Germany’s Conquest of Space
In the next few years, the first German will walk on the moon. That may be the most attention-grabbing headline about Germany’s space development, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The European Union and Germany are increasingly focused on the heavens.
“He who controls the open space around us is in a position to control the Earth,” said Wernher von Braun, a German-American aerospace engineer. In the modern era, soil wars are space wars because nearly everything relies on space infrastructure: missile strikes, surveillance, troop movements, nuclear weapons, missile defense, etc. That’s why satellites were Russia’s first targets in the Ukraine invasion and why they’ve been used in most battles since the Gulf War.
Today, any nation seeking military or information advantage, or any outgunned nation wanting to level the playing field, can take advantage of the high ground of space.
—Center for Strategic and International Studies
‘Deutschland Über Alles’ Literally?
The European Space Agency (esa) is sharing some of the burden of nasa’s Project Artemis and will send three astronauts to the moon. On Nov. 26, 2025, it announced that the first would be a German.
That is now up in the air after nasa overhauled the Artemis schedule last month. But the esa’s priorities are clear—it will be sending a German astronaut.
At the same time, the EU has increased the esa’s budget by $6 billion for 2026 to 2028, to a total of $26 billion (an average of $8.7 billion per year). While that is only a third of nasa’s $25.4 billion budget in 2025, in 2000, the esa’s budget was just one fourth of nasa’s. Germany’s contribution will grow from $4 billion to $5.8 billion, making it the largest donor of the 23 esa members. The agency plans to use these funds for exploration and defense. Specifically, Germany’s money will be used to pay for launchers, moon exploration and “climate monitoring” satellites. Even satellites primarily for “climate monitoring” can still be used militarily.
News of the budget boost came right after Germany’s first official space strategy document was released on November 19. The document called on Germany to boost its space readiness, protect satellites, and develop offensive satellites able to “shoot back.” In a joint statement, Germany’s defense and foreign ministers stated that “the aim of this strategy is to ensure and secure Germany’s long-term ability to act in space.”
Blastoff From Non-European Space Partners
We are deepening our European and international cooperation as part of our own capability building and are increasing our whole-of-government resilience in space. We will expand Germany’s defense capabilities in space decisively and rapidly.
—Germany’s Space Safety and Security Strategy
Some notable goals in Germany’s new strategy are “achieving the capability for military space operations,” supporting its space industry, performing cyberoperations in space, and “ensuring the national ability to take action with core strategic and military capabilities by reducing dependence on non-European actors through the maintenance, development and strengthening of our own space reconnaissance capabilities” (emphasis added). While moving away from American reliance, the common aim in space will unify European nations and allow Germany to show itself as the leader.
The document said:
For any modern and technology-driven society, space and its use are essential for a life of freedom, prosperity and security.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed by nearly 140 countries (including Germany), governs space exploration. It prohibits the use of nuclear weapons or any other “weapon of mass destruction in space,” along with banning militarization of the moon. Germany’s latest space document sounds as if it is trying to sidestep that: The Outer Space Treaty “does not rule out the military use of space per se. In accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, all nations have the right to individual and collective self-defense in the event of an armed attack—including in space.”
Space is no longer simply used for the purposes of peaceful research.
—German defense and foreign ministers
It is not alone: Almost every other country with a presence in space has stretched, if not broken, the Outer Space Treaty.
Both developments arrived just two months after Germany earmarked $40 billion for space spending over the next five years. On February 3, the chief of Germany’s Space Command, Maj. Gen. Michael Traut, said that money will be used for lasers, space planes and satcom Stage 4, which is a constellation of more than 100 military satellites capable of tracking missiles and military assets live. He also stated that Germany must “improve [its] deterrence posture in space, since space has become an operational or even warfighting domain, and we are perfectly aware that our systems, our space capabilities, need to be protected and defended.”
To be truly independent from the United States, however, Germany needs to be able to launch rockets from Europe. That’s why German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met Norway’s prime minister at Andoya space base on March 13 with a message of collaboration. With Norway’s help, Germany can launch into space from the Continent.
German War Machine at Work
Leaders from the esa and German Space Command want European producers prioritized in their space spending spree.
European defense giants Leonardo, Thales and Airbus (formed from Messerschmitt) announced plans on Oct. 23, 2025, to merge their space assets into a joint company that will employ 25,000 people and form a “leading European player in space” by 2027. “This proposed new company marks a pivotal milestone for Europe’s space industry. It embodies our shared vision to build a stronger and more competitive European presence in an increasingly dynamic global space market,” the companies’ ceos stated.
The newly created space company, Project Bromo, will compete against America’s Starlink satellite system. Soon, another major European company might start building satellites. As of January 26, Rheinmetall and obe are in talks to build satellites for the German military. These companies will combat reliance on United States space technology, part of a decades-long trend.
