Germany Announces Formal Adoption of First Space Strategy
The German government has formally adopted its inaugural space strategy, positioning itself to leverage its increased defense budget with the aim of countering Russian and Chinese influence in Earth’s orbit.
On Wednesday, November 19th, ministers approved the strategy, following Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’s recent commitment to allocate €35 billion for military space capabilities by 2030. The plan outlines the necessity to identify risks and threats associated with outer space, to formulate appropriate response measures, enhance deterrence, and foster international collaboration.
Minister Pistorius emphasized that the strategic importance of space, citing incidents of Russia regularly jamming GPS signals in the Baltic Sea region as examples of emerging threats. In light of increasing militarization, he stressed the imperative to develop both deterrence and defense capabilities.
With this announcement, Germany is expected to become the third-largest global spender on space technology after the United States and China. This move follows Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s decision to endorse unrestricted defense expenditure upon assuming office in May, with plans to invest €650 billion in military capabilities by 2030. Germany’s annual expenditure is expected to reach approximately $10 billion per year at current exchange rates.
In spite of Germany’s robust financial and technological standing, the country is still catching up after years of underinvestment amid intensifying competition and rapid transformation within the European space sector. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the pressing need for enhanced space capabilities, as satellite-based intelligence and communications have become critical to modern military operations.
Europe, likewise, has accelerated investments in space-related defense, unveiling a comprehensive security strategy for space last year. Pistorius indicated that the German armed forces plan to develop independent satellite constellations, ground stations, and launch infrastructure to bolster surveillance and reconnaissance and to decrease reliance on commercial entities and allied partners such as the United States. Additionally, ambitions include investment in offensive technologies such as jamming devices and “inspector satellites” capable of monitoring other nations’ orbital assets.
NATO countries have accused Russia and China of increasingly assertive activities in space, with disruptions targeting satellites owned by Germany and other member states. Germany’s pursuit of proprietary military satellite networks raises questions regarding its future participation in pan-European projects like the IRIS² secure communication system, which has faced challenges related to cost and industrial benefits.
Pistorius concluded that Germany’s new space strategy aims to simultaneously expand cooperation and reinforce national capabilities, affirming, “It’s the combination that makes the difference.”