Overview
- Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday the federal government is 'thinking about' a Bundeswehr launch base but gave no location or timetable and described the idea as at an early exploratory stage.
- Pistorius framed the move as necessary because secure Bundeswehr communications depend on satellites and current options in Norway, Britain and elsewhere will not meet demand.
- Isar Aerospace told reporters it has completed one Spectrum test flight, has postponed a second test several times, aims to build 40 rockets a year by 2030, and says its launch capacity is booked through 2028.
- Industry figures say global launch slots are nearly full and Europe carried out only eight of about 330 launches last year, which increases reliance on U.S. providers such as SpaceX and raises concerns about disclosure of satellite data.
- Building a German launch site faces major hurdles because launch pads are usually coastal and away from population centers, which means Germany may need international locations, regulatory changes, big investment and more industry proving of reliability before military launches can be assured.