The 2025 edition of the AsterX military space exercise organized by the French Space Command (CDE) was held in Toulouse from March 17 to 28.  This edition was written in the framework of cooperation, whether multi-domain approach (MDO) with air, land, sea and cyber liaison officers, for in-depth integration of other armies and domains, or international with the participation of 24 foreign players from 12 partner nations.

This year's exercise was complex in many ways: in terms of the diversity of forces present, its phasing, the integration of industrial partners, and also because it involved all levels, from tactical to strategic, political and diplomatic. In terms of phasing, this edition had the particularity of taking place in two sequences. The first was played out in a French context, to build a national response to certain threats in a competitive phase. The second phase was designed to strengthen cooperation with our allies in a confrontational phase.

AsterX, a highlight of the CDE's operational readiness, enabled its operators to train in the planning and conduct of joint and coalition military space operations (OSM), under simulated conditions that were realistic, complex and interconnected with other environments. This exercise also enabled the development of interoperability and a common culture of space operations with international partners, as well as commercial support for space operations through the integration of industrial partners within the framework of an extended relationship of trust, and the strengthening of synergies with CNES, whose support is essential. The presence of our industrial partners directly in the operations room makes AsterX a conceptual laboratory.

The 170 participants were confronted with the full spectrum of space warfare. This fifth edition was built around an alliance (the blues and the greens) confronted by an adversary (the reds), which accentuated the non-deterministic nature of the exercise, allowing for a highly dynamic and uncomfortable scenario for our operators, with a view to pushing them to explore their limits.

AsterX illustrates France's leading role in the military space sector and its ability to mobilize around common threats. In space, cooperation is a major challenge, whether between our armed forces or with our partners. Solidarity in the face of increasingly numerous and varied threats is a definite strategic advantage: this is the spirit and purpose of the AsterX exercise.