Eutelsat rescue: why France wants its place in “very high altitude”

• At the Bourget Fair, Emmanuel Macron confirmed the investment of 717 million euros of public money in the Eutelsat group. While China and the United States have taken a considerable lead, our sovereignty in space is a priority.
• For intelligence satellites, finding your place in very high altitude is a crucial issue.

Without even being aware of it, each of us uses several tens per day today, to move or communicate. But if there is one sector for which satellites are today essential, it is defense. Information, orders, reports, go through this technology. Without it, a military operation is no longer possible.

It was seen in Ukraine, when the American billionaire Elon Musk suddenly cut his Starlink network there. “Ukraine found itself a little bit in the water and could not conduct operations with so much efficiency”tells at the microphone of TF1 the general of air brigade Jean-Daniel tested, “So this risk, in France and in Europe, we cannot take it”.

“Very high altitude”

Emmanuel Macron also wanted to recall it today, from the Bourget aeronautical show. 700 million euros in the state will be invested in Eutelsatthe French satellite internet specialist, making the state his first shareholder. “Eutelsat is the only actor who is non -American and not Chinese, and who has these constellations in low orbit, and such an offer”estimated the French president.

The offer in question is a constellation of satellites, linked together, faster, even more secure than the current system. Because today, space above our heads is the subject of an international argument. The rules that share the sky are clear. From 0 to 20 km high, the airspace belongs to the countries overflown by the planes. And beyond 100 km, it is space and the orbital zone, where all countries can send their satellites. But between the two, in what is called “very high altitude” (Tha), there is no rule in this area, inaccessible to traditional planes.

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Inaccessible until 2023, when a Chinese ball suspected of espionage was seen in this spatial in-between, then shot down above the United States. Since then, the great powers, including France, rush into this new far-west air. “You have a large envelope that is swollen with helium, and you can take what you want below. It can be cameras, it can be telecommunications relays, it can be radars, or any type of instruments. So yes, why not spy on?”exhibits Philippe Gautier, president ofHemeriaa firm specializing in miniaturized space objects. In this sector too, the government invests several million euros to defend itself – and potentially attack – in this capital area that is very high altitude.