The German Bundeswehr (armed forces) plays an increasing role in the space industry, primarily focused on national security and defense. As a governmental organization, it is developing its capabilities for space situational awareness, satellite communication, and reconnaissance. The Bundeswehr operates the Space Component Command (SpCC) and the German Space Situational Awareness Centre. To enhance its capabilities, the Bundeswehr partners with companies like Airbus and Indra and aims to establish its own satellite constellation by 2029. Key activities include space operations planning, deployment/protection of space systems, and collaboration within initiatives like Combined Space Operations (CSpO).
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The Bundeswehr is considering SpaceX if ArianeSpace does not have enough capacity for its LEO program.
Germany’s Bundeswehr is considering ArianeSpace for a LEO program only if capacity is available, otherwise it will choose SpaceX.
Germany’s Bundeswehr wants a rapid buildup of its space capacity.
The German Bundeswehr is seeking a rapid buildup of its space capacity.
The German Aerospace Center wants to further develop its site into SPACEHUB COLOGNE together with North Rhine-Westphalia, the European Space Agency, the German Armed Forces, and Cologne Bonn Airport.
The Bundeswehr plans to invest €35 billion in space security and large-scale satellite constellations.
The Bundeswehr uses Deutsche Bahn to move equipment and FedEx to send parcels.
The European Protected Waveform demonstrated resistance to jamming and cyberattacks across GEO and LEO orbits during testing at the Universität der Bundeswehr München.
On November 26–27, 2025, the European Protected Waveform consortium completed over-the-air testing at the Universität der Bundeswehr München.
CNES is a shareholder in Skynopy through the SpaceFounders program, which CNES created with the Bundeswehr University of Munich and the Italian Space Agency.
German antitrust authorities approved a joint venture between Rheinmetall and OHB to bid for a public procurement contract for the German armed forces.
Rheinmetall Iceye Space Solutions received a contract worth 1.7 billion euros from the German armed forces in December 2025.
Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions secured a €1.7 billion contract from the German armed forces in December 2025 to deliver space-based reconnaissance data through exclusive access to a synthetic aperture radar satellite constellation.
Rheinmetall and OHB will use their joint venture to bid on a German armed forces public procurement contract for a satellite constellation.
The Rheinmetall Digital GmbH and OHB SE joint venture will bid on a future Bundeswehr contract to expand military satellite communications.
OHB confirmed reports in January 2026 that it was considering a separate joint venture with Rheinmetall to bid for a German armed forces public procurement contract.
The Rheinmetall-OHB joint venture will bid for a German armed forces public procurement contract.
On 10 December 2025, the German armed forces awarded Helsing and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a contract to build and deploy a substantial number of small satellites into low Earth orbit for space-based intelligence and surveillance applications.
The German armed forces awarded Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions a €1.7 billion contract for a reconnaissance constellation.
OHB is in talks with Rheinmetall and Airbus about a joint bid for the German Bundeswehr’s SATCOMBw Stage 4 project.