The agreement with MaiaSpace, a subsidiary of ArianeGroup—Europe's largest rocket manufacturer—covers several launches and is set to begin in 2027.
MaiaSpace will add a complementary launch option to existing partners, said Arlen Kassighian, Eutelsat's Director of Engineering.
Eutelsat's OneWeb constellation is the only option for low Earth orbit, apart from Elon Musk's Starlink. It is considered a strategic asset by France and the United Kingdom, both shareholders of Eutelsat, as its satellites provide secure Internet access to governments, militaries, businesses, and underserved areas.
Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron called on Europe to strengthen its space strategy to counter Starlink. On Thursday, he stated that France would accelerate the use of LEO satellite constellations.
"In space, we will accelerate the use of low Earth orbit satellite constellations to improve connectivity and intelligence gathering," Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
MaiaSpace is developing a partially reusable mini-launcher, which would be the first of its kind in Europe.
SpaceX has been using its partially reusable Falcon 9 rocket for over ten years and is currently testing an improved version, Starship, designed for full reusability.
Ariane 6 is Europe's main heavy-lift launch system, but it is not reusable. SpaceX's rockets have enabled a high launch frequency, allowing the deployment of more than 9,000 Starlink satellites.
Eutelsat, which acquired OneWeb in 2023, plans to launch 440 LEO satellites built by Airbus in the coming years to replenish and expand its constellation.
MaiaSpace, founded in 2022, plans to begin commercial operations in 2026.
(Written by Gianluca Lo Nostro in Gdansk; French version by Coralie Lamarque; edited by Augustin Turpin)
