Italys tend to purchase Starlink data deals all set a new struck to European area network

The sat-Internet service from the SpaceX Starlink grouping is apparently in the list of services Italian government is planning to buy and this seems to have upset people in many ways in Europe –political, economical and space-flight ways. It was published by Bloomberg on Sunday that Italy has held preliminary discussions with SpaceX and is currently in ‘advanced talks’ because it plans to spend $1.6bn on secure telecommunication services with SpaceX. The publication stated that although negotiations started in mid-2023 an accord was not ready until Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on President-elect Donald Trump in Florida recently.

This report sparked a flurry of responses that raise concerns over the growing concern of European countries regarding cooperation with SpaceX, whose successful performance in the international market has seriously affected the launch industry in Europe as well as the administration of the President of the United States and the founder of SpaceX Elon Musk. Starlink has emerged as secure broadband Internet and other communication services provided from thousands of satellites in low E=out orbit and the Italian government on Monday came with a statement to officially reject that any contract has been signed with SpaceX for the services of Starlink satellite.

The government statement went further, “categorically”, denying any discussion of SpaceX during Meloni’s meeting with Trump. However, the Italian government admitted that it was in discussion with SpaceX on the matter.

A threat to Iris

Starlink already offers services commercially in Italy. But the country’s potential to purchase Starlink services for governmental uses practically drops a grenade into a meticulously well-thought-out agreement to build a sovereign constellation that is set to ensure safe communication and cooperation for European countries and their armed forces. This is the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite, or IRIS² constellation, and the last decision was made less than a month ago.

Funded by the European Union and the European Space Agency, with the Italian financial input, this constellation of 290 satellites is expected to become operative by 2030 at the development expense of $10.5 billion. In the lengthy negotiations accompanying the signing of contract, Italy was also able to secure one of the three principal ground stations in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Official Italian and some other European government representatives have been furious over the possible agreement with SpaceX of Italy.

‘If the treaty were already signed, it would be an ‘unacceptable surrender of national sovereignty,’ said Antonio Misiani, a former deputy minister of finance in Italy and a senator for the opposition Democratic Party. Senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and an ex-advisor to the Italian government Beniamino Irdi said to Financial Times, “It sends a political signal to the EU” he said. “Iris is about Europe’s strategic autonomy and one key EU member state changing to another option could be seen as divestment.” While Iris may represent one layer of frustration, there are in fact many layers being presented here.

One is Elon Musk who since Trump regime has shifted focus toward supporting extreme right political agendas in the European Union, especially in Germany and Britain. Meloni, who leads the conservative bloc in Italy, is a friend of Musks. His adviser in Italy, Andrea Stroppa, said in September that “Elon sees Meloni’s leadership.” And he sees in her the same that he sees in Donald trump, a person that can protect which Western values the former is losing, according to him.

Battling with Breton

Musk has been in a public conflict with Thierry Breton, French businessman who served as a Commissioner for the Internal Market of the European Union for five years until September last year. Breton was instrumental in the Iris to bring about data communication from low earth orbit to be safe. He also forcefully supported the Digital Services Act, which is an initiative of limiting the fake news that circulate online in Europe. The European Commission has been actively policing Musk’s social media site X under the law.

Less than a week ago on Wednesday, in an article for the Italian paper la Repubblica, Breton claimed that Italy should not challenge Europe’s quest for sovereignty in telecommunications. ‘As commissioner I fought to start Iris²,’ Breton said. The fact is the start of Iris² received the support of all EU countries. Italy also took part and I believe it performed well because it is a very strategic factor of our nation’s power. Europe is one of the worlds giants and a democracy of 450m people, more people than the US has.

Both sides are strong if we stand together and protect our infrastructure, our industry, and our laws. Starlink, the constellation that has recently proved its effectiveness during the war in Ukraine, and which the US military has been finding more valuable by the day, has more than a little alarmed some international governments. The survey by the news conducted this week in China also discovered that Beijing view Starlink as a threat to its security.

Of course, some of America’s European partners and allies share the same opinion too. It must all appear so annoying for such European officials. They have sat idle while SpaceX has leapt to control most of the global launch market and potentially endangering European launch launches like the Italy-based Avio. They have witnessed the Musk aligning with the next President of United States with whom many Europeans are not entirely comfortable and, most recently, supporting the far-right political leaders in the Europe Continent who are dispose of the political equality. He has violated their legal rules where internet information should be reliable. And now Musk uses his connections to Italian leaders and tug that string which unites the continent’s next space endeavor – a clone of the Starlink constellation.