At the start of the “Future.Land.Life” conference, guests from all over Germany were shown one of the most beautiful sides of the rural area. The sun shone on Thursday morning at Lake Kummerow and on the green areas around Malchin. “But this beautiful side is not enough in rural areas,” emphasized Niklas Nienaß at the…
The space year 2022 marks a milestone in space history. Just before Christmas, it’s time to take a look back. Almost exactly one year ago, we experienced a very special launch in Kourou: after nearly 30 years of development, the James Webb telescope flew into the sky on an Ariane 5. Six months later, the first images…
We have reached an agreement for the European Union’s new satellite constellation. The project, previously known as the „Secure Connectivity Programme“, is now called IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnection and Security by Satellites). In November, the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council met for the so-called trilogue negotiations. We agreed on the final version…
In June, I visited Sierra Space. The company, based in Denver, Colorado, is best known for its Dreamchaser. A space glider that looks a little like a small shuttle and is supposed to take people into space soon. However, the focus of my visit was on a different topic. The company – a spin-off of…
The debate on the planned European megaconstellation (“Secure Connectivity“) is gaining momentum. In June, the responsible rapporteur of the European Parliament, Christophe Grudler (Renew), presented his position in the Industry Committee. As shadow rapporteur for The Greens/EFA, I was now able to submit my amendments. I am mainly concerned with three points. First, I want…
The political challenges in space are huge. We must set the course today for the space of tomorrow. For more peace, security and justice on Earth. Now, I was in the US to help fostering international dialogue for better regulation. A revolution is happening in space. Satellites are getting smaller and smaller, rocket launches cheaper…
I am convinced that we in Germany and Europe must do more for the people in rural regions. Local people know best, what is really needed in their region. Thus, politicians need to listen and enable citizens to engage themselves. For me, two things are therefore important: First, politics must get out of the cities…
Technological independence for Europe is important. But this does not mean isolation. We can only solve the major challenges of the 21st century together. The Russian war on Ukraine has an impact also on international cooperation in space. A continuation of the cooperation with the Russian space agency Roskosmos seems to be questionable at the…
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) shows how space technology is driving us forward as a society. In March, I visited the DLR site in Oberpfaffenhofen, Bavaria. A total of 13 scientific facilities and institutes are located on the site near Munich. Around 1,800 employees work there on some of the most exciting German space projects….
I am committed to building a European space economy. Recently, I have visited the German start-up Isar Aerospace near Munich. Their launcher Spectrum is on the way to its first test flight. Satellite technology has become an integral part of our society. It is not only about communication and navigation, but also about industry, research…
