The European Union has formally advanced GOVSATCOM, its government satellite communications programme designed to provide secure, encrypted satellite services under European control.
GOVSATCOM is intended to give EU Member States access to trusted communications capacity for security, defence and crisis response, reducing reliance on non-European commercial or government providers for critical satellite links. The start of operational capability is positioned as a step toward strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy in space-based communications.
Satellite communications underpin a range of government activities, including crisis management, border and maritime surveillance, and protection of critical infrastructure. The programme is also aimed at improving interoperability between Member States in security and defence contexts.
At the centre of the system is the GOVSATCOM Hub, which coordinates and manages satellite communication resources contributed by participating Member States. The hub aggregates both space and ground assets, allocating capacity according to planned requirements and urgent operational demands. It is designed to manage medium-term planning as well as respond to unforeseen events.
In 2024, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) awarded Spanish technology company GMV a €107 million multi-year contract to design, develop and deploy the GOVSATCOM Hub. GMV leads a consortium that includes Indra and Hisdesat, along with other European partners. The contract represents GMV’s largest responsibility within the EU Space Programme to date.
The initial system integrates capacity from eight satellites operated by five Member States, with scope to incorporate additional capabilities over time.
GOVSATCOM is one of five components of the broader EU Space Programme, alongside Galileo, Copernicus, EGNOS and the Space Situational Awareness programme.
Looking ahead, the GOVSATCOM Hub is intended to integrate services from IRIS², the EU’s planned multi-orbit secure communications constellation, further expanding Europe’s sovereign satellite communications capability.
