The rise of the sovereign satellite
As the broadcast and communications industry meets in Amsterdam next week for the International Broadcast Convention (IBC), the satellite industry has been shifting to offering more sovereign capability rather than relying on large US networks. Recent mergers have created larger European operations that are looking to add new technologies, from 5G to software defined satellites.
At the same time startups are more agile in providing sovereign services. Finnish operator ICeye now has the largest constellation of monitoring satellites and is moving into defence applications, while a Bulgarian company is ramping up production of lower cost satellites using automotive and even consumer components and a new architecture to dramatically reduce development times.
Satellites have been a key communications technology since the first Telstar system in 1962 linking the US and Europe. Recent months have seen the European satellite industry shift dramatically, with Intelsat being bought by SES, UK-based marine operator Inmarsat being bought by US operator Viasat and UK broadband operator OneWeb being bought by Eutelsat. At the same time there are several startups shifting to provide sovereign capability to governments for satellite monitoring and 5G communications.
The ICeye Gen4 SAR satellite
SES acquiring US-based operator Intelsat in July 2025 creates a European operator with a fleet of 120 satellites across two orbits. The network including approximately 90 geostationary (GEO), nearly 30 medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites, strategic access to low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, and an extensive ground network.
The Luxembourg Government is working with SES on the development of a second satellite for its GovSat system that provides secure, reliable and accessible satellite communication services for governments.
GovSat-2 will be positioned over the European satellite arc and will join GovSat-1, launched in 2018, in providing connectivity for government customers over the region. The satellite will be built by Thales Alenia Space on its Spacebus 4000B2 platform with new ultra-high frequency (UHF) channels, X- and military Ka-band, and will include other security features such as dedicated hardening, an advanced anti-jamming system, and embedded geolocation.
“With geopolitical shifts and an increased need for scalable national security and defence capabilities, we are seeing growing demand for secure, reliable geostationary (GEO) connectivity with comprehensive coverage across Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean and the Baltic Seas,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES.
“As governments across Europe look to bolster their sovereign satellite communications for defence and intelligence needs, GovSat-2 gives GovSat additional capacity to address this strategic area of growth,” he said.
OneWeb
The second generation satellites for OneWeb are being built by Airbus to add 5G capability. Airbus will build 100 satellites in Toulouse, with delivery targeted from the end of 2026.
UK broadband satellite startup OneWeb was set up as a sovereign broadband competitor to US operator StarLink. It was acquired by Eutelsat in 2022 after the company, backed by the UK government, collapsed.
“Airbus manufactured all of the current OneWeb satellite fleet. We are committed to the successful continuation of the OneWeb constellation and to keep serving the business of Eutelsat as we have done over the past decades,” said Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.
The new satellites will also be compatible with Europe’s planned IRIS2 multi-orbit constellation which is due to enter operational service in 2030. Eutelsat will be one of the main operators and the combination will provide a major sovereign satellite constellation for both communications and monitoring.
“We are relying on Airbus to begin building the first batches of the Next Generation of our OneWeb LEO constellation, which will ensure we deliver continuity of service of the existing constellation with enhanced service features, as we move towards an architecture in line with the European IRIS2 constellation in 2030. Our experience shows us that the appetite for low Earth orbit capacity is growing rapidly,” said Fauré.
Univity
French startup Univity, which recently changed its name from Constellation Technologies & Operations (CTO), has been developing a new type of 5G satellite.
Back in June it started working with the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch a sovereign European space-based 5G connectivity using millimetre wave frequencies.
The joint experiments in very Low Earth Orbit (vLEO) on the first regenerative payload operating in the 5G mmWave band, and developed in Europe by Univity and ECSAT in the UK. The regenerative capability allows telecom operators to share their 5G FR2 (mmWave) spectrum for a more low latency 5G flexible service, rather than just relaying signals, for remote, rural, or crisis-stricken areas. This shared infrastructure model enables competitively priced coverage that complements existing fibre or cellular networks without requiring massive capital investments.
