cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/4856544
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[German Defence Minister Boris] Pistorius said two Russian Luch-Olymp reconnaissance satellites are tracking two Intelsat satellites that are used by, among others, the German armed forces.
The minister said that as he was speaking, “39 Chinese and Russian reconnaissance satellites are flying over us,” with their observations being transmitted in real-time. “So be careful what you say,” he added.
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“They can jam, blind, manipulate, or kinetically disrupt satellites,” he told a space conference in Berlin, adding that the German military has already been targeted by jamming attacks.
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Europe lags behind the United States, China and Russia in space.
For decades, Europe has relied upon the U.S. for its security in space, but the Trump administration’s “America First” policies, plus a commercial market that’s growing exponentially, has prompted Europeans to rethink their approach.
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German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius revealed the active operations as he announced a €35 billion ($41 billion) investment in his country’s space programs over the next five years.
Is this a new development? I don’t want to downplay the danger coming from Russia, but I also don’t like how media seem to churn out headline after headline that evokes “WW3 is one step closer” type emotions.
In addition to clickbait and ragebait, this is fearbait I guess.
The real bit of news (IMO) is this:
It’s very far from a new development. The US first demonstrated the ability to identify, track, and destroy a hostile satellite back in the 1960’s. My dad was an engineer and worked on that project.
Manufactured consent.