The Federal Minister for Research, Technology, and Space, Dorothee Bär (CSU), expressed great satisfaction following the successful landing of the Artemis II mission, calling it a “tremendous success”. Speaking to the Funke media group’s newspapers, Bär recounted closely watching both the launch and landing via livestream. She added that she was convinced the coverage must have increased or reignited the public’s fascination with space exploration. The images, such as the sunrise behind the Moon and the everyday moments aboard the Orion spacecraft, left a lasting impression.
Bär highlighted Germany’s significant contribution to the lunar mission. Noting that Europeans supplied a major part of the spacecraft’s European Service Module, she pointed out that Germany had made substantial contributions. The module’s final assembly occurred in Bremen, and furthermore, a satellite from a Berlin start-up was carried on board. She stated that the mission demonstrated the strength of European collaboration and showcased Germany’s capability as an innovative and industrial location. “We can rightly say: We are a space nation. Germany has been a strong partner from the outset”.
Moreover, components such as a star sensor for navigation and radiation measurement sensors originated in Germany. Bär attributed this success partly to her Ministry, stating it had helped make Germany a leading space technology nation through its funding. Regarding Europe’s relatively low number of rocket launches or satellites in orbit, Bär dismissed these as concerns, stressing that the performance of satellite systems is what matters most. “The European Galileo satellite navigation system is more precise than all comparable systems, including GPS” she asserted. Furthermore, the European Copernicus program was deemed the “gold standard” among Earth observation programs. She emphasized, “Satellites are our eyes in space. Space exploration is essential for our sovereignty, which includes sovereign access to space”. She concluded by noting that efforts are underway “with high intensity” to develop new launch vehicles to put more satellites into orbit.