SpaceX rival, a German enterprise, capitalizes on Elon Musk's suspicion towards SpaceX's operations
Growing Skepticism Towards SpaceX Presents Opportunities for German Aerospace Giant, OHB
Amidst the growing European aerospace industry, OHB, a leading company based in Bremen, Germany, is experiencing increased demand from civilian and military customers, as well as benefiting from the mounting European skepticism towards SpaceX, the world's foremost space company.
In an interview with the business magazine "Capital", Marco Fuchs, OHB's CEO, mentioned a noticeable increase in reservations among European customers when SpaceX products are presented. Fuchs, who has a personal relationship with Elon Musk but hasn't seen him in some time, acknowledged this as a potential business opportunity.
Europe is actively seeking to reduce its dependence on American providers, as shown by ongoing efforts to build European alternatives to SpaceX's satellite network, Starlink. While European alternatives are unlikely to catch up with Starlink soon, OHB expects to secure significant contracts due to the growing mistrust.
SpaceX's dominance in the aerospace sector remains unchallenged, according to Fuchs, yet the lead is consistently expanding. OHB, as a leading company within the European aerospace industry, employs 3,500 people across 15 locations, working on projects such as developing satellites and parts for manned spaceflight.
In an attempt to expand further in the military sector, OHB may increasingly be perceived as a company providing military satellites. This shift has sparked internal discussions within the company, with Fuchs expressing comfort working with the German military as a customer.
As countries such as Ukraine and the United States experience periods of conflict, the need for European independence in defense and space technologies becomes more apparent. This growing awareness presents opportunities for companies like OHB to secure future contracts in the competitive European aerospace sector.
Sources: ntv.de, mbo.de.
- Aerospace
- Bremen
- Elon Musk
- SpaceX
- Satellite
- To bolster its presence in the competitive European aerospace sector, OHB, a Bremen-based company, could consider incorporating more vocational training programs in satellite development and space technology to attract skilled workers and better position itself against SpaceX.
- In light of the growing skepticism towards SpaceX in Europe, OHB could explore partnerships with academic institutions for research collaborations in the fields of science and finance, focusing on satellite technology and space-and-astronomy, to create competitive, European alternatives to SpaceX's services.
