China, Europe and the U.S. Struggle for Satellite Supremacy
The saga over who owns a German satellite operator demonstrates how quickly Western attitudes to Chinese investment have changed.
A satellite being launched on board an Ariane 5 from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, August 6, 2019. Credit: European Space Agency
The battle for control over vital communications satellites orbiting space has sparked a long-running corporate drama back on Earth which — though centered around the tiny European country of Liechtenstein — demonstrates the intense rivalry and mutual distrust between China and the U.S. and Europe.
Last month, the German government blocked a Chinese consortium’s efforts to gain full control of Kleo Connect, a local firm which had plans to launch this decade the sort of low earth orbit (
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