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EU launches 290-satellite space programme as rival to Starlink
The Guardian
|December 17, 2024
The EU has launched an ambitious €10bn (£8.3bn) space programme with a constellation of 290 satellites to rival Elon Musk's Starlink, further widening the post-Brexit security gap with the UK.
The constellation is intended to ensure the bloc's security for governments and armies amid increasing global concerns over cybersecurity.
Officials said the UK had not made any request to be part of the Iris2 project, which will also offer sub-lease communications capacity for commercial use as an alternative to Musk's Starlink network.
"It is a significant step towards Europe's sovereignty and secure connectivity," an EU statement said.
This story is from the December 17, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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