July 12, 2022 | 6 - 7:30 pm | Festsaal University Bonn and via Zoom

Space is infinite, but the coveted spaces around the Earth are limited - and contested. Satellites operate here, providing services that have become an indispensable part of our daily lives: Be it for telecommunications, climate observation, navigation or the maintenance of essential military capabilities.

A trend of increasing privatisation or commercialisation of space activities by companies such as SpaceX or Virgin Galactic can be observed, which further increases the already enormous complexity of space traffic management, among other things. More worrying from a security perspective, however, is another trend in particular: parallel to the increasing dependence of modern industrial societies on technological infrastructures in space, the potential for influence and the rivalry between the still comparatively few nations that are capable of space travel are increasing. At present, moreover, the Ukraine war illustrates the enormous increase in the importance of this strategically crucial space to a very special degree: space-based communication and information obtained via observation satellites support the Ukrainian armed forces in defending their country against the Russian aggressors.

What is the fundamental importance of space from a security perspective? What are its specific characteristics from a military point of view? What about Germany's and Europe's ability to act with regard to the essential infrastructures, new actors and strategic dynamics in space? And what security policy developments can be observed, i.e. what must Germany and Europe prepare for in the future?

Major General Michael Traut, Head of National Command and Commander of the German Armed Forces Space Command, will talk about these and other questions concerning the security policy significance of space. The event will be moderated by Andrea Rotter, Head of the Foreign and Security Policy Division of the Hanns Seidel Foundation and an expert on space policy.

Register here for the presence event.

Register here for the Zoom-Webinar.

Introduction:

Prof. Dr. Maximilian Mayer

Junior Professorship in International Relations and Global Technology Policy, CASSIS

Richard Rohde

Society for Security Policy, Bonn Section Head

Presentation:

Generalmajor Michael Traut

Head of National Command and Commander of the Bundeswehr Space Command, Uedem

Moderation:

Andrea Rotter

Head of Foreign and Security Policy Hanns-Seidel-Foundation

Q&A