Germany has contracted Spanish defense company Indra to produce, integrate, and deliver a space surveillance radar capable of detecting objects in low space orbit.
Indra’s radar will work alongside Berlin’s sensors to protect military and civilian space assets from debris that could damage or disable them and monitor suspected attempts by other satellites to gather information or compromise their missions.
The German Space Command will remotely operate the radar from its space situational awareness center in Uedem in the northwest, near the country’s border with the Netherlands.
It is also part of Germany’s “L-GUARD” program — referring to the “LEO – Groundbased Upscaled AESA RaDar” — under the space surveillance system.
Improved Radar
The German military’s future space surveillance radar is positioned to be an improved version of Indra’s S3TSR surveillance radar in service with Spain, which is integrated into the European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking Partnership consortium’s surveillance network.
As the consortium possesses detailed information on active and inactive satellites and space debris, this contract also contributes to supporting Europe’s access to space.
“This kind of radar protects the space assets on which essential services for our society depend, including communications, transport, logistics and meteorological information,” said Manuel Ruiz, Indra’s director of Integrated Defence Systems.
“We’re really proud to be working with the Bundeswehr on what will be one of the most sophisticated and longest-range radars in the world, and we’re grateful for the support provided by the CDTI, the Spanish Space Agency and the Spanish Space Command in the development of this technology.”