Two prototype satellites are planned for launch in 2027, followed by the gradual deployment of the constellation between 2028 and 2030.
“This alliance with ESA reflects a shared ambition: to build a competitive European sovereignty in space connectivity, powered by bold technology designed and developed in Europe,” said Charles Delfieux, CEO and founder of Univity. “We’re proving that it’s possible to compete on a global scale without compromise, giving telecom operators back control over their future in space.”
ESA also sees the sovereign capability as important.
“This agreement aligns with ESA’s strategy to support the rise of innovative European players and jointly build resilient connectivity. The tests with Univity pave the way for new hybrid use cases at the intersection of terrestrial and space networks,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications at ESA.
The French government is also backing the company for sovereign capability. French space agency CNES is working with Univity on a €44m project to accelerate the development of a sovereign 5G satellite network. This is part of the France 2030 call for projects operated by CNES to boost sovereign technology in the country.
“With €31m France 2030 funding, CNES is supporting Univity in preparing, through the in-orbit demonstration ‘uniShape,’ a satellite-based 5G-NTN service designed to meet the needs of terrestrial operators. The Univity ‘uniSky’ constellation aims to deliver a distinctive French solution for high-speed space-based 5G-NTN connectivity, serving both consumer and professional users, built on innovative concepts and breakthrough technologies,” said Caroline Laurent, Director of Orbital Systems and Applications, CNES.
The first phase of the project runs until April 2026 to prepare the technical specifications and use case studies, which will feed into the assembly, integration, testing, launch, and in-orbit operation of two VLEO 5G satellites communicating with gateways and ground terminals to demonstrate high-throughput, low-latency services by February 2028.
SAR radar
ICeye in Finland has seen its operations shift to more sovereign applications, which is impacting on the design of the satellites. The company started out with a constellation of satellites with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for monitoring the ground for floods and other risks. With 54 ‘birds’ in the sky it operates the world’s largest constellation of SAR satellites that has captured the interest of national governments.
It has recently signed a €158m deal with the Finnish military that will see the company supply SAR satellites and the technical systems and equipment required to establish a sovereign, space-based surveillance capability for the Finnish Defence Forces.
“This marks a pivotal moment, transitioning from intent to a tangible commitment that will equip Finland with a sovereign, space-based intelligence capability that will not only secure Finland’s position as a leader in this critical domain but also form the foundation for a long-term partnership that will enhance the collective security of its allies,” said Pekka Laurila, co-founder of ICeye.
The fourth generation ICeye satellites improve the resolution and the rate of taking images. The space systems are built for large-scale deployment and operations in large constellations. Its higher imaging throughput increases the per-pass image count, with a revisit time as short as 15 minutes. For government defence and intelligence teams, this means faster, more reliable situational awareness and greater confidence in mission-critical decisions.
Each Gen4 satellite can capture up to 500 images per day, with up to half concentrated within a 2,000-km-wide region per orbit. Imaging and downlink can occur simultaneously at up to 700 Mbit/s through a larger and more powerful antenna.
The 16 cm resolution and 400km high-resolution coverage area provide the world’s highest-fidelity commercial SAR imagery. Increasing the coverage area from 150 km to 400 km allows a single satellite to monitor a vast area of interest, such as an entire naval task force or a major land border crossing in a single pass while accelerating revisits over time-sensitive targets.
This enhanced imagery further improves the Detect & Classify product, which bundles ICeye imagery with an AI-based imagery service to automatically detect and classify vessels, aircraft, and vehicles with better than 90% accuracy. This is a key requirement for European governments who can access a fully sovereign capability that is not subject to the US ITAR controls.
The first wave of Gen4 satellites was launched in March 2025 and the company points to this as a critical capability for governments as well as defence and intelligence customers worldwide.
