France’s military & private sector are developing a maneuverable VORTEX spaceplane capable of delivering payload; deploying satellites, sensors within hours or days; recovering critical assets; conducting reconnaissance & acting against threats in orbit, reports @spacenewsinc.bsky.social 5/10

One more week, one more round of news & analysis from us at #STAND. Did you pick up German in the meantime? It's no Star Wars, so I know you have. Listen to @julianasuess.bsky.social & me unpack Trump’s “Golden Dome” for @swp-berlin.org podcast: ambitions, risks & why it's likely wishful thinking.

🎧Ein paar Gedanken von @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social und mir zu Trumps "Golden Dome" im @swp-berlin.org Podcast Was genau die Ambitionen und Hürden sind, welche Risiken/Gefahren das Projekt birgt und warum das Ganze momentan nach strategischem Wunschdenken aussieht, gibt es hier zu hören:

The UN open-ended working group on the prevention of an arms race in outer space is continuing with a two-track structure focusing on legally binding obligations & voluntary measures, a compromise keeping all at the table, write @vsamsondc.bsky.social & @jessicawestphd.bsky.social for CIGI 9/10

Thanks to BBC World Service for the invitation to talk about space warfare, and join Raji Rajagopalan, Saadia Pekkanen, and @julianasuess.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

🇵🇱🚀 Today @swp-berlin.org published @spacenukesam.bsky.social and my assessment on Poland as an emerging space actor. This is the German version, placed in the context of wider European capabilities.

Trump announced that US Space Command would be relocated from Colorado to Alabama, stating that Colorado’s use of mail-in voting—which he called “dishonest elections”—played a role in the decision-making process, reports @politico.com 7/10

The plane bringing EC President von der Leyen earlier this week to Bulgaria was not specifically jammed by Russia, but rather fell victim to routine interference linked to the broader fallout from the war in Ukraine, state the Bulgarian authorities, reports @politico.com 4/10

Andøya Space & Rheinmetall Nordic will cooperate to expand civilian & military space operations. The aim is to close gaps in the launch value chain by providing Tactical Responsive Launch capabilities and rapid commercial satellite deployment for Europe, writes @hartpunkt.bsky.social 3/10

A great interview with @planet4589.bsky.social is currently available to all (but apparently not for long) @thebulletin.org "So far, we’ve just been exporting the same panoply of issues that we have on Earth to space. And it’s time that we deal with them, while we have this window of opportunity."

We've known for some time that the Russian space industry is declining and wrestling with corruption, sanctions, etc. Now this statement coming out of Energia: they are having difficulty paying wages + delivering the spacecraft. Saying it'll "take a miracle" to save the corp.

Arms control; long-range fires & Ukraine; Iran’s nuclear program; Starship, Soyuz-5 & China's rockets; DPRK's secret base & more in this week’s STAND newsletter, a project by @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social, on recent news & analyses to better #underSTAND #nuclear #space #deterrence & #threats 1/10

Russia plans to launch its new Soyuz-5 rocket, cutting reliance on Ukraine by replacing the Zenit-2 booster with a domestic copy, writes @arstechnica.com t.ly/1GQw4, while China is prepping its first attempt to land & reuse rocket stages after launch, says @spacenewsinc.bsky.social t.ly/bqIQ3 7/10

SpaceX’s huge Super Heavy-Starship launched Tuesday, marking success for the most powerful rocket ever built after 3 prior failures. NASA counts on a Starship variant for its planned 2027 moon landing, while SpaceX already has its sights set on Mars, reports @cbsnews.com.web.brid.gy 6/10

It looks like Poland will cut its Starlink funding for Ukraine from October 1st. POL is said to have funded about half of all Starlink terminals in UKR and the subscription fees are stated to be $50 million/year kyivindependent.com/polish-presi...

