Europe’s satellite sovereignty push faces funding test as EU space budget cycle ends
Regulators, EU officials and Spanish satellite operator Sateliot gathered at the European Parliament on Tuesday to debate how spectrum and investment will shape Europe’s networks in orbit, with the EU’s 2021-2027 space funding cycle ending next year.
European policymakers met in Brussels to discuss how radio frequencies and funding will shape Europe's satellite communications, with the EU's current seven-year space budget ending in 2027. Sateliot, a Barcelona-based satellite company, showcased its space-based mobile phone masts that provide internet to IoT devices in remote areas.
The EU's €14.8 billion space program for 2021-2027, which funds Galileo and Copernicus, is set to conclude next year. For 2028-2034, the European Commission plans to fund space from a new European Competitiveness Fund, allocating €131 billion for defence and space. EU leaders are expected to deliberate on the next budget during the European Council meeting on Thursday and Friday.
Spectrum, the radio frequencies needed for satellites and mobile networks, was a focal point in the discussions. The Commission proposed a single EU-wide licence for mobile satellite services in the 2 GHz band, which currently expires in May 2027. This would reserve spectrum for European operators and a secure system linked to the planned IRIS² secure satellite constellation.
The EU's 2021-2027 space program, which funds navigation and Earth observation systems, ended in 2027, prompting the European Commission to seek funding from the new European Competitiveness Fund. Sateliot CEO Jaume Sanpera stated that building European satellite champions is crucial for competitive global space sector participation, noting that European companies are increasingly preferred due to their predictability.
Sateliot has recently been selected to contribute to IRIS²'s Low-LEO layer and will study 5G connectivity from space through the RESCUE-NET project. The company has also secured contracts worth €20 million, mainly with SpaceX and PLD Space, for launching and managing its satellites. PLD Space, a Spanish launch company, plans to launch Sateliot's next-generation Tritó satellites in 2027 using a small orbital rocket designed by PLD Space.
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