Space emerges as new front in great power competition, officials warn

Speakers at the Munich Cyber Security Conference warned that space has become a contested domain where satellites and the global undersea cable network create critical vulnerabilities for modern life. Industry figures like Declan Ganley argued for resilient “outernet” constellations that can operate independently of ground gateways and subsea cables to ensure communications survive deliberate disruption. #RivadaSpaceNetworks #SubseaCables

Keypoints

Space is rapidly turning into a primary arena of great-power competition and operational risk.
Satellites support essential services—GPS, military communications, weather, and missile warning—so their loss would have cascading effects.
Around 550 subsea cables form a concentrated vulnerability that adversaries could exploit or sever at relatively low cost.
Rivada’s proposed “outernet” seeks a satellite network that remains functional without reliance on terrestrial gateways or undersea cables.
Diplomatic rules and resilience investments lag behind technological developments, increasing the chance of miscalculation and prolonged disruption.