ASI President defends partnership as a secure interim solution amid delays in Europe’s IRIS2 satellite program
Italy’s national space agency, ASI, has dismissed concerns over a potential agreement with Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide secure satellite communications, stating it poses no security risk. The deal, under consideration by the Italian government, aims to ensure encrypted communications for government officials, embassies, and defense personnel in high-risk regions.
Opposition parties have criticized the proposal, questioning whether sensitive communications should rely on a system owned by a U.S. billionaire. However, Teodoro Valente, President of ASI, addressed these concerns, calling the potential partnership “a concrete solution that ensures secure communications while leveraging national proprietary technology.”
From a technical standpoint, Valente dismissed doubts about data security, asserting that the arrangement would not conflict with Europe’s IRIS2 program, a forthcoming satellite constellation aimed at providing secure communications and broadband services. IRIS2, designed as a European alternative to systems like Starlink and Jeff Bezos’ Kuiper, is not expected to become operational until 2031 due to significant delays.
“Negotiations for the European system have taken too long, forcing Italy to seek other options,” Valente explained. Initially slated for completion between 2026 and 2027, the EU project remains years away, leaving gaps in Italy’s immediate needs for low-orbit satellite communications.
ASI plans to finalize a feasibility study for a national low-orbit satellite constellation by mid-year. Valente emphasized that any Italian initiative would align with European solutions, not compete with them. Despite Italy’s robust space industry, which generates €2 billion annually, developing a proprietary system would take considerable time.
“We do not have low-orbit satellites sitting in warehouses,” Valente concluded, underlining the urgency for interim solutions like Starlink to meet the country’s immediate security needs.
(Associated Medias) – All rights reserved