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By Ceyhun Khalilov I AzerNEWS

There are moments in history when the inability to make a decision itself becomes a decision, and the consequences of that decision shape the destiny of a nation for decades to come. We are at precisely such a juncture today.

The world is transitioning to a new power order. The borders of states no longer carry meaning limited to the lines visible on a map. Information flows, communication channels, financial systems, military coordination, and energy networks are all tied to space infrastructure. If this infrastructure is not under your control, your sovereignty is not complete. We must therefore accept that the frontiers of the future will be drawn not on land, but in orbit.

Visible and Invisible Borders

Azerbaijan knows what it means to defend its visible borders. As a people, we understand the true price of statehood. Yet in the twenty-first century, security is no longer confined to physical frontiers.

Today, invisible borders exist: orbital positions, frequency spectrums, satellite communications, space observation capabilities, and navigation systems.

If control over these invisible borders is weak, the stability of the visible ones is also placed at risk. Dependence on foreign satellite services can create strategic vulnerabilities for critical infrastructure. As this makes clear, state security can no longer be ensured through a ground-based defense concept alone.

If a communication system depends on external actors, if surveillance data is obtained from foreign platforms, and if navigation capabilities are not under national control, a state may appear politically independent while remaining strategically constrained and susceptible to external influence.

Independence is not measured solely by a flag, a constitution, and international recognition. In the twenty-first century, a state's genuine sovereignty lies in its functional control over vital systems. A state that does not possess communication, surveillance, navigation, and space infrastructure becomes strategically limited and subject to external influence. The concept of Cosmic Homeland addresses precisely this gap — it is the strategic framework for securing national functional independence in the space domain. Without it, a state may be politically independent yet functionally constrained.

Cosmic Homeland is not a territorial expansion claim. It is the systematic establishment of national functional sovereignty in the space domain. This is no longer a matter of choice — it is a prerequisite for a state's sustainable existence in the twenty-first century.

Orbital Diplomacy

The orbital position at 46° East longitude in geostationary orbit, located approximately 36,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface, has belonged to Azerbaijan since 2023. A decade before that, Azerspace-1, our country's first telecommunications satellite, was operating at that very position — under C and Ku frequency bands — through an orbital resource administered by Malaysia. If that era represented Azerbaijan's operational presence in space, then 2023 marked the formal establishment of the country's first sovereign orbital position in geostationary orbit, as that position transitioned to national control in both legal and technical terms.

It must be noted that our country's resources in the space environment are limited. Orbital positions and frequency spectrums are not infinite. We must act before others if we are to further expand our positions. Whoever falls behind in this domain will be compelled to integrate into a space ecosystem built by others. Strategic vacuums do not remain vacant for long — they are filled by more agile actors.

This is why orbital diplomacy serves as the legal and geopolitical instrument of the Cosmic Homeland strategy.

The orbital diplomacy to be developed must ensure not only the protection of national orbital rights but also active participation in international space mechanisms, the effective registration of frequency resources, and the promotion of regional cooperation initiatives. Passivity in outer space is synonymous with strategic risk.

In advanced nations, artificial intelligence systems are already processing space-derived data. The digital economy is being built upon satellite infrastructure, and modern security concepts demand space integration.

In the emerging space ecosystem, we have two options: to be among those who write the rules, or to be among those who adapt to rules written by others. The choice is ours. If we fail to take initiative, tomorrow the rules will be set by others.

The Cosmic Homeland strategy is not solely a matter of security. It represents the next stage of the national development model. This approach can broaden Azerbaijan's prospects for regional technological leadership and consolidate its position in the value chain of the digital economy. Cosmic Homeland is, therefore, a comprehensive strategic framework encompassing security, economics, and geopolitics.

History rarely offers nations a second chance. I state with conviction: a nation that does not think in cosmic terms today will be subject to cosmic decisions tomorrow. A state that fails to demonstrate strategic will in this domain will become the executor of another's strategic agenda.

The concept of Cosmic Homeland is not an emotional appeal — it is a strategic necessity for ensuring functional sovereignty. Considering the current geopolitical landscape, time does not work in our favor in this domain. We must therefore understand that uncontrolled orbital positions will not remain vacant for long, and that strategic vacuums will be filled without delay.

We face two choices: either we become a power in orbit, or we remain dependent on the power established in orbit. The decision must be made now.

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Ceyhun Khalilov is the Chairman of the Public Union for Support to the Development of New Technologies