Space and security as an identity forming element — Meeting Europe’s external and internal security through space applications

Abstract

Europe has long been characterised by war and conflict. Thus, the basic idea behind the European integration process was to establish peace and security through economic integration. In order to do so, a common understanding of “peace” and “security” needed to be laid down. Once this had been achieved the necessary instruments for providing security both internally and externally had to be found. One such instruments are space applications, which can in turn also contribute to the development of a European security identity. Thus this essay seeks to answer three questions: (1) How can “security” be an identity-forming element?; (2) How can space policy and particularly a European Space Security Policy contribute to a European identity? And (3) What specific elements of a European Space Security Identity can be identified?²²² This European Space Security Identity is one tessera in the process of establishing a European identity or one small piece of the already existing European identity.