🚀 Praktikum in Brüssel! Das SWP-Büro bietet Studierenden (m/w/d) ein 12-wöchiges Pflichtpraktikum ab Mitte September 2025. ➡️Einblicke in EU-Politik und Veranstaltungen 💶 450€ / Monat 🗓️ Bewerbungsfrist: 31.08.2025 👉 Mehr Infos: https://swp-berlin.pulse.ly/sijxsglktz

As space operations become more integrated, the US Army introduced the 40 Delta Space Operations Specialist military occupational specialty to understand space-based assets and translate satellite data without the need for external support, writes @spacenewsinc.bsky.social 3/10

Golden Dome will likely have 4 integrated layers: a space-based sensing & targeting layer for missile warning, tracking & missile defense + 3 land-based layers with missile interceptors, radar arrays & potentially lasers, says the Trump Admin, reports @reuters.com 2/10

Forte, an Estonian technology & science news website, says it has received detailed information about Russia’s Tobol system, which would be used as part of its strategic electronic warfare network and was suspected to be in Kaliningrad for some time 3/10

First UK-based private rocket firm Skyrora received a space launch license, allowing it to use the domestic SaxaVord Spaceport. Skyrora plans to launch its suborbital rocket Skylark L up to 16 times by 2030, reports BBC News 2/10

Ein Interview mit mir zu Anti-Satelliten Waffen und Maßnahmen - inklusive der Rolle Russlands und welche Wirkung eine Nuklerarexplosion im Weltraum hätte: www.rnd.de/politik/hybr...

As satellites shape everything from GPS to global security, space is becoming the next geopolitical frontier. @julianasuess.bsky.social from @swp-berlin.org unpacks in this interview what’s at stake for space security & international cooperation. Listen here: www.astro-politics.org/expert-inter...

Some comments from @nuclearbalm.bsky.social and myself in this piece for @theipaper.com, talking about the urgent need to protect & defend assets in space inews.co.uk/news/world/r...

US Space Force conducted a second war-game to test how commercial space companies could augment military capabilities during orbital crises, concluding that technical capabilities are a smaller hurdle than the bureaucratic processes needed for integrating them, reports @spacenewsinc.bsky.social 8/10

The atmosphere in the Baltic Sea has grown more charged as Moscow has been intimidating sailors in the waters around Kaliningrad using submarines and disrupting GPS, reports @tagesspiegel.de‬ 4/10

NEW | Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 13, 2025: Recent satellite imagery suggests that Russia is constructing protective structures at some of its air bases following Ukraine's Operation Spider Web on June 1. 1/3 Full Update: isw.pub/UkrWar071325

The EU Space Strategy for Security & Defence - built on security, resilience & sustainability pillars - sets rules for EU states & industries & is a great foundation for Germany’s strategy & others, argue #STAND’s @julianasuess.bsky.social & @vohsvanessa.bsky.social‬ @internationalepolitik.de 9/10

One more week, one more batch of nuclear & space readings from us @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social #STAND. These go well with a cold beer on a sunny beach. Or, if you're stuck in a sweltering office, welcome to the (our) club, keep reading & carry on!

Before you head to the beach, here are some more readings to add to your stack. There's quite a bit on Iran, as well as some Eurodeterrence analyses (shameless STAND self-promotion). They all go well with cocktails🍹!

China setzt Taiwan stärker unter Druck. Es ist fraglich, ob sich der Inselstaat künftig auf die Schutzmacht USA verlassen kann. Im SWP-Podcast analysieren @angelastz.bsky.social @swp-asia.bsky.social und Johannes Thimm die Herausforderungen, vor denen Taiwan steht. www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/...

Der Weltraum wurde in Europa lange als „Luxusprojekt“ betrachtet, um das man sich kümmern kann, wenn man Panzer und Munition hat – dabei ist er die Basis der Verteidigung, sagt @julianasuess.bsky.social @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social im Interview mit der "Welt": www.welt.de/politik/ausl...

Western Europeans' views on nukes; B61-13; Golden Dome; Iran & HEU; Russia in Ukraine & with NATO; US-China in space & more in this week’s STAND newsletter, a project by @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social, on recent news & analyses to better #underSTAND #nuclear #space #deterrence & #threats 1/10

Russia is apparently planning to arm satellites with nuclear warheads. Their detonation could destroy satellite infrastructure and possibly trigger a military escalation on Earth, write @julianasuess.bsky.social and Jonas Schneider @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social: www.swp-berlin.org/en/publicati...

After abandoning the Other Place, we're now launching our Weekly STAND Newsletter here. Read with caution & a strong coffee!

