The proposal for a regulation for a new constellation to ensure secure connectivity and the communication on space traffic management, presented by the European Commission on Tuesday 15 February, have been positively received by space-focused MEPs and the space industry alike. The latter also welcomed the announcements on this subject, even if some grey areas remain to be clarified.
“This is a great day for the European space sector”, said French MEP Christophe Grudler (Renew Europe, coordinator of the Industry and Research Committee - ITRE), welcoming the two European initiatives. He recalled that the connectivity project had been one of his main demands since the beginning of his parliamentary mandate.
Niklas Nienass (Greens/EFA, Germany) also welcomed the idea of creating a European “mega-constellation”. According to him, it is a “promising proposal”, especially for its approach to the emergence of a European ‘New Space’, with a focus on SMEs and start-ups. Competition is the best option for boosting innovation, he says.
However, the MEP questioned how the private sector could be integrated into an architecture with such a large defence component and at the prices of the services offered, recalling that SpaceX charges around €100 per month to operate its Starlink “mega-constellation” services. For him, the Internet service must therefore remain in the public domain. As coordinator for the Committee on Regional Development(REGI), the German MEP proposes to release additional funds to finance Internet infrastructure.
Space industry satisfied
Eurospace Secretary-General Olivier Lemaître welcomed the European Commission’s proposals. “The European Commission has understood what’s at stake”, especially from the point of view of the space industry, he said.
On the communication on space traffic management, however, he expressed concern about the “timing”, which seemed “extremely slow”, and about the currently “meagre” European budget for space traffic management in the Multiannual Financial Framework.
The constellation project, for its part, is “exciting”, according to him, even if clarifications are awaited on the participation of entities from third countries. He finds the definition of ‘New Space’ regrettable. The European Commission seems to be giving start-ups precedence over incumbents on the “obviously questionable” grounds that there is more innovation in small entities than in large ones.
In a joint statement, ArianeGroup and Arianespace welcomed “enthusiastically” the European constellation project “that Ariane 6, complemented by Vega C, will be able to deploy”. “The development of in-orbit services, space situational awareness, and sustainable space regulation are also strong commitments to which we subscribe”, the two companies added. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)