Starlink Dominance Drives Europe's Sovereign Satellite Push

Governments increasingly rely on Starlink while funding alternatives such as Europe's 348-satellite IRIS² constellation. Starlink's rapid deployment is also increasing collision-avoidance maneuvers and prompting spacecraft hardening, debris-removal proposals, and liability debates; Europe's delays, rising costs, and dependence on SpaceX intensify the strategic-autonomy and orbital-environment debate.