With the growing number of space resident objects and the increasing importance of space assets the independent and peaceful European utilization of space for research and/or service depends on the capability to safely operate the European space infrastructure. The Space Situation Awareness (SSA) program of the European Space Agency (ESA) can be seen as the basis for any future measures to guarantee access to space.

After consultation of the ESA member states a Space Situation Awareness (SSA) initiative was prepared in 2007.  As a result an enabling resolution has been mandated in March 2008 to ESA to prepare a program proposal for the development of a European SSA program. The objective is the establishment of a reliable and coherent SSA program covering the time frame from 2009 to 2019. The first phase from 2009 till 2011 will consist of a preparatory program followed by a second phase, which should provide a fully operational independent European SSA System. The first part of the program, the SSA Preparatory Program has been approved in 2008. The phase two of the SSA program is assumed to be approved in 2011.