Not Wanting To Lose To China And Russia, The European Union Wants To Launch A Satellite To Ensure Cybersecurity In Europe

Satellites are a requirement for the European Union for cybersecurity independence. (photo: doc. NASA)

JAKARTA - The European Commission on Tuesday, February 15, adopted a communications satellite plan worth 6 billion euros (Rp 97 trillion), as part of a push to cut the EU's dependence on foreign companies and protect key communications services and surveillance data against outside interference.

The move comes amid growing concerns over Russian and Chinese military advances in space and a surge in satellite launches.

Commercial operators such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and his Starlink network which aims to launch tens of thousands of satellites to supply global space-based wifi have also contributed to the fast-growing population of debris-generating satellites, called space junk.

"Our new connectivity infrastructure will provide high-speed internet access, serve as a backup to our current internet infrastructure, increase our cyber resilience and security, and provide connectivity across Europe and Africa," EU industry chief Thierry Breton said in a statement. quoted by Reuters.

The EU proposal aims to build and operate an advanced space-based connectivity system, which helps counter cyber and electromagnetic threats, and increases the resilience of the EU's telecommunications infrastructure.

The 6 billion euro fee will be funded by a 2.4 billion euro contribution from the EU from 2022 to 2027, the EU budget, EU countries, the European Space Agency and private investment. The European Union aims to launch the program next year.