Russia tracks two German-military satellites as Berlin unveils €35 billion space push

Russia is currently tracking two Intelsat satellites used by the German military, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday at a Berlin space conference. He announced a €35 billion ($41 billion) investment in Germany’s space programs over the next five years, part of a broader push to bolster the country’s capabilities amid growing space-security concerns.

Pistorius warned that Russia and China already possess space-warfare capabilities and occupy strategic positions in space. “They can jam, blind, manipulate, or kinetically disrupt satellites,” he said, noting that the German military has already been targeted by jamming attacks. He added that two Russian Luch-Olymp reconnaissance satellites are tracking two Intelsat satellites used by, among others, the German armed forces. “So be careful what you say,” Pistorius quipped, as he pointed to real-time observations flowing over the region—“39 Chinese and Russian reconnaissance satellites are flying over us.”

The remarks come as Europe seeks to boost its own space sovereignty. Europe has long relied on the United States for security in space, but shifts in U.S. policy and a rapidly expanding commercial space market have spurred efforts to reduce dependence. Pistorius noted that Europe lags behind the United States, China and Russia in space capabilities, and he signaled a policy pause to reconfigure Europe’s approach, including funding moves that would accelerate domestic development of satellites, launch capacity, and space-domain awareness.

Europe’s current launch capacity remains concentrated in one location: the spaceport in French Guiana, an overseas department of France in South America that sits near the equator. The proximity provides performance advantages, but analysts say Europe would benefit from additional launch sites and diversified access to space. By contrast, the United States continues to rely on Cape Canaveral for many U.S. launches, underscoring the broader strategic gap Europe seeks to close in a changing global space landscape.

Russia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Pistorius’s assertions. The German minister’s comments come as Berlin positions itself to expand Europe’s space-industrial base and accelerate the development of national and regional space capabilities amid a fast-evolving domain where the line between civil and military space operations has grown increasingly blurred.

The €35 billion investment, spread over five years, is aimed at advancing Germany’s own space program in areas including coastal defense and communication systems, satellite manufacturing, and space-domain awareness. Officials say the plan is part of a broader effort to secure critical space assets amid persistent threats—from jamming and cyber intrusions to potential kinetic interference—while Europe also seeks to reduce exposure to external actors in orbital infrastructure.

Pistorius’s warnings mirror a growing international focus on space security as more satellites gather data, relay communications, and perform reconnaissance. The German minister emphasized that the current security environment requires both defensive measures to protect satellites and offensive or deterrence-ready capabilities as part of a national and allied posture. He suggested that Berlin’s investments would not only strengthen Germany’s own space assets but also support European collaboration in space security, including sharing sensor data, launch capability, and launch infrastructure.

As Berlin moves forward with its space agenda, observers say the challenge for Europe will be to balance security needs with funding realities, regulatory hurdles, and the logistical complexities of building a robust, self-reliant space program. The conversation around space security in Germany and Europe at large is unlikely to fade, given the growing pace of satellite deployment, commercial space activity, and the increasing visibility of state-led space initiatives abroad.