BERLIN (AP) — The German military on Monday officially opened its first 'Air and Space Operations Center,' a nod to the growing importance of satellites for the country's national security.

The center, located in the western town of Uedem, has a staff of 50 that’s planned to triple over the next decade. They will focus on monitoring potential threats posed by space junk to satellites or people on the ground.

Unlike the United States, Russia and China, Germany has no military space program. The country is a prominent member of the European Space Agency, which emphasizes the civilian uses of space.