NATO to set up new space center amid China, Russia concerns

To a few of locals, top-secret, fenced-off installation on hill is kwn as “ rar station.” Some folks claim to have seen mysterious Russians in area. Over years, rumors have swirled that it might be a base for U.S. nuclear warhes.

It’s easy to see how rumors start. site is visually striking. Four huge white Kevlar balls sit like giant spherical craft in a compound in middle of open farm country 25 kilometers (16 miles) west of Belgium's capital, Brussels.

But Kester Satellite Ground Station is both safer and more sophisticated than local lore might suggest. It’s central to communications at NATO — biggest and most modern of four such stations military alliance runs.

Around 2,000 satellites orbit earth, over half operated by NATO countries, ensuring everything from mobile phone and banking services to wear forecasts. NATO commanders in places like Afghanistan or Kosovo rely on some of m to navigate, communicate, share intelligence and detect missile launches.

This week, site at Kester is set to fall under a new orbit, when NATO anunces that it is creating a center to help man satellite communications and key parts of its military operations around world.

In December, NATO leers declared to be alliance’s “fifth domain” of operations, after land, sea, air and cyber. Over two days of talks starting Thursday, NATO defense ministers will greenlight a new center at alliance’s Air Command in Ramstein, Germany.

“This will be a focal point for ensuring support to NATO operations, sharing information and coordinating our activities,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said before meeting.

It’s part of alliance’s efforts to keep ahe in a fast moving and hi-tech sector, particularly amid concern about what member countries say is increasingly aggressive behavior in by China and Russia.

Around 80 countries have satellites and private companies are moving in too. In 1980s, just a fraction of NATO’s communications was via satellite. Today, it’s at least 40%. During Cold War, NATO h more than 20 stations, but new techlogies mean world’s biggest security organization can double its cover with a fifth of that number.

At Kester, behind a double security fence, massive steel gates and bulletproof glass in a facility that can withstand a terror attack or any attempt to jam communications, four satellite dishes ensconced in Kevlar domes connect NATO’s civilian and military hequarters in Belgium to ir operations around world.

From ir elevated position, dishes — two of m 16 meters (52 feet) in diameter — beam information and imry down across Europe and over Africa into above equator where satellites owned by allies like United States, Britain, France and Italy orbit. NATO itself doesn't own any satellites.

Around globe, commanders in ships, aircraft and mobile or static hequarters decrypt data to gar orders, pictures and intelligence, prepare missions, or move troops and military equipment. From Kester, new lines of communication can be set up for NATO within a half-hour.

Much of facility is encased in thick steel plates, including ducts where cables run, to withstand any attack by electromagnetic pulses — high bursts of energy that can kck out electrical power grids or destroy electronic circuit boards and components.

But NATO allies are increasingly concerned about or kinds of attacks using anti-satellite weapons miles above earth which could wreak havoc below and leave dangerous debris rift in .

“Some nations – including Russia and China – are developing anti-satellite systems which could blind, disable or shoot down satellites and create dangerous debris in orbit. We must increase our understanding of challenges in and our ability to dress m,” Stoltenberg said.

For moment, military alliance insists that its “approach will remain defensive and fully in line with international law.” And despite strides being me in “fifth domain,” Stoltenberg has repeatedly said over last year that “NATO has intention to put weapons in .”