German Space Command chief asserts alien life exists, warns of Russian orbital threats
Generalmajor Michael Traut, head of the Bundeswehr’s Space Command, says he is convinced extraterrestrial life exists but stresses the priority is human-made dangers, especially a potential Russian weapon in orbit.
Michael Traut, the 61-year-old Generalmajor heading the Bundeswehr’s Space Command, told a magazine that he is absolutely certain alien life exists somewhere in the cosmos. Despite this belief, he emphasized that Germany must first address human-origin threats, which are already abundant. Traut singled out Russia as a concrete danger, claiming it can already destroy foreign satellites and may be working on placing a nuclear warhead in orbit.
He questioned whether the UN Security Council could sanction such actions. The Space Command, established in 2021 and based in Uedem on the Lower Rhine, consolidates all military space activities, from tracking debris to monitoring adversary satellites, and is being prepared to conduct its own space-based attacks. Recent incidents, such as a Russian satellite passing within 200 metres of a radar satellite possibly used by Ukraine, highlight a new escalation level in space. Traut warned that while the universe is vast, the immediate focus must remain on terrestrial and near-Earth security challenges.
Why it matters
The statements reveal Germany’s strategic focus on emerging space threats and the geopolitical risks of a militarised orbit.
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