NEWTOWN, Conn. - With an expected lifespan of 10 years each, SAR Lupe satellites are expected to remain in service until the end of the decade. At that time, they will need to be replaced to prevent a gap in Germany's radar satellite coverage. To this end, Germany has signed a contract with OHB System AG for three SARah satellites. Airbus Defence and Space will provide one of the satellites under a subcontract to OHB.
Despite difficulty with large-scale international satellite cooperation projects in Europe, France and Germany continue to cooperate on a smaller scale. In April 2010, OHB was selected to operate ground systems for France and Germany that would allow both countries to access data from Helios and SAR Lupe satellites.
During the forecast period, Germany will continue to focus on developing synthetic aperture radar satellite systems. The specifics regarding international cooperation will continue to be worked out, but the German military must develop and launch new satellites before the current-generation SAR Lupe satellites reach the end of their lifespans. To provide continuity in satellite coverage, Germany will launch the three SARah satellites in 2019 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
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