 |
| Europe wants to create its version of the Starlink internet project |
The report shows that as the battle for global satellite coverage grows, Europe is considering using Elon Musk's Starlink network as a model to develop a satellite internet system worth € 6 billion ($ 7 billion).
An unidentified person from the European Commission told the French newspaper Les Echos that European Union officials had signed a study of constellations in near-Earth orbit.
They said: Constellation sends the internet to European citizens, especially in isolated communities, and provides secure lines for government communications.
The European Union may announce news of its satellite constellation in the near future without revealing further details.
The European Commission said in a statement: The exploration of the constellation will begin early next year, and the contract is expected to be signed before the end of 2021.
French newspaper Les Echos said that the EU Commissioner for Industry, former chief technology officer and former finance minister Thierry Breton (Thierry Breton) was in charge of the project.
In addition to the French-Italian company Thales Alenia Space, the German OHB SE, the satellite operators Eutelsat Communications SA and SES SA, the airlines Telespazio and Arianespace, Airbus is also the chairman of the construction consortium.
According to French newspapers, the satellite internet system has cost the European Union, airlines and regional recovery funds around $ 7.3 billion.
The constellation of satellites that Europe possesses reduces dependence on other countries with excellent space services.
SpaceX, an American airline that Musk founded in 2002, has put at least 830 operating Starlink satellites into orbit to provide high-speed internet services.
Starlink plans to orbit the Earth with up to 42,000 satellites broadcasting the Internet at high speeds.
Musk said in November that the Starlink public beta, currently limited to the northern United States and southern Canada, will arrive in Europe in February 2021.
He tweeted, "As soon as the necessary permits are received in February or March, European countries can arrive."
OneWeb, which is based in the United Kingdom, is the closest competitor to the Starlink project, which is expected to put 650 satellites into orbit by the end of the year.
The space company hopes to connect a total of 48,000 satellites to the global internet, 6,000 more satellites than Starlink's SpaceX plans.