The UK lately welcomed over 140 specialists from throughout NATO member states, trade, academia, and worldwide organisations for a high-level assembly centered on dual-use space applied sciences
Held from 6 to 7 October 2025 in Bath, the NATO Science and Technology Organisation (STO) Research Specialists’ Meeting aimed to handle the technical, operational, and regulatory challenges of deploying dual-use applied sciences in an more and more contested space atmosphere.
Led by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and NATO’s Systems Concepts and Integration (SCI) Panel, the occasion was delivered in partnership with the UK Space Agency, reinforcing the UK’s management in NATO-aligned space innovation and defence collaboration.
NATO’s space capabilities
The assembly introduced collectively main voices in space analysis and defence to outline future space functionality necessities throughout the NATO alliance. The discussions centered on key operational areas akin to Space Domain Awareness (SDA), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Space Control, Satellite Communications, and rising applied sciences like In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM).
Co-chaired by the UK Space Agency’s National Security Lead and a consultant from the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the occasion additionally featured contributions from organisations akin to the European Space Agency (ESA) and NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA).
The classes helped lay the groundwork for a Technical Evaluation Report, which can inform NATO’s strategic planning for space technology growth in the coming years.
UK’s NATO First’ strategy
The UK continues to place itself at the forefront of NATO space efforts, taking a ‘NATO First’ strategy to defence and safety via innovation and worldwide collaboration. With space recognized as a rising area of worldwide competitors, the assembly aligns with the UK authorities’s broader dedication to bolstering European and transatlantic safety.
The UK Space Agency performed a giant function at the occasion, delivering workshops and contributing experience on space-based menace monitoring via the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC). The company additionally highlighted dual-use initiatives supported by the National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP), which promotes technological developments with each business and defence purposes.
By fostering cooperation between governments, trade leaders, and researchers, the occasion aimed to unlock the full potential of dual-use space applied sciences. These applied sciences are seen as a strategic asset that may enhance financial progress, improve safety, and drive technological innovation throughout NATO members.
Investments in dual-use capabilities can create a feedback loop of innovation. Commercial demand encourages speedy growth, whereas defence necessities push the limits of what’s technically achievable, providing new alternatives for the personal sector and analysis establishments.
The outcomes of the Bath assembly will feed into the NATO Science and Technology Organisation’s Collaborative Programme of Work (CPOW), guiding future analysis priorities and setting the stage for long-term innovation in space defence applied sciences.