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25 Sep 25. German military to invest $41bn in space capabilities.
“Satellite networks today are an Achilles’ heel of modern societies. Whoever attacks them paralyzes entire nations,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius today announced that Berlin will invest €35bn ($41bn) over the next five years on space security, including improved cybersecurity.
“[W]e are building structures within the Bundeswehr to enable us to effectively defend and deter in space in the medium and long term,” he told the Federation of German Industries’ annual Space Congress in Berlin, according to an online translation of an MoD press release.
“We plan to acquire new satellite constellations — for early warning, reconnaissance, and communications. We will also utilize dual-use systems, meaning technologies that can be deployed for both civilian and military purposes,” Pistorius added.
That plan, according to the release, includes spending on:
- hardening systems against disruptions and attacks
- improved situational awareness through radars, telescopes and the future use of sentinel satellites
- the creation of redundancies through several networked satellite constellations
- secured, also on-demand available, transport capacities into space
- a dedicated military satellite operations center in the Bundeswehr Space Command
Pistorius specifically called out the need for improved cybersecurity for “all space systems” — and back in May Maj. Gen. Michael Traut, commander of German Space Command, said “self-protection measures [or] built-in self-protection” for satellites was on his “Christmas list.”
As for the motivating factor, Pistorius cited increasing threats to Western space assets from Russia and China as the impetus for the new spending plan.
“Satellite networks today are an Achilles’ heel of modern societies. Whoever attacks them paralyzes entire nations,” Pistorius said.
For example, he noted the February 2023 Russian cyberattack on Viasat’s communication satellite network in the run up to the invasion of Ukraine that also shut down German wind turbines, according to a report in Defense News.
Pistorius also alleged that Russian Luch/Olymp satellites have been shadowing two communications satellites operated by US firm Intelsat that are used by the Bundeswehr.
The Luch/Olymp birds, characterized by Moscow as “inspector satellites,” have been making close passes around a number of US and Western nation satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit since at least 2015.
The MoD is reaching out to German and European industry for assistance in making its space plans a reality, Pistorius stressed.
He explained that Berlin wants to “promote innovations from small and medium-sized enterprises in the future in a non-bureaucratic and early stage — and use larger companies as system integrators to integrate small businesses and startups,” according to the MoD press release.
Europe’s major launch company, Arianespace, announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the Bundeswehr to launch two SATCOMBw Stufe 3 satellites on heavy-lift Ariane 6 rockets. The new satellites are to replace the COMSATBw 1 and 2 military communications birds.
At the same time, Pitorius said, MoD is “also currently looking at market-available solutions. Specifically where this technological shortcut makes sense.”
While the company didn’t cite the specific agency involved due to security concerns, Planet Labs Germany GmbH, the American firm’s European headquarters, announced on July 1 that it had received a “multi-year €240 million agreement, funded by the German government, in support of European peace and security” for “high-resolution imagery and timely intelligence.”
Today in Berlin, the company announced plans “to begin production of next-generation, high-resolution Pelican satellites in Germany” under a deal “expected to exceed 8 figures” in capital investment.
Caleb Henry, director of research at Quilty Space, told Breaking Defense that one big winner from the MoD’s plan will be OHB, headquartered in Bremen, which Henry described as Germany’s “biggest space prime.”
OHB operates five aging SAR-Lupe synthetic aperture radar satellites that provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to the German military. In 2023, the company launched two replacements, called SARah, but were moribund until a recovery maneuver to deploy their jammed antennas this spring brought them into service, according to a May 27 report by market analysis firm Seradata.
Henry said he would also “be watching to see if this proposal has any impact on Germany’s emerging launch providers, notably Isar Aerospace and RFA.”
“Germany has discussed its own MEO [medium Earth orbit] constellation as well, which would be a notable investment in sovereign space systems,” Henry added.
He noted that the move may be the start of a trend away from France being the only big player in European space.
“What’s interesting to me is that for a long time, when looking at where Europe, if you kind of ask the the old Henry Kissinger question, ‘when I call Europe, who do I call?’ for the space industry that has always been France. But in recent years, we’ve started to see more of a pendulum swing towards Germany,” he said.
“And so to me, it’s the culmination of a … growing desire in Germany for greater space autonomy, and a willingness to pursue that, if necessary, on an independent basis,” Henry said. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
25 Sep 25. German defence minister warns against growing Russian threat in space. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned on Thursday about the growing threat posed by Russian space activities, citing concerns over two Russian satellites shadowing Intelsat satellites used by German forces and others.
“Russia and China have expanded their capabilities for warfare in space rapidly over the past years: They can disrupt satellite operations, blind satellites, manipulate or kinetically destroy them,” he told a space conference in Berlin.
Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here. Pistorius underscored the need for talks on developing offensive capabilities in space as a deterrent, pointing to Russia’s use of two of its Luch Olymp satellites to track Intelsat satellites. (Source: Reuters)
23 Sep 25. Terran Orbital Corporation, a leading manufacturer of small satellites primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries, today announced the successful delivery of all 42 satellite bus platforms for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture Tranche 1 program. These spacecraft help form a resilient, low-latency communications network in low Earth orbit, designed to deliver secure data connectivity to warfighters across the globe.
“Completing delivery of all satellite buses for the SDA’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer marks a major achievement for Terran Orbital and a key milestone in our work with Lockheed Martin,” said Peter Krauss, President and Chief Executive Officer of Terran Orbital.
“Our team’s relentless dedication and technical excellence have been on full display throughout this program. With Lockheed Martin and the Space Development Agency, we are helping to develop a secure and resilient space communications architecture that will enhance national security and strengthen allied operations around the world.”
The inaugural launch of the Tranche 1 Transport and Tracking satellite constellations began Sept. 10 with the first 21 data transport satellites. Nine additional launches are expected to occur at a pace of approximately one per month, continuing until the entire constellation is fully deployed and operational in orbit in 2026.
16 Sep 25. Globalstar to enter next era of mobile satellite connectivity with expanded operational frequencies. Globalstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: GSAT) has plans to bring-into-use the company’s HIBLEO-XL-1 satellite system filing in preparation for its next era of mobile satellite connectivity. Since 2000, Globalstar has been operating its current mobile satellite system (MSS) and providing service over the same Big Low Earth Orbit (LEO) frequency bands, investing bns of dollars to expand, innovate and commercialize mobile satellite services that are now at the fingertips of hundreds of ms of people around the world. In November of 2024, Globalstar announced an additional investment of $1.5 bn in a third-generation mobile satellite system called C-3, which will include 48 additional satellites supported by approximately 90 new ground station antennas installed globally. The company’s current system and C-3 satellites will operate over Globalstar’s same licensed Big LEO frequency bands, altitude and inclination. The C-3 System’s higher power downlink capabilities are expected to greatly improve the user experience for anyone accessing Globalstar to meet their communications needs. With this announcement, Globalstar takes an important step toward further expansion of its global MSS capabilities with plans to bring its HIBLEO-XL-1 system into use. The HIBLEO-XL-1 system, filed through France, includes numerous additional satellites, orbital shells and frequency bands, including currently licensed L-, S- and C-band frequencies, as well as additional MSS bands for mobile uplink and downlink as well as additional feeder-link spectrum.
Dr. Paul Jacobs, Globalstar CEO, said, “We believe that bringing HIBLEO-XL-1 into use provides Globalstar with significant optionality as the Company grows as a major provider of connectivity in the global space economy that is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035. We look forward to providing operational updates on our progress as we enter a new era in Globalstar’s expanding investments in connecting everyone, everywhere. Globalstar’s mission is mission-critical communications, which has led us to the forefront of LEO satellite communications, providing reliable and affordable solutions across to consumers and industries where and when they need us.” (Source: Satnews)
16 Sep 25. ESA’s Skimsat VLEO mission moves forward with Redwire in cooperation with Thales Alenia Space. Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW) has reached an agreement with Thales Alenia Space with the support of the European Space Agency (ESA) to become the prime contractor for Skimsat, whose preliminary study was coordinated under Thales Alenia Space’s responsibility. Skimsat is an ESA technology demonstration mission for a small satellite designed to operate in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). Thales Alenia Space in the UK will be a major contributor to the mission and is currently selected to provide the electric propulsion subsystem. The Skimsat mission, funded by ESA’s Preparation and Technology Development elements of Basic Activities and General Support Technology Program, leverages Redwire’s Phantom spacecraft, an advanced European VLEO platform designed to operate in the lower reaches of Earth’s atmosphere. The Skimsat mission aims to improve satellite sustainability and mission performance while reducing spacecraft mass and mission cost by enabling sustainable operational capability at lower altitudes. Redwire’s spacecraft facility in Belgium has more than 50 years of spaceflight heritage developing spacecraft platforms and successfully delivering innovative technology for game-changing ESA programs. Most notably, every spacecraft used for ESA’s Proba missions (Proba-1, Proba-2, Proba-V, and Proba-3) have been developed and integrated at Redwire’s Belgium facility. Collectively, these missions have spent more than 50 years in orbit without failure. Redwire is also integrating spacecraft to support other critical ESA missions including the In-Orbit Demonstration and Verification (IOD/IOV) mission and the Atmospheric Limb Tracker for Investigation of the Upcoming Stratosphere (ALTIUS) mission. Redwire is a global leader in VLEO capabilities and we are grateful for the trust from ESA to accelerate development of the Skimsat mission, as the prime contractor, which could unlock critical infrastructure in VLEO for a wide array of future intelligence, Earth science, and communications missions,” said Marc Dielissen, General Manager of Redwire Space Belgium. “Redwire’s Phantom spacecraft is built on five decades of satellite manufacturing experience and flight heritage and offers a flexible and resilient design to tackle this pioneering mission.” (Source: Satnews)
19 Sep 25. U.S., U.K. Demonstrate Partnership During First On-Orbit Operation. U.S. Space Command and United Kingdom Space Command conducted their first coordinated satellite maneuver from Sept. 4 to 12, demonstrating the alliance’s readiness to conduct dynamic, responsible and integrated space operations. The Rendezvous Proximity Operation, delivered under Multinational Force – Operation Olympic Defender, repositioned a U.S. satellite to examine a U.K. satellite and assure our ally of its nominal operation in orbit.
