ORBITAL WHISPERS
TL;DR
Airbus, Thales and Leonardo intend to merge their satellite divisions into a single joint venture on an MBDA-style ownership split to achieve the scale needed to challenge LEO newcomers like Starlink, with Paris and Rome backing the plan, but they must secure EU antitrust approval and align three distinct organisations before filing late 2025 and aiming to start operations by 2027.
As Agile as a Three-Headed Satellite Giant
The grand European dance of aerospace consolidation is upon us once more. Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo, three titans of the sky, are whispering sweet nothings about merging their satellite divisions into a singular, formidable entity. Because, clearly, when facing nimble, innovative competitors like Elon Musk’s Starlink, the best strategy is to form a colossal conglomerate.
For years, Europe’s satellite scene has been a cozy duopoly. On one side, Airbus Defence & Space; on the other, the Franco-Italian “Space Alliance” of Thales Alenia Space (67% Thales, 33% Leonardo) and Telespazio (67% Leonardo, 33% Thales).
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