EU lays out $6.8 billion satellite communication plan in space race

The European Commission on Tuesday set out a 6 billion-euro ($6.8 billion) satellite communications plan, part of a push to cut the European Union’s dependence on foreign companies and protect key communications services and surveillance data against any outside interference.

The move comes amid growing concerns over Russian and Chinese military advances in outer space and a surge in satellite launches.

Commercial operators such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX and its Starlink network that aims to launch tens of thousands of satellites to supply global space-based wifi have also contributed to a fast-growing satellite population and resulting debris.

“Our new connectivity infrastructure will deliver high-speed internet access, serve as a back-up to our current internet infrastructure, increase our resilience and cyber security, and provide connectivity to the whole of Europe and Africa,” EU industry chief Thierry Breton said in a statement.

The EU proposal aims to build and operate a space-based state-of-the-art connectivity system, help to counter cyber and electromagnetic threats and improve the resilience of EU telecommunication infrastructures

The 6 billion euro cost will be funded by a 2.4 billion euro contribution from the EU from 2022 until 2027, the EU budget, EU countries, the European Space Agency and private investments.

The EU aims to launch the programme next year.

European Union ministers, meeting on space policy in Toulouse, on Wednesday agreed that the bloc needed an autonomous satellite constellation infrastructure for high-speed internet access, France’s Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said.

“This is probably the most important achievement of today’s meeting,” Le Maire told a news conference after the meeting.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke at the event, said that bundling efforts to build up a satellite constellation independently from more advanced projects like Elon Musk’s SpaceX was for Europe was a “matter of sovereignty”.

Although they only make up a tiny fraction of today’s internet traffic, which still overwhelmingly depends on a network of undersea fiber-optic cables, constellations of satellites working together are seen by some analysts as a potential technology revolution in the mid-term future.

“Europe must take its place when it comes to constellations”, said Macron.

“Constellations will be at the heart of our existence, of our lives”, the president added, citing the future use of satellite-powered high speed internet in sectors like autonomous driving, emergency services or maritime transport.

“Who can imagine that, because we don’t have our own European constellation, we would decide de facto to hand over our health or traffic data to other powers, to actors which (…) can’t be governed by European law”, Macron said.