Italy wants 20,000 satellites
September 28, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Italy’s Defence Ministry has filed a notification with the International Telecommunications Union that it wants to launch 19,708 satellites into two sets of orbits.
The application is comprehensive and covers frequencies in S, X and Ka-band. The application calls for the satellites to operate in Low and Medium Earth orbits and in 899 different planes.
The Italian filings join similar network notifications from Germany and France.
Space Intel Report suggests that the Italian move as being a precursor to development by the European Union’s IRIS2 private/public mega-constellation now being examined by the EU.