On Wednesday, the German government announced its first-ever space defense strategy, aimed at strengthening Europe’s presence in orbit and protecting satellites amid rising tensions with Russia and China. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said at a press conference: “We must possess and develop deterrent and defensive capabilities in space.” Research Minister Dorothee Bär added: “We must not be naive and simply watch what China or the United States are doing.” As previously revealed, the German military will invest around €35 billion by 2030 in this strategy, developed in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology, and Space. Pistorius noted that the United States, China, and Russia are “highly active” in space, stressing that Germany must be able to defend its satellites against any attack that could paralyze entire nations. He cited a cyberattack at the start of the Ukraine war that disabled hundreds of wind turbines in Germany. Communications, GPS, banking transactions, and weather forecasts all rely on satellites, which have so far formed the core of Germany’s civil space strategy. In the context of Europe’s rearmament, Pistorius said modern military operations without data are inconceivable. However, he emphasized: “We will not pursue an aggressive course in space, we will not attack, and we will not allow attacks on satellites belonging to other states now or in the future.” Berlin aims for a “peaceful, sustainable, and orderly” use of space to prevent an arms race.
Sources - Agencies
