An online panel discussion, initiated and led by Ambassador (ret.) Prof. Dr. Heinrich Kreft, explored "Europe's strategic challenges and opportunities in space," coinciding with the launch of the English version of the book "Race to Space" (ISBN 978-3986741471). Dr. Krisztina Tilinger from Ludovika University of Public Service provided the introduction.

The discussion featured prominent experts: Prof. Dr. Heinrich Kreft (Chair of Diplomacy at Andrássy University Budapest (AUB) (ret.); Senior Fellow at the Istanbul Policy Centre; ‘Programme Director China’ at the Diplomatic Academy of the Federal Foreign Office, Berlin; lecturer at AUB and NKE Budapest and lecturer at the Marshall Center, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, President of the Diplomatic Council, co-author „Race to Space), Dr. Krisztina Tilinger (space and maritime law attorney; doctoral candidate at the Institute of International Law at the University of Győr; researcher and advisor on space policy at the Institute for Air, Space and Telecommunications Law, Eötvös József Research Centre, Ludovika University of Public Administration (LUPS), Budapest), PD Dr. habil. Antje Nötzold (private lecturer and research assistant, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chair of International Politics), Andrea Rotter (deputy director, head of the Foreign and Security Policy Department, Academy for Politics and Current Affairs, Hanns Seidel Foundation), Andreas Dripke (Executive Chairman Diplomatic Council; co-author „Race to Space“) and Juliana Suess, M.A. (Advisor for Defence and Security Policy, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin).

Dr. Antje Nötzold emphasized the growing strategic importance of space, highlighting its role as a domain for technological dominance and superiority. Space is now integral to daily life, with the global space economy valued at over 600 billion US dollars, projected to triple by 2035 with annual growth rates around 9%. Nötzold noted a significant increase in active satellites from approximately 1,000 in 2010 to over 11,000 currently, with around 50 new satellites launching weekly. This dynamic environment also brings a massive debris problem, with over 40,000 objects greater than 10 cm and over one million objects between 1 and 10 cm, many untraceable from Earth, posing kinetic threats. She underscored the dual-use nature of space assets, vital for military operations like Earth observation, navigation, SATCOM, and intelligence, making space critical for multi-domain operations and future warfare on "hyper-transparent battlefields". Nötzold also detailed counter-space capabilities, including anti-satellite weapons, co-orbital attacks, non-kinetic means (lasers, microwaves), electronic warfare (jamming, spoofing), and cyberattacks, noting an ongoing arms race primarily involving the United States, Russia, and China. The war in Ukraine began with a Russian cyberattack on the Viasat satellite system, highlighting space warfare's current reality and proving it as the first commercial space war.

Andrea Rotter discussed Europe's space challenges. While Europe is relatively well-positioned with sophisticated assets like Galileo and Copernicus, the Ukraine war has shown space's integral role in security. The EU recognizes space as a strategic domain in its 2022 Strategic Compass and 2023 EU Space Strategy for Security and Defense, shifting towards emphasizing security and defense. Initiatives aim to promote shared understanding among member states, increase system resilience, reduce external dependencies, and improve space domain awareness. However, Europe faces challenges such as fragmented governance with overlapping mandates among EU institutions, ESA, national governments, and NATO, hindering a cohesive space policy. Rotter also pointed out that Europe's promising new space industry lags behind the US and China in terms of private and public R&D investment, speed of innovation, and commercial-military integration. She highlighted Europe's underinvestment in space defense; in 2023, the US spent $39 billion, China $8.8 billion, and France (the largest European spender) only $1.3 billion. This dependence on US assets creates vulnerability, especially given potential shifts in US policy. Rotter advocated for increased resilience of European space systems, expanding capabilities in space situational awareness, secure COM, ISR, and early warning, to become a more reliable transatlantic partner.

Juliana Suess, M.A., emphasized the fundamental role of space in enabling basic functions of modern defense, asserting that without satellites, the way military and security operate would be fundamentally different. She highlighted critical functions like communications through satellites, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (including optical and radar satellites), and positioning, navigation, and timing (e.g., GPS). Suess noted that the war in Ukraine brought space-enabled services into the limelight, showcasing their utility through Starlink for command and control and drone maneuvering, as well as commercial satellite imagery for monitoring military buildups. She confirmed that anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons are not new, with the first successful US test in 1959. Suess detailed the spectrum of counter-space measures, from temporary signal disruptions (like GPS jamming, notably increased in Ukraine since 2014) to permanent destruction, a capability tested by Russia, the United States, India, and China. She mentioned the February 2022 cyberattack on Viasat's satellite system at the outset of the Ukraine war, which had widespread implications. Suess stressed the imperative for Europe to build resilience in its space systems, including redundancies and exploring terrestrial alternatives, especially given the significant reliance on US-based assets, which creates vulnerability and potential pressure from new US administrations.

Andreas Dripke argued that Europe must adopt a "first principle thinking" approach, similar to SpaceX, to foster innovation and economic viability. He criticized Europe's outdated "Cost-Plus model" for space exploration, where longer, more expensive projects lead to higher profits for companies, contrasting it with the US market-driven model. Dripke highlighted that 70% of all active satellites globally are US-based, while Europe accounts for only 1-2%. He urged the new EU Commissioner for Defence and Space to facilitate market-driven competition in Europe, emphasizing the need for fewer regulations and more competition to drive innovation and attract private capital. He believes Europe has the potential to catch up within a decade or 15 years, but it requires a fundamental shift in approach.

Prof. Dr. Heinrich Kreft's contributions to the discussion underscored the imperative for Europe to recognize and actively address its strategic position in the space domain. He emphasized the critical need for Europe to prepare itself and actively create opportunities to follow the path towards greater autonomy in space, particularly in light of the US's dominant position. Throughout the session, Kreft repeatedly highlighted that the challenges facing Europe in space are significant and demand urgent attention from the new German government and the EU Commission. His arguments frequently circled back to the notion that the lessons from recent global events, such as the conflict in Ukraine, serve as a stark "wake-up call" for Europe, making it evident that the continent can no longer afford to ignore the strategic importance of space.

The panel concluded by emphasizing the urgency of European space cooperation. Juliana Suess acknowledged encouraging PESCO projects like "Defense of Space Assets" that harmonize defense capability requirements. Andrea Rotter reiterated the need for European champions and consolidation to combat fragmentation, and a prioritization of strategic vision over competing economic interests among member states. Antje Nötzold added that Europe's challenge is not a lack of realization but a lack of implementation in space and defense. Andreas Dripke highlighted that innovation will come from the industry and private investors, not solely from state agencies, and encouraged attracting private capital to the European space market. The collective sentiment was a cautious optimism, acknowledging the substantial challenges but emphasizing the necessity of a coordinated, well-funded, and innovation-driven European approach to space.