The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Germany at the inaugural U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue.
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Pursuant to their shared goal of advancing bilateral space cooperation as declared by their leaders, the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany held their first bilateral Space Dialogue in Berlin, Germany on June 3-4, 2024. The U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue’s purpose is to strengthen cooperation and advance bilateral exchanges in space matters.
In their welcome and keynote messages, Federal Minister Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action; Chirag Parikh, Executive Secretary of the National Space Council; Anna Christmann, German Federal Aerospace Policy Coordinator for Germany; and Rahima Kandahari, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs underscored that the inaugural Space Dialogue will deepen space cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of both countries and the world. Both delegations comprised representatives of a range of ministries and agencies involved in space activities.
At the meeting, German and U.S. officials exchanged information on respective national space policies, including Germany’s Space Strategy and upcoming Space Security Strategy as well as the U.S. Space Priorities Framework. Both sides reiterated their strong determination to expand already robust bilateral cooperation in a variety of areas, including addressing the climate crisis and sustainable and safe use of outer space; advancing national security space cooperation and information sharing; and strengthening bilateral commercial space cooperation.
The participants held extensive discussions about challenges to our shared economic and national security interests. Both sides are determined to continue their close coordination in strengthening the global governance of space activities by promoting the widest possible accession to and full compliance with the Outer Space Treaty, including not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction. Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to the development and implementation of voluntary, non-legally binding international best practices and guidelines to promote the sustainable, safe, and responsible use of outer space.
Both sides resolved to deepen the bilateral coordination on national security space policies practices, and capabilities; particularly given the growing scope of counter-space and space-enabled and related threats. They also resolved to strengthen the coordination of national security space activities with other allies and partners around the globe, including by leveraging innovative commercial space capabilities, to ensure access to critical space-based services. Both sides also confirmed their interest in working together to strengthen the security and resilience of critical space-related infrastructures and services against the full spectrum of threats.
The participants discussed ongoing cooperation in space exploration and science and opportunities to strengthen partnership in these areas. Both sides are determined to continue collaboration on scientific missions to enhance understanding of our solar system and investigate the origins of our universe, including through NASA’s Artemis missions – noting the critical importance Germany plays in developing the propulsion modules for the Orion crew spacecraft. The participants also expressed their intent to discuss further cooperation in exploration, particularly on cislunar and lunar surface activities and in Low Earth Orbit. The two sides also highlighted the agreement of NASA and DLR to continue gravity field measurements from space with the GRACE-C Mission, providing unique observations of Earth’s changing water cycle. Furthermore, this contributes to a better understanding of global climate change and helps policy makers make data-informed decisions. The importance of the GRACE-C Mission was recognized by a panel discussion preceding the space dialogue.
Both countries reviewed joint efforts to promote the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, including work in the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS), and other UN bodies and the strengthening of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). As signatories of the Artemis Accords, which reaffirm the importance of compliance with the Outer Space Treaty and other core treaties, and establish a political understanding to ensure safety of operations in and sustainable use of outer space as countries explore the Moon and beyond, both countries expressed the importance of advocating for these principles in UN bodies and other multilateral governmental fora. The two countries decided to stay in close communication on expanding commercial space ties and space situational awareness (SSA), as U.S. responsibilities for civil and commercial SSA shift in the coming years from the Department of Defense to Department of Commerce. Both sides recognized the importance of addressing space debris.
Both sides acknowledged that Earth observation is a priority area for bilateral cooperation. They discussed a range of programs that use satellites to better forecast weather patterns; support agricultural and infrastructure planning; help monitor and combat climate change and pollution; prepare for and respond to disasters; improve natural resource use; and provide vital telecommunications services. Both sides noted intent to partner on the Landsat Next Mission to advance scientific knowledge and remote sensing technologies to support socioeconomic development, environmental management, and climate resiliency worldwide. Furthermore, sharing of and facilitating access to satellite data especially in the field of climate protection, research, and resilience are seen as fundamental by both sides.
Following the government-to-government discussions, both sides held a commercial roundtable on the margins of the dialogue which brought together more than two dozen private space companies from each of the two countries and highlighted existing partnerships. The session allowed industry representatives to better understand how the United States and Germany promote their respective commercial space sectors and to outline opportunities and challenges for stronger bilateral cooperation. Participants welcomed reciprocal investment into each other’s space sectors. Existing partnerships were examined to help boost ties between the two commercial space sectors and enable promotion of new partnerships.
Both countries are committed to continue to work together in the areas mentioned above and to explore other collaboration such as space industry sector development, including at the next U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue, to be held in the United States at a mutually-determined future date.
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