As the custodian, the NATO Space COE is leading the development of the new Allied Joint Doctrine for Space Operations (AJP 3.29), a key document enabling allies to work and be stronger together in the space domain.

Participants collaborated to review and adjudicate comments on the doctrine, helping to shape the consolidated version scheduled for publication in 2026.

The NATO space community and national space representatives from the Allies gathered in Mons for two pivotal events:

• On May 5th, the NATO Space Centre of Excellence – as the Department Head for the space discipline – led the Annual Discipline Conference, focusing on updates and the future of Space Education and Training in NATO.
• On May 6th and 7th, the 27th meeting of the NATO Bi-Strategic Command Space Working Group followed. In its role as custodian, the NATO Space COE had a crucial opportunity to update the community on the development of the NATO Doctrine for space operations, AJP 3.29.

From 4 to 6 March, national and NATO space domain stakeholders gathered in Toulouse to refine the document’s content, incorporating improvement proposals from the participants in alignment with NATO’s standardization process.

There is a real desire among participants to better integrate space into the management of the strategic approach to deterrence.

The successful conclusion of the meeting marked another milestone in the maturation of this crucial document for NATO Space.
Efforts are now focused on finalizing the second Study Draft!

The NATO Space COE was a speaker at the NATO Use of Civil Standards Workshop held at the Hellenic Armed Forces Officers Club in Athens, Greece, 11-13 February.

As the custodian of NATO Space Operations Doctrine AJP 3.29, the Doctrine & Standardization Division spoke about:
The development of this future doctrine
The NATO Space COE activities and the ramp-up phase!

The NATO Space COE within its custodianship responsibility for AJP3.29 (Allied Joint Publication for Space Operations) organized the writing team Space doctrine session, hosted in Toulouse from 24th to 26th of September.

The doctrine is developed under the NATO standard development procedure with currently expected asap promulgation. This procedure requires to reach several milestones where the first study draft diffusion is one.

The main objective of this meeting was to finalize it with the writing team (several Nations Alliance representatives and NATO entities).

One of the steps identified as necessary to fulfill this process was the introduction of a new Space doctrine!

• In December 2023: the review phase was concluded by the publishment of official Space doctrine task, and the development phase has started.
• Last month: the custodianship originally covered by CICDE (the French Joint Centre for Concepts, Doctrines and Experiments) was transferred to the NATO Space COE at the occasion of a doctrine writing team meeting, hosted by CICDE in the majestic setting of the Ecole Militaire in Paris. 
• Now: the NATO Space COE is proud to take the custodianship of Alliance Space operations doctrine: AJP 3.29.