Toward a European Space Force
Matthew Mowthorpe, University of Hull

Europe is seeking to increase its independence in the realm of military space. In order to meet this aspiration, Europe is reassessing its space assets requirements and has decided to acquire an independent navigation positioning system in the form of the Galileo project, as well as reconnaissance assets under the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) system. These two systems are deemed enough to enable Europe to be self-sufficient in the realm of space. However, the United States has raised concern over Europe's Galileo system. This article examines these two systems along with the potential competition between the United States and Europe regarding future development of a reusable space launch vehicle.