In 2003, Europe announced the first stage of its Galileo satellite system. “Slated to replace the dependence of EU member nations on the U.S. Global Positioning System (gps), the 30-satellite EU Galileo navigation program will be headquartered in Germany as part of a joint undertaking directed from EU headquarters, in Brussels, via the European Space Agency,” the Trumpet wrote at the time. Galileo now has a network of 28 satellites (compared to gps’s 24 to 32) and began operations in 2016, after its first satellites were launched in 2011. The system is still adding new abilities, and Europe no longer needs gps as a result.
Of the 12,000-plus satellites in space, 8,000 are American; 1,500, Russian; 1,000, Chinese; and roughly 300, European. For Europe to become a superpower, it needs space power.
The European Union is working on iris2, a system of 290 satellites that will offer “advanced connectivity services to governmental users and bridg[e] connectivity gaps across the Union, iris2 underpins Europe’s strategic autonomy and technological leadership.” Parts of iris2 are already usable, and it was originally planned to be ready by 2031. However, on January 26, European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said he wanted it ready by 2029. Like Bromo, it aims to compete with American companies offering satellite Internet, such as SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Leo. Its goal is “supporting the autonomy and digital sovereignty of the Continent.” Why would Europe want autonomy from non-EU providers? Is it about to make a sharp pivot away from America?
Dogfight Satellites
On February 3, General Traut called for systems capable of destroying enemy capabilities in space. Russia and China already have “inspector satellites” capable of moving close to Western space assets to spy on them, but it won’t stop at spying. Several reports released on February 4 claim two Russian satellites have intercepted messages from 12 or more key European satellites.
In March, the U.S. Space Force warned that Chinese satellites were practicing dogfights, highlighting the reality of this threat. If an enemy can disable satellites, then defenses against nuclear strikes could be lowered, destroying the mutually assured destruction concept. Runner-up EU ruler, France, has been working 0n its own offensive satellites with lasers since 2019. Currently, only the U.S., China and Russia have antisatellite capabilities, but Europe will soon join their ranks.
Our Achilles’s heel lies in space.
—Boris Pistorius, German defense minister
Skyrocketing Space Start-ups
The esa is encouraging space start-ups as part of its push for a “quantum leap” in European space technology. Despite Germany’s stagnant economy, its space sector is booming. Germany’s aerospace defense market was valued at $56 billion last year, compared to $41 billion in 2022. “2025 has seen the creation of two space tech start-ups in Europe. Over the past 10 years, an average of 47 new companies have been launched annually,” according to startup tracker Traxcn. Europe has 882 space tech start-ups, mostly in Germany, compared to America’s 874.
On December 10, German drone start-up Helsing along with Isar, and Hensoldt signed an agreement with Norwegian defense company Kongsberg to develop military reconnaissance space abilities for Germany using AI and satellites, independent from America. They want their satellites up by 2029.
Some of these space start-ups are backed by well-established European companies, like Porsche, Rheinmetall, Thales and Airbus. All four of which worked diligently to supply Nazi Germany in the lead-up to World War ii.
The esa signed a contract with Porsche-backed Munich start-up Isar Aerospace on Dec. 1, 2025, to use its rockets in the ΣYNDEO-3 mission—meant to demonstrate Europe’s space technology. This contract came months after it successfully landed its first rocket. On January 21, it planned the first rocket launch from European soil. Although that launch was postponed due to a pressurization valve issue, it was a major leap toward European space independence.
European space startup iceye was founded in 2018, focusing on tracking environmental changes in the Arctic. The Ukraine war has since shifted its focus to “defense-driven synthetic aperture radar satellites,” which produce high-quality images. iceye established a joint venture with Rheinmetall in November that “is designed not only to increase satellite output but also to integrate satellite imagery more deeply into large-scale military systems.” It aims to produce one satellite per week next year. On Dec. 19, 2025, the Bundeswehr awarded Rheinmetall and iceye’s joint company a $2 billion contract to boost space observation capabilities near the Russian border through a network of satellites, slated for production late next year.
Germany is becoming a space hub, even American companies are setting up satellite production in Berlin. In late September, Google-backed U.S. company Planet Labs announced plans to establish a major satellite factory in Berlin, doubling its capacity to supply the strong European demand for space.
Where Will This Lead?
Germany is boldly pushing into a new military theater. If it can dominate the satellite realm, it can pivot from reliance on the West and potentially disable much of America’s defenses.
The Trumpet has pointed to America’s reliance on technology like satellites as a weakness for decades. This is based on a prophecy in Ezekiel 7:14, which states: “They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle ….” Germany has used its military prowess and technological advancements to threaten Western civilization twice in the last century. According to Bible prophecy, history will repeat itself.
Threatening America in space doesn’t necessarily require rivaling nasa in budget or having more satellites than the U.S. America’s control of space gives it a great advantage in communication and surveillance. Disrupt that by shooting down satellites or through electronic warfare, and that edge can quickly be destroyed.
Germany is quickly rearming, and space is an important element of its return to major military power status. For more information, read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches Europe’s Push Toward a Unified Military.”
