German Aerospace Conglomerate OHB Sees Opportunities in Europe's Growing Skepticism Towards SpaceX
SpaceX rivalry amplifies as German firm capitalizes on Elon Musk's apprehension towards SpaceX
The German aerospace conglomerate, OHB, based in Bremen, is capitalizing on the increasing skepticism in Europe towards Elon Musk's space company, SpaceX. OHB has been collaborating with SpaceX for years, but is now encountering reservations among its own customers.
"If you come today with SpaceX products, many people in Europe say: No, thank you, we don't want that," says Marco Fuchs, CEO of OHB, in an interview with the business magazine "Capital." Fuchs has a personal acquaintance with Musk but hasn't seen him in a while, according to him.
European alternatives to Musk's satellite network Starlink are being developed to reduce dependence on the USA, with OHB anticipating substantial contracts as a result. However, catching up with Starlink may prove challenging. As Fuchs puts it, "It's like founding an airline and saying: Soon we'll be bigger than Lufthansa - and we'll build the planes ourselves too."
SpaceX is currently the dominant player in the aerospace industry. "That won't change anytime soon. Quite the contrary, the lead is constantly growing," Fuchs states.
In the future, OHB aims to grow in the military sector and incrementally transform its image into a company that builds satellites for military applications. This shift has led to internal discussions within the company. Fuchs, himself, feels comfortable working with the German Armed Forces as a client. He believes that recent conflicts, such as those in Ukraine, and politically charged events in the USA underscore the necessity for European countries to ensure their defense, rather than relying solely on others.
Founded in Bremen during the early 80s, OHB is one of the leading companies in the expanding European aerospace industry. The corporation employs 3,500 people at 15 locations, and, in addition to building satellites and parts for manned spaceflight, it contributes to spacecraft components for the International Space Station. OHB's subsidiary, Rocket Factory in Augsburg, is among several German companies working on new rockets meant to compete directly with SpaceX and other providers of launch systems.
- Aerospace
- Bremen
- Elon Musk
- SpaceX
- Satellite
Note: The provided enrichment data contains potential strategies that OHB could employ to take advantage of the growing skepticism towards SpaceX. However, it is unclear whether these strategies are being actively employed by the company.
- In response to Europe's growing skepticism towards SpaceX, OHB is considering diversifying its offerings, potentially including military satellite contracts and vocational training programs to strengthen its position in the European aerospace industry.
- To compete with SpaceX, OHB's subsidiary, Rocket Factory in Augsburg, is developing new rockets, envisioning a future where European countries decrease their reliance on the USA for space and aerospace technology, similar to the advances made in sectors like science, finance, and vocational training.
