France to add cameras to next milsatcom satellites in move to space-based space surveillance

by Peter B. de Selding

PARIS — France’s defense minister on Sept. 7 said France’s next-generation geostationary-orbit military telecommunications satellites would carry small cameras to better identify and track unfriendly visits by other nations’ spacecraft.

Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said the decision is a first, affordable manifestation of France’s decision to make space situational awareness a government priority. The government is also upgrading its Graves bi-static surveillance radar, which takes broad measures of low Earth orbit and working with Germany and other European governments to increase funding for the so-far anemic . . .

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