It’s time for Europe to choose between US or Chinese satellite tech, says FCC chair
1 min read
Summary
The European Union is considering whether to continue working with Starlink over comments made by Elon Musk about the possibility of switching off Ukraine’s access.
This has led to uncertainties for European allies, who will be concerned about any potential collaboration with China’s Spacesail, which is progressing at a faster rate.
Federal Communications Commission chair, Brendan Carr, has referred to these reactions as ‘unfortunate’ and feels that Europe is torn between the US and China and it is ‘sort of time for choosing’.
Starlink, owned by SpaceX, is the largest operator of global satellites, with over 7,000 providing internet and limited connectivity.
European companies have recently suspended negotiations with Starlink and are looking at alternatives, such as France’s Eutelsat, which is ten times more expensive and operates around one tenth of the satellites.