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EU quietly braces for nightmare scenario of multiple-casualty hybrid attack

"The talks among EU diplomats and ministers have focused on deploying emergency response teams, freeing up pockets of EU money to help the affected state, and how EU institution leaders should communicate, one EU official said." If that's all we got, we are doomed!

politico.eu

Diplomats are discussing emergency teams, EU funding and crisis communications, while some capitals warn Brussels risks duplicating NATO.

Berichte: Merz und Macron schließen Verbrennerverbots-Deal

France would support Germany’s push to soften the EU’s 2035 combustion-engine ban in return for German backing of stronger “Made in Europe” requirements for cars. Spending scarce ressources (like political capital) on stupid things. No wonder these two are so unpopular.

n-tv.de

Bereits Ende vergangenen Jahres schlägt die EU-Kommission eine Aufweichung des Verbrennerverbots vor. Doch unter den Mitgliedstaaten findet sich lange keine Mehrheit. Jetzt zieht Berlin offenbar Paris...

"Investors whom SpaceX has previously approached about financing its multibillion-dollar chip purchase said they only received a short two-page deal memo with pictures of outer space and an arrow pointing out that the company was going to build data centres “somewhere in the universe”."

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"The company is seeking to raise about $10bn in bank loans and $30bn in investment-grade debt to fund its blockbuster chip order, ... The deal would strengthen ties between SpaceX and Nvidia, after Musk vowed to double down on the group’s technology for his AI initiatives."

SpaceX looks to raise $40bn to buy Nvidia chips

Blockbuster debt deal is the latest sign of the vast spending on chips and other infrastructure underpinning AI

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Not again a Bolsonaro🙄 Reminds me a bit of the US: they vote again for people with a coup attempt. "Political analysts believe that the 45-year-old senator has a much greater chance of winning the run-off given that most of the other candidates in the first round come from rightwing parties."

Flávio Bolsonaro takes lead in first round of Brazil election

Son of jailed former far-right president in pole position against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

New google paper on space-based data centers: "Looking at launch cost, radiation tolerance, and free-space optical communication in tight clusters, the conclusion is that AI in space is promising but entails serious engineering challenges."

cell.com

Toward a future space-based, highly scalable AI infrastructure system design

This work explores a scalable compute system for machine learning in space, using fleets of satellites equipped with solar arrays, inter-satellite links using free-space optics, and Google tensor proc...

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Do we feel enslaved by technology. I have to admit, I am watching too many reels and shorts and I want to change that. Anyway, interesting piece by @jemima.bsky.social

Today’s youth would like to give back modernity, thank you very much

Has any previous generation been so down on the present?

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It sucks sometimes when you’re so busy with bullshit that you don’t have time to follow the trends that actually matter and think through what they mean for the space sector.

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Sometimes I wonder how China has become so competitive in high-tech sectors and what that means for the comparative advantages of high-wage economies going forward. The same question is increasingly relevant for the space industry and its global competitiveness.

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"Around 22% of global market share gains by firms that expanded over the past two decades can be linked to the subsidies they received, rising to 60% for Chinese firms. However, while subsidies increased firms’ market shares, they did not lead to significant gains in productivity or profitability."

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Industrial subsidies reach highest levels since the global financial crisis, says OECD

"While subsidy levels have risen across most regions, firms in China continued to receive significantly higher support than their competitors elsewhere. Between 2005 and 2024, Chinese firms received, on average, 3 to 8 times more government support than firms in OECD countries".

oecd.org

Subsidies across 15 key industrial sectors have reached their highest levels relative to revenue since the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, a new OECD report finds.

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Source: BRIEFING For the ITRE Committee Orbital congestion: A growing threat to space activities www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etud...

europarl.europa.eu

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I like this image depicting the different types of orbits. Most of the action is happening in LEO and GEO. MEO ist mostly pretty empty except for two MEO bands. - Navigation satellites are orbiting between 19,000km and 24,000km. - MEO satcom like O3b mPower and IRIS2 (not yet) at ~8,000km.

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

But I guess it is a good thing that member states have found a way to cooperate via, or together with, the EU on military matters in space. So far, this has always been a delicate topic, as defence remains primarily a Member State competence and national sovereignty concerns run deep.

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Interesting but, I have to admit, also a bit confusing. Who is doing what and who is paying for it? Apparently, these are not EU programmes in the narrow sense but voluntary cooperation between a group of member states and also Norway. Why is there an SSA component, when we already have EU SST?

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Reposted by Rafael Mentges

s2a systems @s2a-systems.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

A short clip of ESA's JUICE Earth flyby, recorded about 38 minutes before closest approach.

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

"Focusing on defence doesn’t preclude sharpening the offensive toolkit. Europe can discreetly signal to Moscow that every hostile action will have a price — and that every Russian attack will result in additional European support for Ukrainian operations." 💯

How Europe can stall Russia’s hybrid war

Enhancing domestic security, using new technologies and negotiating guardrails could lessen the risk of mass-casualty events

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

"Self-fulfilling bank runs just aren’t really a thing" Interesting data base. Not convinced by the message of the title.

Self-fulfilling bank runs just aren’t really a thing

Or, at least, that’s what the data seems to suggest

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I didn't know this company. I thought it might be a Polish joint venture with ICEYE but apparently it is something independent.

