In plain terms
NATO has no satellites of its own, but makes sure that the satellites of its members and of companies deliver the right thing to an operation at the right moment — and keeps an eye on what is happening in space around us.
In practiceWhen NATO plans an air operation, the Space Centre in Ramstein provides, among other things, the overview of which satellite images are available, when enemy satellites pass overhead, where GPS jamming is to be expected and how space weather affects communications.
| Task | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Space support to operations | Delivering space services to missions: PNT, SATCOM, ISR, missile warning (shared via the US) and weather/space weather |
| Space domain awareness | Knowing which objects and threats are in space, including enemy satellites watching |
| Coordination and protection | Including space in planning and exercises; mapping the Alliance's own dependencies and vulnerabilities |
NATO deliberately phrases this differently from the US: the emphasis is on support and awareness, not on offensive "space control" (see 5.5).