Gathering at the French Space Command in Toulouse, senior space officials from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the UK and the US held discussions to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening space cooperation and best operational practice.
“Space-based and enabled technologies provide everyday services we at times take for granted, such as navigation, telecommunications, commerce and weather forecasting,” said Australia’s Space Commander, Major General Greg Novak.
“Disruption to these services risks compromising our security and wider national interests.”
MAJGEN Novak added that the meetings are important in ensuring the effective, legal and efficient collaboration of major nations that have a space presence, saying: “The CSpO initiative provides an opportunity to discuss shared space domain interests as well as concerns about the growing threats posed by irresponsible and unsafe behaviours in space.”
MAJGEN Novak also noted that Australia is deeply committed in “deterring conflict, maintaining a secure and stable domain and opposing activities that threaten operations”, according to a statement.
The nations involved made a solidified commitment to adhering to international law, warning that without initiatives such as the CSpO, unlawful and unsafe space behaviour by nation states could have a tangible impact on security risks in space and on land.