Ukrainian parliament passes bill to create Space Forces at first reading

Ukrainian parliament has backed the creation of Space Forces within the Armed Forces of Ukraine. MPs passed the relevant bill No. 13255 at first reading, according to the parliament’s website.

The bill aims to provide a legislative basis for creating the Space Forces. Accordingly, it only seeks to add a new branch to the list of branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. If the law is passed in its final reading, the Space Forces will join the Ground Forces, Air Force and Navy.

In the explanatory note, the authors of the bill state that Ukraine has scientific, engineering and industrial potential in the space sector, can build its own satellites and already cooperates with Luxembourg, Poland, Czechia and Sweden. With satellites, the state could detect missile launches, use space-based strike assets and establish secure satellite communications.

‘Ukraine has well-developed ground infrastructure that makes it possible to control its own spacecraft’, the MPs add.

One of the bill’s initiators, Fedir Venislavskyi, told The Guardian that Ukraine has already conducted three tests of systems for intercepting targets in near space.

Ukrainian companies are also working with Danish partners in space. In October, Himera and Denmark’s GomSpace put OBRIA NANO into orbit. It is a test satellite for a future communications network.

The companies are currently checking the onboard systems and equipment settings and analysing telemetry. They later plan to deploy a satellite network that would provide coverage across the whole of Ukraine and complement the capabilities of European space projects.

In parallel, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence is working with ICEYE and Nokia on a sovereign satellite communications system. The project is at the research stage, ICEYE told Defender Media. The parties are exchanging information on needs, capabilities and technological solutions, and holding consultations.