Overview

• The UK has pledged €163 million in the €1.5 billion recapitalization round to expand Eutelsat’s low-Earth-orbit satellite network.
• The funding secures Britain’s existing 10.9 % stake in the merged Eutelsat-OneWeb operator and prevents dilution.
• Emmanuel Macron welcomed the investment during his UK state visit, emphasising deepened Franco-British cooperation in sovereign space capabilities.
• The recapitalization aims to bolster Eutelsat as a competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink and enhance secure internet links for Ukraine’s armed forces.
• The round also includes Bharti Space and other strategic investors, reflecting growing collaboration to build a European-controlled satellite infrastructure.