Global

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Opinion: Spacecraft AI needs human authority before autonomous action

Michael T. Neely examines accountability when artificial intelligence makes decisions aboard spacecraft faster than operators on Earth can respond. He argues that human authority must be built into autonomous systems before they act, putting control and responsibility at the center of space-AI design.

SpaceNews.com

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ESA member states signal support for a European human spaceflight capability

Representatives of several European national space agencies have expressed support for plans by the European Space Agency to develop a human spaceflight capability. The report signals backing among member states, but provides no details on the proposed capability, timetable, funding or participating agencies.

SpaceWatch Global

UK space-power doctrine echoes U.S. strategy, but Europe still lacks the capability to match its rhetoric

Christophe Bosquillon examines how the UK’s emerging space-power doctrine reflects the U.S. narrative around orbital weapons, while Europe faces a gap between defense ambitions and operational capability. The analysis highlights the strategic challenge of translating policy rhetoric into concrete space-defense capacity.