EU's €180M Deal with Elon Musk for Satellite Launch Challenges Strategic Autonomy

The European Commission has signed a €180 million deal with SpaceX to launch its satellites into orbit due to delays in Europe's own rocket program, Ariane 6. The Commission had originally planned to launch the satellites with Russia's Soyuz rocket system, but the conflict in Ukraine scuttled that option. The launches are tentatively scheduled for April and July, with each one carrying two Galileo geo-navigation satellites. However, before the SpaceX launch dates can be confirmed, the EU needs to negotiate a security deal with the US to ensure access to the satellites and technology in case of failure.