“This operation was a first of its kind for U.K. Space Command and represents a significant increase in operational capability,” said Royal Air Force Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman, U.K. Space Command commander. “Expertly executed with U.S. Space Command, I could not be more pleased or proud of the rapid progress we are making with our allies in Multinational Force – Operation Olympic Defender. We are now, with our allies, conducting advanced orbital operations to protect and defend our shared national and military interests in space.”
The long-standing interoperability between the U.K. and the U.S. extends into space through continuous security cooperation, information sharing and exercises. The U.K. was also among the first nations to join the Spacecom-led coalition alongside the U.S., with the purpose of unifying combined space operations, should they ever be needed in conflict. The coordinated on-orbit maneuver marks the continued progress in maturing the Olympic Defender cooperation framework.
“This coordinated maneuver between two allies validated the interoperability that’s foundational to our collective defense,” said Space Force Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, commander of U.S. Space Forces-Space and Spacecom’s Combined Joint Force Space Component Command. “The confirmation of the ‘s combined military might on-orbit delivers a credible deterrent in the increasingly contested space domain.”
Schiess said space is a team sport, and no nation can accomplish all that is required to meet its objectives there alone. Cooperation between the U.S. and the U.K. provides a more comprehensive understanding of the congested and complex space environment, as well as opportunities to maintain readiness for major engagements, and ensures safe and responsible space operations.
“The success of this multidomain operation represents the warfighting advantage realized by employing our capabilities and expertise as one unified team,” said Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of Spacecom and Olympic Defender. “Though our opponents may attempt to replicate the value of such cooperation, our partnerships are uniquely defined by not only the mutual goal of deterring aggression but a shared pledge to fight and win shoulder to shoulder, if necessary.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
19 Sep 25. Europe urged to adopt jamming-resistant tech amid rising GPS interference. Reports from Ukraine revealed that Russian systems can interfere with GPS. Experts from space-tech startup Astrolight have called for the adoption of jamming-resistant technology across Europe due to risks posed by ground-based GPS interference to civil aviation and critical infrastructure, particularly in the Baltic Sea region. The appeal follows Latvia’s Electronic Communications Office confirmation last month that Russia is disrupting satellite navigation systems from sites in Kaliningrad, Leningrad, and Pskov Oblasts. Reports from Ukraine in July this year indicated that Russian systems can now interfere with GPS signals up to 1,200 miles above ground. This impacted navigational accuracy of satellites in low-Earth orbit. Notably, the European Space Agency is already pursuing a €1bn ($1.18bn) investment for the development of a new military-grade satellite network. European commissioner for defence and space Andrius Kubilius also advocated for stronger EU coordination to counter Russian hybrid attacks. UN agencies have warned that ground-based jamming can jeopardise military operations, airline navigation, and maritime shipping. It also poses risks to civilian infrastructure such as power grids and banking systems reliant on GPS timing.
Kubilius said: “Russia’s hybrid and total war strategy in Europe is clear – from attacks on Ukraine to sabotage in Germany, disruption of Baltic communication lines, and ongoing interference in political processes across the region. These actions show that hybrid threats are happening now, and we must respond with higher investments and even stronger technology.”
Astrolight, based in Lithuania, has developed a laser communication system designed for contested environments, offering secure links between satellites and the ground. The technology can be utilised on the ground, between space and Earth, as well as exclusively in space, Astrolight CEO Laurynas Mačiulis said.
“Laser-based communication is the only technology today that offers true immunity against these new-generation electronic warfare threats and can reliably protect our satellites from jamming and interference,” Mačiulis added.
The company has demonstrated its technology in collaboration with the Lithuanian Navy this year and plans further testing with Nato allies. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
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