Ukraine, like other countries that are not members of the European Union, can join the IRIS² satellite system. It is currently under development, but in the future it could become a worthy alternative to Starlink.
Ukraine and IRIS²
Euractiv reports that Ukraine will be able to join the European satellite communications system IRIS² in the future. Andrius Kubilius, the EU Commissioner for Defense and Space, told them this in an interview.
More specifically, he said that all non-EU countries — the United Kingdom, Norway, and Ukraine — could join the system, which is part of the European security system. In other words, there are no special conditions for Ukraine.
Nevertheless, Kubilius stated that Ukraine was a significant space hub during the Soviet era and therefore it was reasonable to expect that it could contribute significantly to advancing the project toward its goal. However, no specific negotiations on this matter have been held yet.
How realistic is the project?
Elon Musk’s satellite network is mentioned here for a reason. Currently, Starlink is the only digital data transmission system that has already proven that it will work anywhere and under any conditions.
The European Union has realized that it should not rely on the US in the areas of space and defense, and is now trying to become self-sufficient in this regard. And the IRIS² system is an important part of this plan.
However, this will require €10.6 billion. For this reason, the organizers of IRIS² are actively seeking additional partners. Of the countries mentioned by Kubilius, only Norway has announced its readiness to join. Iceland is also interested in the project.
Meanwhile, the EU space law has only just been presented to the public and is currently the subject of heated debate. Furthermore, the US position regarding this matter remains unknown.
According to www.euractiv.com
