Thales Warns Governments over Reliance on Starlink-Type Systems
Thales CEO Patrice Caine has highlighted the risks of relying too heavily on private satellite constellations, specifically Starlink, citing frequent renewal of satellites and questions over profitability. This warning comes as European governments increasingly turn to space-based services for government links, with many backing systems that are more directly controlled by the state. The reliance on outside services raises concerns about reliability, visibility, and stability.
- The warning from Thales underscores the need for governments to carefully consider the long-term implications of outsourcing critical infrastructure to private companies.
- Will the European governments' increasing reliance on space-based services for their communications infrastructure ultimately lead to a loss of national sovereignty over their digital assets?