Rafal Modrzewski, co-founder and CEO of ICeye, said: “After years of dedicated research and innovation, we are proud to announce that our next-generation satellite, Gen4, is now commercially available. This marks a significant step forward in delivering more images, sharper, faster, and more flexible to our customers worldwide.”
“Gen4 is not only a technological leap; it’s a clear example of how ICeye continues to push the boundaries of the SAR satellite industry. It’s a game-changer for how governments, as well as defence and intelligence users, can see, understand, and respond to events around the globe,” he concluded.
Italy
Italy has also been developing its own constellation of microsatellites. Seven satellites have been launched for the Italian Earth observation mission, IRID, forming part of the Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) constellation, which carries multispectral optical instruments.
The constellation will provide data to help public authorities in Italy to make decisions based on scientific data from space, including environmental, emergency and security services.
The seven HEO satellites were developed by Argotec, based in Turin. “There have been many variables in the development of these seven satellites, so it’s with great satisfaction that we see the launch today,” said David Avino, CEO and founder of Argotec. “Our team has shown commitment to offering our country state-of-the-art tools to monitor our planet. If even one step counts, today we have taken seven.”
“This milestone represents an important step for the IRIDE programme,” said Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes. “The programme’s satellite data will support the protection of our planet, the management of resources and global security.”
Bulgaria
Bulgaria is also a key centre for European satellite technology. Endurosat has over 120 satellites in orbit and has just raised €43m to boost production of its third generation at a new facility in the capital, Sofia.
The FRAME software-defined satellites range between 200-500kg in weight and are developed with a fully modular architecture. Modules can be easily configured for hyperspectral imaging, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), broadband, navigation and other payloads using a cableless bus design developed entirely in-house. This allows for assembly and functional testing in just a few hours, significantly faster than typical satellite builds today.
The Endurosat FRAME modular satellite
“As the number of satellites in space demanded by a broader set of players grows exponentially, our industry needs to re-think how these satellites are built,” said Delian Asparouhov, partner at Founders Fund which led the funding round and Co-Founder and President of Varda Space Industries
“The team at EnduroSat has taken the massive leap to go from using traditional aerospace supply chains, to consumer electronics and automotive supply chains to build their products. This makes EnduroSat’s cost efficiency and performance above all in the market, and they have a proven flight heritage, with 3,000+ modules in orbit today. Their Gen3 satellites get them into a size class that will allow for almost any space opportunity to be relevant for them.”
Endurosat is building a 17,500 m² facility in Sofia, which will become one of the largest space R&D centres in Europe. This includes satellite avionics labs, two assembly lines, significantly expanded clean rooms, and a suite of space qualification equipment, including an anechoic chamber. By the end of 2025, EnduroSat aims to produce up to 60 satellites per month from the site.
Sovereign launches
A sovereign capability for launching satellites has also been an issue. The long-delayed Ariane 6 heavy launcher is now, finally, in operation, offering an alternative to the SpaceX Falcon and a follow on to the Ariane 5 launcher which finished operation in 2023 after 27 years. The first commercial launch of Ariane 6 in March 2025 and the second in August have put several European defence and monitoring satellites into orbit. It will also put Amazon’s Kuiper broadband satellites into orbit.
The heavy duty Ariane 64 configuration with four boosters can launch up to 21.6 tonnes into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or 11.5 tonnes into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), similar to the Falcon 9 launcher while the Ariane 62 with two boosters can carry around 10.3 tonnes to LEO and 4.5 tonnes to GTO. This compares to 64 tonnes into LEO or 26 tonnes into GTO for Falcon Heavy.
“The success of Ariane 6 is key for our European capability to access space. Ensuring the Union’s autonomous, resilient, and cost-effective access to space is a core priority of the EU’s space strategy,” said Christoph Kautz, Director for Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation, at the European Commission.
With operators, equipment suppliers and technology developers all gathering in Amsterdam for IBC, the focus on sovereign satellite capability is becoming even more intense. Europe has a strong operator and technology supply chain, with startups gaining traction with that sovereign focus to challenge the established industry players.
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