Canadian firm Calian’s German subsidiary SatService has secured a contract with Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defence to supply a Q/V-band satellite ground station for scientific and military communications.
The contract is being managed through the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich.
Under the agreement, SatService will design, build, test, and deliver a complete ground station, including a 4-meter (13-foot) antenna system.
“Germany and the EU are heavily investing in satellite communications capabilities to secure and defend their sovereignty and access to multiple frequency bands is a critical part of their initiative,” said Wilfried Megger, Managing Director, SatService GmbH.
The facility will operate in the Q/V-band frequency range and support geostationary orbit satellite communications, a capability not currently available at the university.
Additionally, the station will provide German Armed Forces trainee officers with access to secure, high-capacity satellite communications, offering hands-on exposure to SATCOM operations.
This includes understanding the advantages of geostationary orbit, such as continuous regional coverage, higher data throughput, and improved resistance to interference.
Boosting Military Space Capabilities
The initiative comes as Berlin is weighing a wide range of space-related investments, with overall spending projected to reach up to 35 billion euros ($41 billion).
Announced plans include deploying an encrypted military satellite network comprising more than 100 spacecraft over the coming years.
Moreover, last year, Rheinmetall and Finnish satellite operator ICEYE secured a 1.7-billion-euro ($1.9 billion) contract with the German Armed Forces to provide space-based intelligence through access to a synthetic-aperture radar satellite constellation.
The program, managed by the Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions joint venture, is scheduled to run through 2030, with options for extension.
