The European Union intends to increase the number of launches of its own satellites into Earth orbit sixfold by 2034. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius told the Financial Times that the EU plans to increase the number of European government spacecraft from the current nearly 70 to approximately 630, reports UNN.
Details
As Kubilius told the Financial Times, the EU will be forced to use launch sites in Norway, the United Kingdom and Canada, as the number of rocket launches is projected to increase sixfold by 2034.
"We consider launch capabilities to be an extremely important priority in the space sector," Kubilius said ahead of a "launch tour," during which he will visit facilities across Europe where rocket launch complexes already exist or could be established.
"This is of decisive importance to us," Kubilius added.
The EU is creating its own satellite constellation, intended to become an alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink system, as well as to provide a secure government satellite network. He noted that demand for such services would also come from member states and commercial operators.
Over the next eight years, compared with the 2016–2024 period, the number of national defence satellites is expected to increase from approximately 20 to nearly 300.
The number of government satellites will increase from nearly 70 to nearly 630. The number of commercial satellites will almost double from 1,000 satellites, the European commissioner said.
By 2034, the EU will need 62 launches per year for the Galileo and Copernicus programmes, the provision of secure satellite communications, and a new planned government Earth-observation service. The Ariane 6 rocket, which uses the European Space Agency's main launch site in French Guiana — a French overseas territory — can carry out 10 launches per year, but its capacity must increase to 14, Kubilius said.
The European Space Agency, the main driving force behind space activity on the continent, consists predominantly of EU members but is not an EU body. The United Kingdom and Norway are ESA members, while Canada is a partner. It is also considering where to invest more funds in launch capabilities.
"We are indeed expanding our launch capabilities on the European continent or in neighbouring regions, such as Andøya (Norway) or Scotland. Portugal is looking for opportunities in the Azores. Canada could be another option," Kubilius said.
To remind you
The European Commission has begun negotiations with Ukraine on joining the EU's secure satellite communications systems. This concerns, in particular, GOVSATCOM and the future IRIS² satellite network.