Govsatcom, Eutelsat, Iris2: Ukraine seeks European alternatives to Starlink
The threat to cut off Kyiv's access to the Starlink satellite network could have far-reaching consequences for the war. To avoid this, Ukrainian authorities are seeking alternatives from the EU.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/04/22/govsatcom-eutelsat-iris2-ukraine-seeks-european-alternatives-to-starlink
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The threat to cut off Kyiv's access to the Starlink satellite network could have far-reaching consequences for the war. To avoid this, Ukrainian authorities are seeking alternatives from the EU.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/04/22/govsatcom-eutelsat-iris2-ukraine-seeks-european-alternatives-to-starlink
Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages
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00:00The outcome of the war in Ukraine is also being played out in space.
00:09The U.S. Starlink satellite network is essential as it currently provides connectivity for Ukrainian forces in the field.
00:17But the unpredictable nature of its owner, billionaire Elon Musk, has Kiev and the European Union worried.
00:24The 27 can, however, propose some alternatives.
00:28We have clearly the way to replace Starlink.
00:31Of course, the best is that Starlink remains.
00:33Because the time to replace the signal, it will need a little bit of time.
00:37And the Ukrainian army doesn't have a lot.
00:39But it is clear that if today, Starlink decides to cut the signal,
00:43we have the possibilities with GovSatcom,
00:48which is the European network that we have put in service,
00:53and will allow, since June, to be able to supply in Ukraine,
00:58if it is necessary, the Starlink's missing signal.
01:02GovSatcom is the provision of existing space capabilities.
01:05The system aims to provide reliable, secure networks for European public authorities.
01:10However, some believe that the system is not adapted to the needs of the Ukrainian battlefield.
01:15The alternative is to rely on Utilsat.
01:21This Franco-British company can provide services of the same quality as Starlink,
01:25but with a more limited strike force than its American competitor.
01:30So Utilsat operates a constellation OneWeb, which I believe has about 600 satellites.
01:37Starlink, we're talking more than 7,000.
01:39So there is a degree of coverage that's different,
01:42simply by the scale of the systems that they operate.
01:45The terminals that Utilsat has are also of a different size than the one that Starlink provides.
01:50Aside from that, there's different technologies at play.
01:55A final option exists through the European IRIS-2 project.
01:58This constellation of 290 satellites will provide secure connectivity services for the EU and its member states.
02:05However, the system will not be fully operational until 2030.