The European Union is set to prioritize European satellite operators, in a move designed to limit the expansion of the Starlink service in Europe, owned by Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX. However, the decision risks causing tensions with the Trump administration, writes Euronews.
The European Commission will adopt a decision this week on the allocation of radio spectrum for satellite mobile services, which would favor European operators.
Currently, Starlink dominates the global satellite internet market, having over 10,000 satellites in low orbit. The closest competitor is Project Kuiper, Amazon’s project, which recently launched its first commercial satellite constellation.
The strategic importance of satellite communications became evident after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Starlink was essential for the Ukrainian army after the classic communication infrastructure was destroyed.
Recently, Ukraine is said to have reclaimed approximately 400 square kilometers of territory in a counteroffensive, after successfully disabling thousands of Starlink terminals used illegally by the Russians.
However, even though the system has helped Ukraine to hinder Russia’s advance, European countries have become increasingly concerned about the strategic dependence on American operators controlling such an important communications infrastructure.
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