Will Italy’s use of Elon Musk’s satellites impact an important EU project?

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Italy’s government is allegedly However, in advanced negotiations with Elon Musk’s SpaceX over encryption systems for government communications over the Starlink satellite network, such an agreement conflicts with the country’s strong commitment to the EU’s emerging rival product IRIS², due to launch in 2029.

The planned five-year deal with SpaceX, worth 1.5 billion euros, would be the largest of its kind in Europe and was pushed forward during the Italian Prime Minister’s recent meeting Giorgia Meloni and Musk at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s residence in Florida.

The day after the meeting, the Italian government denied signing any contracts with SpaceX.

However, the admission of ongoing discussions has raised concerns among industry insiders and politicians, particularly given Italy’s involvement in the EU’s development of the rival satellite network IRIS², due to launch in 2029.

The European Commission told Euronews that Italy’s eventual participation in Starlink was a national competence and that EU member states could participate in IRIS² and sign additional contracts at national level.

“Italy will definitely be part of the IRIS² project,” commented a Commission spokesperson.

What we know so far

Although Italy denies any agreements have been concluded, it has not given up talks with the country SpaceXalthough his commitment to the EU-led IRIS² project was initially questioned.

“Discussions with SpaceX are part of the normal discussions that foreign ministries have with companies,” Giorgia Meloni’s office said in a statement.

Musk expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating on

Starlink has already been active in Italy since 2021 and serves around 50,000 customers, but could expand its services to emergencies such as disasters or terrorist attacks.

Musk’s SpaceX is also developing another defense and sensitive operations project called Starshield, in which Italian Security Minister Guido Crosetto defended his involvement during a parliamentary hearing, arguing that Musk’s dominance in low-Earth orbit connectivity made him an indispensable partner.

“Europe is working on an alternative system, but it will take 10 to 15 years,” Crosetto said.

The European project

The EU project IRIS², an 11 billion euro initiative, aims to create a secure, multi-orbital satellite network for EU governments and companies.

It is scheduled to begin operations in 2030 and is intended to reduce dependence on non-EU players such as Musk’s SpaceX or Jeff Bezos’ Kuiper.

“In times of crisis, we cannot afford to be too dependent on countries or companies outside the EU,” said Andrius Kubilius when signing a 12-year concession agreement for IRIS² in mid-December.

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Kubilius, the Union’s first defense and space commissioner, described IRIS² as a “paradigm shift for Europe” that will explicitly contribute to the security and defense needs of member states, as it will also enable secure military communications in the future.

Italy could face the risk of service duplication if it pushes forward with both Starlink and IRIS².

Consequences for Italy

While SpaceX offers immediate capabilities, Italy is playing a crucial role in the development of IRIS², the EU’s flagship satellite project.

Italy is expected to host the main operations center for IRIS² at its centrally located Fucino Space Center. Fucino is already one of the largest civil space centers in the world and manages the European satellite navigation system Galileo.

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A €50 million expansion is planned to support IRIS², creating 200 new jobs and further cementing Italy’s role in Europe’s space infrastructure.

In addition, Italian aerospace companies such as Leonardo make an important contribution to the European Space Agency (ESA) satellite launch technology. Leonardo’s subsidiary Avio is the prime contractor and manufacturer of the Vega-C launch vehicle. Its successor, Vega-E, is scheduled to be used between 2027 and 2028 to support IRIS² launches.

Despite these strategic investments, some EU lawmakers have raised concerns about Italy’s potential deal with SpaceX.

“If you value ‘Made in Italy’, don’t sign a satellite contract with Musk,” said MEP Christophe Grudler (Renew Europe/France) on X.

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He argued that the EU’s GovSatCom program, which launches this year, offers a more coherent approach to pooling satellite capacity between Italy, France, Luxembourg, Greece and Spain.

Wider implications for Europe

Another critical issue is the possible disclosure of sensitive Italian data to SpaceX, which could have far-reaching implications for European security and defense.

Critics warn not only of the risk of a duplication of services for Italy if it pushes forward with both Starlink and IRIS², but also of economic consequences.

Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi noted in his competition report that Starlink’s rapid expansion had disrupted European telecom operators and satellite manufacturers.

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The report highlighted that the EU has already lost its leadership in commercial launch vehicles and geostationary satellites, while lagging behind the US in key space markets such as rocket propulsion, mega-constellations and satellite applications.

As the debate continues, Italy’s decision will not only affect its technological development, but could also have a lasting impact on the EU’s ambitions for autonomy in space.