Establishing Ukraine’s own Space Forces is a large-scale and lengthy process that requires significant financial and engineering resources. According to experts’ estimates, at least 10 years and tens of billions of dollars in investments are necessary for a full-fledged launch of such military forces.
This is reported by Finway
Duration of Creation and Key Components of the Space Forces
The Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense, and Defense Innovations, led by Fedor Venislavsky, estimates that basic results in the establishment of the Space Forces could be achieved within a year, while full formation could take 5 years. However, aviation expert Bohdan Dolinets believes that the actual timeline is significantly longer, as Ukraine’s capabilities in this area have been practically lost since the collapse of the USSR. Currently, Ukraine is forced to start this process from scratch.
“If we are talking about the full operation of such forces, Ukraine will need at least 10 years to create, develop, and gain capabilities. But if this process is not started, they will essentially never appear,” Dolinets noted.
The formation of the Space Forces does not mean building bases in space. First and foremost, a dedicated network of satellites is needed for reconnaissance, territory monitoring, and ensuring independent satellite communication, navigation, and data transmission. An important element is the launch vehicles — Ukraine currently lacks its own medium or long-range missiles capable of launching satellites or performing defense tasks in outer space. Dolinets emphasizes that modern rockets need to be developed, as well as a system for their storage and operation.
Another area of activity for the Space Forces will be countering space threats, particularly Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles, such as the “Oreshnik” system. This requires modern over-the-horizon radar detection systems, which were previously on Ukrainian territory but now need complete modernization. Restoring these systems will allow for the detection of missile launches thousands of kilometers away, as well as tracking enemy satellites conducting reconnaissance over Ukraine.
The expert notes that implementing these plans requires stable funding. Establishing the basic elements of the Space Forces will cost the country between 5-10 billion dollars over the first decade, while developing modern systems will cost several billion dollars per unit.
International Cooperation and Strategic Perspective
Senior analyst Anton Zemlyany estimates that it may take another 5-10 years from the creation of the Space Forces to their effective use on the battlefield. He emphasizes that even if the Space Forces are formally established in 3-5 years, significantly more time will be needed for full combat readiness and technological equipping.
As of today, Ukraine still lacks the technical capability to intercept missiles from the “Oreshnik” system, as this requires complex missile defense systems that still need to be developed and implemented. According to Zemlyany, the primary task of the Space Forces should be to deploy satellite monitoring for early detection of enemy preparations for missile launches. In the long run, this will allow for precise strikes on launch installations before the missiles are launched.
International cooperation plays an important role in the creation of the Space Forces — the involvement of European partners can accelerate and make the process more efficient. To achieve this, it is necessary to develop the engineering base, train specialists, and attract investments.
In April 2025, a strategic plan for the development of Ukraine’s military space capabilities was announced, projected until 2035. On September 24, the parliament approved the decision to create the Space Forces, paving the way for the implementation of large-scale defense projects in the space sector.