US Joins 15 NATO Nations in Largest Space Data Collection Initiative in History

This undated artist's concept depicts NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft entering interstellar space, or the space between stars. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Handout/Reuters

The United States will partner with 15 NATO member countries, along with invitees Finland and Sweden, to launch the “largest space project” in history that would smooth the gathering process of data collected from space.

The goal of the initiative, entitled “Alliance Persistent Surveillance from Space” (APSS), is to significantly enhance the alliance’s intelligence and surveillance while also providing essential support to NATO military missions and operations, according to a Feb. 15 statement.