Test of patience in orbit: Why the BND spy satellite Georg remains grounded

The Federal Chancellery learned this lesson the hard way. In 2014, as the annexation of Crimea shook the European security order, the German government wanted to know precisely whether Russian units were also moving covertly in eastern Ukraine. But the view from space remained denied. A private provider failed to deliver any images for days. At that moment, it was decided in the government headquarters: The Federal Intelligence Service (BND) should no longer be "blind" and should receive its own satellites. But ten years later, this wish is still not a reality.

The project with the sonorous name Georg (Global Electro-Optical Reconnaissance System Germany), pursued at least since 2016, is increasingly developing into an endless story of German security policy. As research by WDR and NDR reveals, the launch of the first BND satellite has been postponed again. Originally planned for 2022, the date first moved to 2024, then to 2025. Now, according to the report, government circles vaguely state that it should finally happen in the course of 2026.

The wall of silence surrounding the project is thick. A government spokesperson simply referred to secrecy and the responsibility of the relevant Bundestag committees. Officially, only high planning complexity is mentioned. Behind the scenes in the Berlin government district and at the Bremen-based aerospace company OHB, which is commissioned with the construction, the mood is likely to be more tense than the sparse statements suggest. Former BND President Bruno Kahl had previously also admitted to delays on the production side.

Problematic satellites for the troops

According to the ARD broadcasters, one reason for the current reluctance is apparently the painful experiences the Bundeswehr has recently had. It had also ordered reconnaissance satellites from OHB, which were launched into space in 2023. But instead of sharp images, there was initially a technical standstill: Two of the three radar satellites could not deploy their antennas and remained inoperable.

Only after risky maneuvers in orbit did the manufacturer manage to get the technology to cooperate. The price for this: The satellites consumed so much fuel during the rescue operations that their expected operational life in space is likely to be significantly shortened. The Chancellery wants to avoid this disaster with Georg at all costs. It is better for the hardware to remain on the ground for a few more months than to end up as expensive space debris.

More than half a billion euros of taxpayer money is said to have already been spent on the development of the system, named after the BND's patron saint. While the BND is waiting for its own optical systems, the technical dependence remains. Currently, the foreign intelligence service is making do with data from the Bundeswehr, information from partner services – especially from the USA – and purchases from commercial providers.

New Space Security Strategy

The dominance of the United States and the lack of European alternatives are viewed critically in security circles. The problem is already evident in transport: Since Europe currently has hardly any capacities for heavy loads, the German spies will likely have to fly into space with rockets from Elon Musk's company SpaceX.

The fact that the importance of space for national security has significantly increased is underlined by the Space Security Strategy of the Federal Government, presented at the end of 2025. The document makes it clear that civilian and military security in orbit are inextricably linked. The federal government wants to move away from the role of observer and towards the development of its own European networks and launch systems. But as long as even its own national flagship projects like Georg are repeatedly held back, the path to technological sovereignty in space remains long.

(wpl)