Europe’s internal market chief wants the continent to build its own shield against attacks in orbit, arguing that satellite services Europe rents from others will not survive a hostile peace. Andrius Kubilius, the European Commission’s defense and space commissioner, made the case as officials processed warnings about Russian spacecraft shadowing Western satellites.
Why the dependency became urgent
The trigger is political as much as technical. Washington spent last week explaining who throttled Starshield bandwidth for Ukrainian troops, with reporting pointing to an order from inside the White House and the president denying it. For European governments buying connectivity from American operators, the episode showed that access can change with a phone call.
European leaders are wary of depending on fleets they do not command.
What a shield would actually require
Member states still buy satellites nationally and guard launch and ground station contracts for sovereignty. A shield implies something costlier: sensor data delivered fast enough to act on, rules for reporting attacks, and capacity to replace a crippled fleet. The commission cannot direct national fleets, and Europe’s machinery moves slowly on all three.
Money will decide much of it. The secure IRIS2 constellation already runs above initial cost estimates, and its first industrial orders began flowing only in August. Defensive roles would need funds set aside in the next multi-year budget, still under negotiation.
None of that helps satellites already flying. Assurance for operators comes down to ground controls and audits, which procurement rules can push faster than any treaty.
The test ahead
Kubilius has attached numbers and deadlines to European ambition before. The proposal will be judged on whether it carries budget.
