Clint Azzopardi Flores

When the Star Wars movie was released in 1977, I was not even born. Rightfully, at this point you might be asking what I am writing given the nature of the topic. Many reading this article know that the commercial Space industry is technologically advancing and it has become cheaper and easier to go beyond the Kármán line to explore outer Space. Perhaps, you might have or have not heard about Starlink; a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX. SpaceX is owned by the entrepreneur and billionaire Elon Musk and it consists of a satellite constellation system that provides internet access to several countries around the world, especially for outermost areas where internet infrastructure is difficult to build. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, SpaceX volunteered to offer the services of Starlink to Ukrainians, thereby providing the Ukrainian military and its people an internet service from Space, to defend themselves. Let’s recall that the Ukrainian internet infrastructure and services were damaged and disconnected by Russian military forces. A fortnight ago, billionaire Musk was whinging about the fact that his company is offering the satellite internet service to Ukraine for free and it is costing his company millions of dollars per month. Musk said that he will be stopping the service to Ukraine, citing expensive maintenance costs. Let’s leave aside the impulsive comment on Twitter of a Ukrainian diplomat who told Musk to f*** o** and Elon Musk replied that he will comply. Personally, I believe that the reason cited by Musk is just a pretence in such a highly geopolitical context. When considering Musk’s fortune relative to the costs associated with the services of Starlink the figures are merely naught. The pressure on Musk relates to geopolitics and the assistance, be it military or otherwise, that is being provided to Ukraine by Western allies. Certainly, Musk is being pressured by non-Western likeminded countries to stop the internet service to Ukraine. Musk owns supplementary investments and flourishing business interests in other countries around the globe to produce Tesla vehicles. Indeed, critical raw materials for batteries and advanced technology for greener products are rare and we can understand where the pressure is coming from to stop the internet services to Ukrainians. However, the White House summoned Musk and reports emerged that he was encouraged to keep on offering the internet service to Ukrainians. Furthermore, the White House encouraged Musk to also provide the same internet service of Starlink to Iran amid the current ongoing protests. Last week, a Kremlin official suggested to down one of the commercial satellites owned by SpaceX that is currently beaming internet services from Space towards the Ukrainian territory. This statement elevates the Ukraine war and the conflict to an astronomical level. Whereas a war or a conflict is normally limited to territory, air and sea, Space is now being involved. When Russia invaded Ukraine, I recall mentioning on state TV the defence Space package that was about to be issued by the EU. Surely, it was not a premonition, but it related to my background work and for which it was also in the public domain. Undoubtedly, what I am writing here, it might sound like fiction. However, the commercialisation and subsequently militarisation of Space is not science fiction anymore. Unquestionably, Europe is a substantial Space power. The Space sector in Europe generates a turnover of over 75 billion, amounting to almost 20% of the global market and employs about 50,000 personnel. Clearly, the two major EU assets in Space relate to Galileo and Copernicus. The former is used for positioning, timing and navigation, while the latter serves as the largest earth observation system. Obviously, the EU is on a new path to define its strategic autonomy and Space will be involved to achieve this objective. In its defence package the EU stated thatSpace is becoming increasingly congested and any debris can damage the EU’s assets in Space. The High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell said that more than 20,000 satellites are expected to be launched in the next decade. For this reason, the push from the EU – also when you read and delve deeper in text of the Strategic Compass – is to regulate the Space industry and Space Traffic Management. Studies show that debris threatens the EU’s assets and the services provided to Europeans both from a commercial and defence point of view. However, the push is more of a military and defence nature rather than commercial. Notwithstanding that the EU is working with likeminded partners, including NATO and the US, research and innovation are rapidly increasing due to the strategic dependencies in critical technologies, not least those designated for security and defence. Evidently, in the coming decade we will see a completely different defence push due to capabilities involving Space as an enabler of such technologies. Hopefully, by then international institutions and multilateralism would work towards a better regulatory framework involving many countries around the globe to strictly regulate assets in space and any associated military capabilities.

Striking the right balance on ETS and competitiveness

Malta’s accommodation and food sector expands, but reliance on foreign workers…

Fewer final deeds of sale, more promise of sale agreements in…

Malta’s trade deficit narrows by €624 million as exports rise

Foreign direct investment reaches €493.1 billion, direct investment abroad at €463.9…

Energy subsidies have cost Malta more than Covid, Clyde Caruana says

MFSA identifies weaknesses in the distribution of insurance-based investment and retirement…

Finance Minister pledges continued fuel support but gives no commitment on…

MIA registers 85% seat occupancy in October

PM Abela meets leading international companies to strengthen Malta’s connectivity and…

MIA among Europe’s strongest performers in April

Airfield electrification at MIA set to avoid 1,000 tonnes of carbon…

Melita set to acquire Epic

‘AI at GO isn’t a pilot anymore. It’s how the company…

AI, cyber and the boardroom: Why technology is now a leadership…

GO plc crosses quarter-billion euro revenue milestone as group charts bold…

GWU announces industrial action against company over ex-Air Malta employees’ conditions

Gozo labour market increasingly tied to Malta as employment rises

Nearly 340,000 in employment, Labour Force Survey shows

RSM Malta appoints Ludwig Micallef as Director for Digital Transformation &…

Number of tourists up by nearly 18% in first five months…

Malta to triple tourist eco-contribution from July

New one-star and two-star hotels barred, height exemption for hotels removed…

KM Malta Airlines launches new summer 2026 service between Malta and…

EU emissions rules risk diverting maritime and aviation traffic to non-EU…

European Commission endorses Malta’s €60 million social climate plan

Works begin on new €75 million Organic Processing Plant

Government claims key gains in EU ETS overhaul as business lobby…

Clint Azzopardi Flores

Futuristic concepts; water vs land transport systems

Betty’s sustainable world

Star Wars, Starlink and Space defence

Latest News

Malta’s economic transition continues with Budget 2027

Beyond the topline

Join us to promote Toronto insurance business to migrate to local...

Striking the right balance on ETS and competitiveness

MIA registers 85% seat occupancy in October

Malta’s accommodation and food sector expands, but reliance on foreign workers...

Fewer final deeds of sale, more promise of sale agreements in...