Operational capabilities
Safeguarding space operations
With millions of debris and thousands of new satellites, managing space traffic is essential. Avenue 4 of the EU STM approach promotes the Union's strategy internationally as its contribution to addressing the global challenge of increasing space traffic.
EU approach to Space Traffic Management
The EU STM approach proposes ten actions along four avenues, several of which call for fora in which experts develop solutions to the rapidly increasing traffic in space together with the Commission, the High Representative and other EU and European bodies commonly.
Mirroring the four avenues of the EU STM approach, the Stakeholder Mechanism on Space Traffic Management (STM) consists of one main group and four subgroups which gather ideas and contributions to implement the ten STM actions.
The main group coordinates and supervises the work of the subgroups and ensures liaison between DG DEFIS and EEAS on the one hand and the Member States on the other.
For more information on space traffic management, contact DEFIS-STM@ec.europa.eu.
Avenue 2: Operational capabilities in support of STM
Monitoring space traffic is key to keeping space assets safe. This is why EU Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) with its sensor network, processing capabilities and services is the operational backbone of the EU STM approach.
EU SST also supports the development of EU industrial SST capabilities. This boosts the competitiveness and innovation of the SST industry in Europe, supports the rapidly growing demand for and development of new SST services, and improves and consolidates the autonomy of EU SST in all orbit regimes beyond the network of existing national assets.
The EU Industry and Start-ups Forum on STM (EISF), co-chaired by the Commission and the EU SST Partnership, defines research and development priorities for the Union’s SST domain together with EU companies incl. start-ups, SMEs, midcaps and large companies (and some EU research and technology organisations).
For more information on the EISF, contact DEFIS-EUSST-INDUSTRYFORUM@ec.europa.eu.
For more information on EU SST tendering opportunities, consult Procurement – EU SST.
- Regulation (EU) 2021/696
- Joint Communication: An EU Approach for Space Traffic Management
- Fair and sustainable use of space (Council Conclusions of Swedish Presidency (2023)
- EU approach to space traffic management (Council Conclusions of French Presidency (2022)
- An EU approach for Space Traffic Management (European Parliament Resolution (2022)
Space Traffic Management subcomponents
With millions of debris pieces and thousands of new satellites in orbit, managing space traffic becomes increasingly essential. Avenue 3 of the EU approach to Space Traffic Management (STM) develops and promotes voluntary measures and binding obligations in the field of space traffic management.
Safeguarding space operations
With millions of debris and thousands of new satellites, managing space traffic is essential. Avenue 4 of the EU STM approach promotes the Union's strategy internationally as its contribution to addressing the global challenge of increasing space traffic.
With millions of debris and thousands of new satellites, managing space traffic is essential. Avenue 1 of the EU STM approach gathers civilian and military operator needs to ensure continued safe operations in space.