Concerns are growing over the potential for conflict extending into space, according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. Addressing the BDI Space Congress on Thursday, Pistorius underscored the increasing reliance of modern society on satellite-based data and services, highlighting the vulnerability this creates.
He warned that attempts to disrupt satellite communications, GPS signals, or even direct attacks on satellites, would have far-reaching consequences extending beyond military and space industries, impacting millions of citizens. Describing satellite networks as an “Achilles’ heel” of contemporary societies, Pistorius emphasized that their compromise could effectively paralyze entire nations.
The evolving geopolitical landscape necessitates recognizing that future conflicts are unlikely to remain confined to terrestrial environments. Both Russia and China have significantly expanded their capabilities in space warfare in recent years, developing the capacity to disrupt, blind, manipulate, or even physically destroy satellites. Pistorius noted that German military systems are already experiencing disruptive interference, with attacks having broader ramifications for the economy and society. The earlier cyberattack on the ViaSat satellite network, which preceded the war in Ukraine, resulted in significant communication disruptions and severely hampered the operational control of nearly 6,000 wind turbines in Germany.
Beyond existing disruptive capabilities, the current security situation is even more precarious. Chinese surveillance satellites are continuously monitoring German airspace, with data transmitted in real-time. China is also conducting highly agile and dynamic close-approach maneuvers with its space systems, actions Pistorius likened to aerial combat exercises. Furthermore, Russia is positioning its reconnaissance satellites in close proximity to German and allied space systems, bringing the possibility of genuine and imminent dangers closer to reality.