-
Europe plans to build a new six-billion-euro ($ 7.3 billion) satellite constellation that would work in a similar way to SpaceX’s Starlink.
-
The constellation will provide internet access for European citizens, especially those in remote areas, and will allow governments to communicate securely.
-
European Union officials have signed a study for a low-earth orbit constellation to take place in early 2021, people familiar with the matter told Les Echos.
-
Elon Musk said that SpaceX’s beta satellite internet could reach Europe by February 2021.
-
Go to the Business Insider homepage for more stories.
It seems that European countries intend to develop a six billion euro ($ 7.3 billion) satellite internet system similar to Elon Musk’s Starlink network, as the race to cover global broadband is heating up.
A study for a low Earth orbit constellation has been signed by European Union officials, anonymous people from the Bloc Commission for the French newspaper Les Echos said on Wednesday. The constellation would transmit the Internet to European citizens, especially in isolated communities, and provide secure lines for government communications, they said.
The EU could make an announcement on Thursday about a satellite constellation, a person with knowledge about the issue said on Wednesday. They did not reveal any other details.
The study for the constellation will begin early next year, and the contract is expected to be signed before the end of 2021, the European Commission said in a statement to Bloomberg.
European Commissioner for Industry Thierry Breton, a former French minister of technology and finance, is leading the project, Les Echos said.
The European aerospace company Airbus will lead a consortium to build the constellation, as well as the French-Italian company Thales Alenia Space, OHB SE from Germany, the satellite operators Eutelsat Communications SA and SES SA, as well as the space companies Telespazio and Arianespace, the newspaper shows.
The space broadband system would cost the European Union, aerospace companies and a regional recovery fund around $ 7.3 billion, Les Echos reported. The European Commission did not comment on the budget in its statement, nor did it respond immediately to Business Insider’s request for comment.
Having a satellite constellation would make Europe less dependent on other countries whose space services excel.
The American aerospace company SpaceX, founded by Musk in 2002, has launched into orbit at least 830 working Starlink satellites for its high-speed Internet service. Starlink’s goal is to cover the Earth with up to 42,000 satellites that transmit high-speed Internet.
Elon Musk said on November 3 that the public beta of Starlink, which is currently limited to the northern United States and southern Canada, could reach Europe by February 2021. He posted on Twitter European countries would have access “as soon as we get the country’s approval”, which he said will be in February or March.
Read more: Block-by-block maps reveal where SpaceX has to offer 642,000 Starlink satellite internet homes and companies at competitive prices
OneWeb, based in the UK, Musk’s closest rival with Starlink, plans to launch 650 satellites into orbit by the end of the year, according to a mission briefing. The space company wants to finally provide global internet coverage with a total of 48,000 satellites. This is 6,000 more than SpaceX planned for its Starlink constellation.
China is struggling to catch up with the US and Britain as it plans to develop three satellite constellations in low-Earth orbit – Hongyun with 864 satellites, Hongyan with 320 satellites and Galaxy Space per camera. The country has made its space program a last-minute priority, as it aims to become a major space power by 2030.
Read the original Business Insider article