The German Ministry of Defense is preparing to launch 1,200 communications and reconnaissance satellites in the coming years and break the "Starlink" monopoly.
The German newspaper Handelsblatt said: "The German armed forces may launch up to 1,200 communications and reconnaissance satellites in the coming years, which could make it the second largest operator of a satellite constellation in the world after the American Starlink system."
She added that the plans are still confidential, but a representative of the German armed forces suggested that the number of satellites would be no less than a thousand.
The newspaper explained that the Spook 2 reconnaissance system will form the backbone of the project, and may require about a thousand satellites equipped with specialized radars and cameras, in parallel with the development of the Satcom BW4 satellite communications system.
According to the newspaper, the operating costs of the system are estimated at about one billion euros annually, while Germany is expected to invest at least 35 billion euros in the space sector by 2030.
