Nations with secondary space programs--some of which once joined China in criticizing U.S. space-control policy--are now promoting their own ideas of controlling space through advanced communications and networking. At the Strategic Space and Defense conference in Omaha (Oct. 9 to 11), military leaders from France and India were among those advocating a new role for nations operating in the United States' shadow.

A French space-surveillance radar has detected 20-30 satellites in low Earth orbit that do not figure in the U.S. Defense Department's published catalogue, a discovery that French officials say they will use to pressure U.S. authorities to stop publishing the whereabouts of French reconnaissance and military communications satellites.

France won an international competition today to be the site of the world's first nuclear fusion reactor, an estimated $12 billion project that many scientists see as essential to solving the world's future energy needs.

The French newspaper Liberation has reported that France is preparing to change its nuclear weapons doctrine to include the possible use of first strikes against rogue states.

France and Germany have announced that they are forming a joint military satellite system to share intelligence assets.

French Engineers are preparing to launch a new generation of their Spot satellite that will be able to "take images which are up to five times clearer than those currently available."