Europe will help Ukraine switch to an alternative to Starlink

The European Commission is working on Ukraine's transition to alternative satellite communications systems instead of SpaceX's Starlink.

Here's What We Know

The switch to an alternative was initiated because of SpaceX founder Elon Musk's threats to cut off Starlink for Ukraine.

European Commission spokesperson Thomas Rainier said that Ukraine had expressed interest in using alternative communication systems, including Govsatcom, the EU's unified network of government satellite capabilities. The possibility of connecting to the IRIS² satellite constellation was also considered, but it is not expected to be operational until the 2030s, making it impossible to use it for a quick transition.

According to Rainier, the European Commission will continue to communicate with Ukraine on this issue. Govsatcom's initial operational readiness should be achieved this year, although it is still only a temporary solution until the full launch of IRIS².

It is not yet known what functions Govsatcom will have, but Europe could also provide Ukraine with civilian alternatives, such as the British satellite group OneWeb, as well as operators Eutelsat, Hispasat or SES. The largest Ukrainian mobile operator Kyivstar has already become the official representative of OneWeb in Ukraine.

OneWeb owns a constellation of satellites to provide broadband internet connectivity and is an alternative to Starlink. It has its own network capable of providing high-speed satellite internet.

Source: Politico