Lower Thirds:

0:02		Report by Ha Than Le Nguyen
0:41		Sabine von der Recke, Executive board member OHB 
2:46 - 2:52	source: ESA
2:56 		Sabine von der Recke, Executive board member OHB 
3:58		Andreas Heitmann, Managing director for Space Founders in Germany

Script: 

Germany is stepping up its defence... in space. 

The federal government wants to invest €35 billion in a military space program over the next years. 

One of the key suppliers is German satellite manufacturer OHB. 

The family business was founded in 1981 as a small workshop.  

Today it has grown into one of Europe's leading aerospace companies. 

Here in this clean room, satellites are built and tested.  

Some satellites can be built in just a few months, while others take 5–10 years, depending on their size and mission. 

At OHB’s mission control center, active satellites are monitored around the clock. 

SOT Sabine von der Recke, Executive board member OHB 

"Die Ankündigung, 35 Milliarden in die militärische Infrastruktur zu stecken, das verändert eben so ein bisschen auch die europäische Landschaft. 
Ich war gerade in den USA, da ist das schon auch langekommen. Also, man wird da auch darauf angesprochen und zwar sowohl von Industriepartnern als eben auch von Regierungsvertretern. Es wird uns auf der einen Seite natürlich, wird es einmal dafür sorgen, dass die Bundeswehr besser ausgestattet ist. 
Das ist ja nun mal auch Kern der ganzen Übung. Aber ich glaube eben schon, dass es uns auch bei der Frage neue Technologien wirklich nach vorne bringen wird und dass es uns auch einen, für den Hightech-Standort Deutschland wird es schon auch uns voranbringen." 

 ((Eng: 
The announcement of a €35 billion investment in military infrastructure will alter the European landscape to some extent. I was just in the US, and it’s already a big topic there. People bring it up across the board, from industry partners to government officials.   On the one hand, it will ensure that the Bundeswehr is better equipped, which is the main objective after all. But beyond that, I am convinced it will also act as a real catalyst for innovation. It has the potential to accelerate the development of new technologies and strengthen our position as a leading high‑tech hub.)) 

€35 billion in orbit: who gets the money? 

€25 billion will be invested in: 

cybersecurity, 

upgraded radars, telescopes and satellites, 

new satellite constellations for early warning and communication, 

transport capacities into space, offensive capabilities, and an independent military satellite operations center for the Bundeswehr. 

But there has also been criticism that startups are largely overlooked in the €35 billion plan. 

Government contracts and grant programs remain difficult to access, with complex rules, slow approval processes and frequent requirements for upfront financing: major hurdles for Germany’s more than 100 new space startups. 

OHB, however, might be among the main winners of the new space defense strategy. 

About €10 billion will be used to build a national satellite network together with major defense players Rheinmetall and Airbus. 

The dedicated military communications system will be comparable to Elon Musk’s Starlink network, operated by the US company SpaceX. 

Why Germany’s critical infrastructure depends on space 

The war in Ukraine has underlined how crucial satellites are for communication, navigation and observation. 

In February 2022, a Russian cyberattack on a Ukrainian satellite network shut down over 5,800 wind turbines in Germany. 

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has called space Germany’s Achilles’ heel, warning that the country remains vulnerable. 

From a security perspective, independence from non‑European space companies is becoming increasingly important. 

SOT Sabine von der Recke, Executive board member OHB 
 
Erstmal ist es bei Infrastruktur im All so: viel hilft viel. 
Wenn man eben selbst viele Fähigkeiten hat, dann zeigt man einem potenziellen Gegner, du kannst mich eigentlich nicht angreifen dadurch, dass du was zerstörst, weil ich immer noch ein Backup habe. 

((Eng 
When it comes to space infrastructure, quantity matters: the more you have, the better. If you’ve got a lot of capabilities yourself, it sends a clear signal to any potential adversary: they can’t really attack you by destroying something because there will always be a backup.))

But sending more satellites into space also means more targets for hostile manipulation. 

A successful cyberattack could bring entire countries to a standstill. 

Online banking, electricity grids, even food deliveries: millions of people depend on satellite systems. 

How real is the threat?  

Cyberattacks cost the German economy nearly €300 billion last year.  

Almost half of the attacks were traced back to Russia and China, with another quarter to the EU or the United States. 

Against this backdrop, Germany’s €35 billion space investment is also a geopolitical signal, as it expands its military presence in orbit alongside other major powers. 

That shift was also a key theme at the Munich Space Summit, where we spoke with Andreas Heitmann, a researcher at Bundeswehr University Munich. 

Andreas Heitmann, Managing director for Space Founders in Germany, Universität der Bundeswehr Munich

"I would argue that a global arms race is already taking place and that this forces us to react and build our own European capabilities. 
It's no longer about if we respond, but how we respond and how we make sure that we can protect our assets in space but also protect our European sovereignty in this domain." 

Satellites have become the invisible backbone of modern societies.  
 
Companies like Germany’s OHB will play a decisive role in shaping the country’s security in orbit.