The European Union activates GOVSATCOM with GMV leading the Hub, the central element of the system

The European Union has taken a decisive step towards strategic autonomy in space with the start of GOVSATCOM operations, the European Union Governmental Satellite Communications Programme. The system now enables EU Member States to access secure, encrypted communication services under European control. 

At the core of this architecture is the GOVSATCOM Hub, the node that makes it possible to deliver these services in an efficient, resilient, and coordinated manner. In 2024, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) awarded GMV a key contract to lead a European industry consortium for the design, development, and deployment of this Hub, which is considered a critical element for the system’s operation. It is a multi-year contract with a budget of €107 million.

GOVSATCOM currently integrates satellite capabilities contributed by various EU Member States, with a total of eight satellites operated by five countries and foresees the progressive integration of new capabilities. The system has been designed to meet a broad spectrum of needs, ranging from crisis management and border and maritime surveillance to critical infrastructure protection and support for operations in remote environments and polar regions.

GMV leads the GOVSATCOM Hub, heading a consortium that includes Indra and Hisdesat, together with other European companies that have actively contributed to the system’s development. The Hub aims to ensure optimal provision of satellite communications services through the aggregation and intelligent management of space and terrestrial resources. Its architecture enables medium-term planning of communication needs while also allowing the system to respond to dynamic and urgent requests arising from unforeseen scenarios, always under strict requirements for security, resilience, and sovereignty. 

The project builds on GMV’s expertise in space systems and cybersecurity, Indra’s technological leadership in communications and command and control systems, and Hisdesat’s operational track record in secure governmental communications. 

In addition to managing the resources currently contributed by the EU Member States, the Hub is ready to integrate in the future the services of IRIS², the European Union’s multi-orbital secure communications satellite constellation, whose deployment is planned for the coming years.

GOVSATCOM is one of the five components of the EU Space Programme, alongside Galileo, Copernicus, EGNOS, and Space Situational Awareness. It constitutes a key strategic enabler for the European Union’s preparedness and resilience objectives towards 2030, as well as a fundamental pillar of Europe’s strategy to strengthen its capacity for autonomous action and advance towards greater interoperability in defence and security.