Dorothee Bär (CSU), the Federal Minister for Research, Technology, and Space, expressed great satisfaction with the successful landing of the Artemis II mission, calling it a “huge success”. According to Bär speaking to the Funke Media Group’s newspapers, she watched both the launch and the landing live, reportedly with a “finger crossed”. She believes that the coverage of the event has either deepened or newly sparked the fascination with space among many people. The images of the sunrise behind the Moon, as well as “the everyday moments aboard the Orion spacecraft” have left a lasting impression.
Bär acknowledged Germany’s significant contribution to the Moon mission. She noted that Europe provided a key component of the spacecraft through the European Service Module, with substantial contributions coming from Germany. The final assembly of the module took place in Bremen, and a satellite from a Berlin start-up was also included on the mission. She stated that the mission demonstrated the strength of European collaboration and the capability of Germany’s innovative and industrial base. “We can rightly say: We are a space nation. Germany has been a strong partner from the start”. Furthermore, a star sensor for navigation and radiation sensors also originated from Germany. Bär attributed this success, in part, to her own ministry for fostering Germany’s status as a top space technology nation.
However, she dismissed the notion that Europe’s relatively low number of rocket launches or satellites in orbit poses a problem. For Bär, the effectiveness of satellite systems is more crucial than the sheer number of launches or landings. She highlighted the superior performance of the European Galileo satellite navigation system, claiming it is more precise than all comparable systems, including GPS. Additionally, the European Copernicus program is considered a “gold standard” among Earth observation programs. Bär stressed, “Satellites are our eyes in space. Space is essential for our sovereignty, which includes sovereign access to space”. She also added that work is progressing “at high speed” on new launch vehicles to ensure more satellites can be placed in orbit.