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Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Da das hier das Internet ist: das war natürlich nicht ernst gemeint. Das ein Strandkorb ein Problem wird, ist doch das eigentliche Problem. Es wird sich über Bullshit aufgeregt nur weil man irgendjemand oder irgendeine Partei nicht mag anstatt wirklich wichtige Themen zu besprechen. #Strandkorb

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European defence industry: Council identifies the first five projects of common interest

"SPACE will strengthen Europe’s space capabilities in several critical areas. These include early-warning satellites to detect missile launches, satcom, ISR, as well as precise PNT systems. The project will also enhance capabilities [...] the rapid launch of replacement satellites when needed."

consilium.europa.eu

The Council today adopted an implementing decision setting out the list of the first five European defence projects of common interest under the European Defence Industry Programme.

Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

The mission seems to be accomplished in that the main objective of achieving orbit. They still need to bring Starship back through the atmosphere from orbit. The Raptor engine failures, however, still indicate issues and that Raptor needs work.

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Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Should begin to see entry in about 30 minutes from now. Starship Mission 14 is headed for a splashdown in the North Pacific at T+3 hours 8 minutes and 30 seconds, estimated.

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Governing with agentic AI: when machines act on government’s behalf

Interesting OECD project on agentic AI in government: once AI systems can act on behalf of public authorities, not just advise them, questions of authority, accountability, auditability and human control become much more fundamental. A project launch blog is out now:

oecd.ai

Agentic AI raises new questions about how governments can maintain standards of safe, secure and trustworthy AI while machines act on their behalf.

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I still like my idea of giving Ukraine 10bn Euros for every Russian hybrid attack. Nobody can complain about an escalation from NATO. Yet, it will hurt Russia like nothing else.

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"Countries are split over how to confront the Kremlin’s sustained acts of sabotage, arson and destabilisation, but a growing number are seeking collective processes for punishing Russia over attacks that do not meet Nato’s benchmark to trigger its Article 5 mutual defence clause."

EU countries consider Nato-style joint responses to Russian hybrid attacks

Campaign this year has included drone attacks, bombs and arson, leading to calls for a stronger response

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Demand for launches is actually very high, despite the fact that launch prices have not fallen nearly as much as was once promised. Amazon even booked additional launches on Ariane 6, a launcher that had widely been seen as too expensive and outdated to compete in the commercial launch market.

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She doesn't even mention Starship which is obviously a much larger launcher and which is supposed to have a much higher lauch cadence. She doesn't mention the expected number of satellites to be launched within the next few years.

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Interesting but also a really weird take. O'Sullivan argues that SpaceX winding down Falcon 9 launches and Crew Dragon has to do with expectations for demand for launches have not materialized interprets it as SpaceX turning away from space.

SpaceX pivots away from space

Starbase, we have a problem

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"Airbus has proposed the sale of some of its assets, as the three European companies hold intensive talks with EU antitrust officials to negotiate potential remedies to secure approval for the merger, according to three people familiar with the talks."

Airbus offers divestments to secure Brussels backing for space merger

European aerospace group is seeking to allay competition concerns over deal with Leonardo and Thales

Also interesting: "The Ariane 6 rocket using the main European Space Agency pad in French Guiana — which is a French overseas territory — can cope with 10 launches annually and needs to reach 14, he said."

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“We’re really expanding our launching capabilities . . . on the European continent, or in the neighbourhood, like Andøya [in Norway], like Scotland. Portugal is looking for possibilities in the Azores. Canada can be another,” Kubilius said.

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EU turns to Norway UK, and Canada for space launch sites. It is interesting to see the EU considering non-EU launch sites. It's a sign they realize the urgency. "The EU will require 62 launches a year by 2034"

EU turns to Norway and Canada for space launch sites

Space commissioner is touring potential locations for launchers as the bloc tries to boost its satellite capabilities

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European space start-ups are taking off! I guess the German space defence budget plays a role here but also the possibility of a huge increase in the EU's space budget (maybe three times the current budget). The numbers are from dealroom: dealroom.co/resources/eu...

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A standard clause, perhaps. But the F-35 depends on continued US support to remain fully effective. No kill switch needed. With an administration I no longer consider a reliable ally, accepting that dependence looks like a bad strategic bet.

European Space Agency @esa.int · 23/09/2026

This is big news! Seems like the first European on the Moon will be an Italian. Remember, currently German and French astronauts are supposed to "go to the Moon" but not to land on the Moon.

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Reposted by Rafael Mentges

We’re strengthening our cooperation with Mistral on artificial intelligence. Together, we’ll explore secure and trusted European AI solutions for Earth observation, engineering and the next generation of space activities.

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I guess they can be part of the puzzle. Despite Iran being a disaster in all kinds of different ways, from what I have seen the F-35 proved it can fulfill a certain role. But then again, I am probably the wrong person to discuss the role of sophisticated figher jets on a 21st century battle field.

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ALT: Man's Surprised Reaction

“No one is free from dependence on the other side. That is the nature of the relationship,” Pistorius counters. “If we cannot trust each other, if we cannot say that this is the future of our cooperation (…) then we might as well give up on it.” Trust in this administration? I have no words!

static.klipy.com

Man's Surprised Reaction

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