EU SPACE defence project
EU joint defence project for military space capabilities, from missile Early Warning to satellite communications.
The EU SPACE defence project joined the Council's 28 September 2026 list of common-interest defence projects; estimated at up to €24bn by 2034, it is the only one of the five without Ukraine.
Last refreshed: 1 October 2026
Timeline for EU SPACE defence project
Mentioned in: EU picks DECODER drone project for EDIP
Drones: Industry & DefenceBackground
SPACE is an EU joint defence project for military space capabilities. the Commission's July 2026 proposal covers space-based Early Warning, satellite communications, intelligence and reconnaissance, space domain awareness, positioning and timing, navigation warfare and responsive space systems.
The project may lead to a multi-mission constellation, and it contributes to the EU Space Shield. The proposal listed 16 participants, including Norway.
Council selection on 28 September made SPACE eligible for European Defence Industry Programme co-funding, drawn from a €325m allocation it shares with four other projects. Ukraine, which takes part in each of the other four, stays outside the space effort.