We’re back with #underSTAND - our weekly newsletter all things #nuclear #space #deterrence and #threats Check out our first BlueSky edition here - 🚀☢️🛰️

Poland’s growing role in Europe is coupled with a strong desire to grow its space program, presenting both economic and defense opportunities for both the US and Europe who should seek integration & interoperability, argue our @julianasuess.bsky.social & @spacenukesam.bsky.social @Aerospace 9/10

Nur weil Realismus drauf steht, ist nicht zwingend Realismus drin! Das hätte ich schon vor drei Jahren aufschreiben sollen. Besser spät als nie. Danke an die @zeit.de fürs Publizieren. Das Kernargument - stark eingedampft - im Thread 🧵 1/18

Die NATO fürchtet, dass Russland Atomwaffen im Weltraum platzieren könnte. Im neuen SWP-Podcast analysiert @julianasuess.bsky.social @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social, wie riskant der Einsatz von Nuklearwaffen im All ist und welche Folgen auf der Erde zu erwarten wären. www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/...

Russland plant offenbar Satelliten mit nuklearen Sprengköpfen zu bewaffnen. Die Zündung einer solchen Kernwaffe könnte Teile der Satelliteninfrastruktur zerstören & womöglich eine militärische Eskalation auf der Erde auslösen, so Juliana Süss & Jonas Schneider: www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/...

🚀 #Trump, #SpaceX & die #SpaceForce – Welche Folgen hat die zweite Amtszeit für #Deutschland und Europa mit Blick in den Weltraum? @julianasuess.bsky.social analysiert die sicherheitspolitischen Herausforderungen. www.kas.de/de/web/die-politische-meinung/blog/detail/-/content/make-space-great-again

Come work with me! Wir suchen ab Juli eine studentische Hilfskraft, die uns im Forschungscluster Cybersicherheit und Digitalpolitik bei Forschung und Veranstaltungsorganisation unterstützt. /1

Ich durfte ein tolles Gespräch mit @deutschlandfunk.de.web.brid.gy zu Europas Weltraumfähigkeiten führen und schätze mich in bester Gesellschaft - u.a. mit Ko-Kommentatorin @rikefranke.bsky.social www.deutschlandfunk.de/autonomie-im...

Baut #SpaceX ein sicheres Regierungsnetz für #Italien? Die Meloni-Regierung dementiert nur, was niemand behauptet. Aus technischer Sicht wäre der Deal möglicherweise nachvollziehbar. Unser Text bei @spiegel.de, u.a. mit Einschätzung von @julianasuess.bsky.social www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/net...

Ambitionen von Staaten und kommerziellen Akteuren werden längst in den Weltraum projiziert. In diesem Gespräch mit Nana Brink für den SWP Podcast sprechen wir über Umlaufbahnen, Weltraumakteure, Anti-Satellitenwaffen und was das alles für Deutschland bedeutet www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/...

- 📱 @danielvoe.bsky.social zu Technologiepolitik - 📰 Aldo Kleemann zu Desinformation - 🛰️ @julianasuess.bsky.social zu Weltraumsicherheitspolitik - 👩‍💻 yours truly zu Cybersicherheitspolitik. Hier geht's zu allen 10 Beiträgen: www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/...

Zusammen mit Kolleg:innen von der SWP haben wir Kurzanalysen geschrieben, welche Folgen Trumps zweite Amtszeit für die internationale Politik haben wird. 4 technologiepolitische Beiträge sind mit dabei: 🔽

So nämlich. 🚀 Women in Space “We’ve always been here.” Amazing image by Malte von Tiesenhausen

Nothing quite like rushing out of a meeting room to grab headphones with 3 minutes to spare before a live recording, only to accidentally rip off the door handle and locking yourself into said meeting room until rescued by a colleague after the recording...

With Christmas around the corner, the newest #WarinSpace🚀 episode is out one week early! Tune in to hear John Janka (ViaSat) and me discuss space sustainability and answer questions such as how busy are the orbits, how do we predict collisions and who regulates all that space traffic?

Necessity knows no law? My newest commentary for @rusi.bsky.social on a potential space partnership between Russia and North Korea