Union appalled by broken spy satellites in space
The defense political spokesperson of the Union is concerned: Two new intelligence-surveillance satellites of the Bundeswehr in orbit apparently malfunction. The defect could be "systemically caused," it is stated.
The defense political spokesperson of the Union, Florian Hahn, expresses concern over two non-functioning intelligence-surveillance satellites of the Bundeswehr, which were launched into orbit at the end of December. That both satellites have the same defect seems systemic, Hahn told "Bild am Sonntag." "This incident is not only a financial disaster, but also for our security."
The satellites of the type SARah may no longer be deployable in the future due to a technical defect, according to the newspaper. The Bundeswehr can only pay for the system if it functions as agreed with the space and technology conglomerate OHB, the defense ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying. There are still delays in the commissioning process, the manufacturer is working on a solution. However, this has not yet led to success.
"This incident is not only a financial disaster"
Originally, the satellites were supposed to start sending images to Earth from the end of June, writes the "Bild"-newspaper further. A likely cause of the failure could be that the antennas could not be extended. The reconnaissance capability of the Bundeswehr is not restricted, according to the Defense Ministry.
At the end of December, OHB announced that the two reflector satellites had been launched from California into orbit. Initial signals were received shortly thereafter. SARah refers to the successor system of the SAR-Lupe system, which has been in service since 2007. The Bundeswehr will now have "improved worldwide, time- and weather-independent reconnaissance capability" at its disposal.
- The concern over the malfunctioning satellites extends beyond just a financial loss, as Florian Hahn from the Union's defense political spokesperson stated, as it also impacts the security of Germany due to the potential impact on the German Armed Forces' espionage capabilities.
- The defect in the German Armed Forces' intelligence-surveillance satellites, which are part of the Space division under the Ministry of Defense, might affect future plans for space travel, as the type SARah satellites may not be deployable anymore due to the technical issue.
- The current situation with the malfunctioning satellites has sparked questions in the realm of politics, with some questioning the partnership between the German Armed Forces and the space and technology conglomerate OHB in the context of space travel and espionage.
