‘Europe must reclaim…’: Frech president issues rallying cry as satellite market heats up

French President Emmanuel Macron has issued a rallying cry for Europe to reassert itself as a space power, warning that the continent risks being shut out of the booming low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite market.

Speaking at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, Macron urged bold investment in Europe’s space capabilities, just a day after France doubled its stake in Eutelsat — Europe’s answer to Elon Musk’s Starlink.

“SpaceX has disrupted the market. Amazon is moving in. China is close behind,” Macron said. “We must be clear-eyed — Europe is on the verge of being pushed out.”

Low Earth orbit satellites, which circle just a few hundred kilometers above the planet, are key to everything from broadband access to emergency communications, defense, and space exploration. As geopolitical tensions rise, so does the need for sovereign, secure space infrastructure.

Calling dependency on non-European networks “madness,” Macron stressed the urgency of building a robust, homegrown alternative. He extended an invitation to global allies — from India and Canada to Brazil and Gulf nations — to partner with France on strategic space efforts.

“This must be a collective push,” Macron said, emphasising the need for both public and private sector investment. He announced that France will host a global space summit in early 2026 to drive collaboration and innovation.

The French government, now set to become the largest shareholder in Eutelsat, is backing the operator’s bid to compete with Starlink. Since merging with Britain’s OneWeb in 2023, Eutelsat has amassed a fleet of over 600 satellites — making it the second-largest LEO constellation in the world.

“Our goal is simple,” Macron said. “Put Europe back at the forefront of space — with France leading the way.”

UK government has joined other investors to back Eutelsat, following the earlier announcement by French Government and Bharti.

Eutelsat provides both low-Earth orbit connectivity (the OneWeb constellation that was rescued by Bharti and the UK government in 2020) and traditional geostationary satellites, the first company to provide both technologies to its customers.

€1.5 billion funding round fully secured to fund the next generation of satellites and the development of new services and technology. Eutelsat is the only non-US, non-China low-Earth orbit operator.

Bharti has supported the group’s development for many years, and its participation in both transactions for €150 million demonstrates its desire to remain associated with Eutelsat’s history.