Diehl Defence, a prominent German defense contractor, announced plans to evaluate Spire's constellation of small satellites for detecting ballistic and hypersonic missile threats.
Spire's fleet, comprising thousands of nanosatellites in low Earth orbit, currently collects data on weather, navigation, and environmental conditions. Diehl Defence sees the infrastructure as a means to enhance monitoring of missile launches and trajectories without deploying new satellites.
The strategy involves integrating Spire data into existing early‑warning systems operated by the German Ministry of Defence. By combining Spire measurements with ground‑based radar, the accuracy and response time to potential missile attacks could be improved.
Diehl Defence also highlights the platform’s potential for international cooperation. The company notes that the technology could serve allies in establishing a shared early‑warning network.
The assessment of the Spire constellation is underway in close collaboration with European space agencies. If the system meets the required standards, implementation could take place within the next few years.