Germany joins Space Situational Awareness program

Germany is to receive space situational information and services from the U.S. Air Force under an agreement signed recently with the U.S. Strategic Command.

The Air Force said the deal will enable and enhance each nation's awareness within the space and increase the safety of their spaceflight operations.

"Space Situational Awareness requires cooperation, and arrangements such as this allow us to partner more effectively," said STRATCOM commander U.S. Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney. "As more countries, companies and organizations field space capabilities and benefit from the use of space systems, it is in our collective interest to act responsibly, promote transparency and enhance the long-term sustainability, stability, safety and security of space."

Seven other countries and two international organizations are participating in the Space Situational Awareness program: Britain, South Korea, France, Canada, Italy, Japan, Australia, the European Space Agency and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites.

A total of 46 commercial companies in 16 countries have also signed onto the program, which boosts multinational space cooperation and simplifies the process for program members to request specific information gathered by the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

"The information is crucial for launch support, satellite maneuver planning, support for on-orbit anomalies, electromagnetic interference reporting and investigation, satellite decommissioning activities and on-orbit conjunction assessments," the Air Force said.