Could Orbex Technology Aid Iranian Nuclear Ambitions?

The military industrial complex and space technology may not seem so obviously connected at first glance. After all, short of an alien invasion, no country on the planet faces dangers from outside Earth. However, many of the technologies that fuel the high tech weaponry and missile technology of today began life in the laboratories of organisations like NASA and Roscosmos. America was only able to beat the USSR in the Cold War space race by abducting Nazi Germany’s best rocket scientists at the end of World War Two. Today, space technology still has the potential to be used for deadly ends when it falls into the wrong hands.

How Leaked Technology Fuels the Modern Space Race

Industrial espionage is a silent war fought between nations all over the world. Simply look at Chinese manufacture, and their reliance on retro-fitting existing patents with cheaper parts to export globally and undercut competitors. Iran cannot compete with China’s industrial might. However, sustained economic sanctions brought on by America has served to seriously undermine the country’s economy. This has made them a dangerous enemy, and industrial espionage is an efficient way to gain leverage against an enemy with a minimal outlay.

Orbex Ripe for Infiltration

One company that presents an easy victim for state espionage is the space technology firm Orbex. The business has long suffered financially, making poor management choices under the guidance of founder Kristian von Bengtson’s erratic guidance. The troubled entrepreneur achieved notoriety for his bizarre scheme to populate Mars with reality TV contestants. A darker chapter in his past might be his association with former business partner Peter Madsen. Madsen, with whom he founded Copenhagen Orbitals, made grisly headlines across the world when he tortured and murdered journalist Kim Wall during an interview she was conducting on his private submarine. With a past so chequered, Bengtson could be easily blackmailed or bribed into assisting the Iranian government obtain rocket launch designs. From there, it’s not a big leap of the imagination to see these designs being integrated into a ballistic missile delivery system for a nuclear payload.

Iran on the Rise?

Iran still has some way to go in realising its nuclear ambitions. It was only this year that the country successfully launched its first military satellite on a Safir rocket, and this only after the same rocket failed to successfully launch twice before. However, a cornered animal can be twice as dangerous. While America and others who Iran views as enemies tighten the squeeze of sanctions, nuclear armament will become a more attractive solution to keep opponents at bay. As long as Iran and other unstable dictatorships continue to pour money into accelerating a nuclear arms race, companies like Orbex will remain attractive targets to industrial spies.