Ukraine set to get its own 'Starlink' satellite constellation with SpaceX starting in 2027 as $1bn project powers on despite CEO death

Date:
Sat, 18 Jul 2026 22:05:00 +0000

Description:
Ukraines Stetman plans a 360-satellite constellation by 2027, using SpaceX launches and European partnerships despite leadership changes.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Ukraines Stetman prepares a 360-satellite network with SpaceX launch support New leadership keeps
Ukraines ambitious satellite project moving forward The billion-euro constellation aims to strengthen Ukraines communication independence
Ukrainian company Stetman is currently preparing to launch its own low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, with service set to begin in 2027.

The company recently lost its founder, Dmytro Stetsenko, but the project is still on course after the appointment of a new CEO, Kateryna Diachenko. According to the company, its planned constellation will orbit at an altitude of approximately 550 kilometers, with a test satellite currently scheduled
for launch in October 2026 to validate the underlying technology together
with SpaceX engineers. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:
Constellation with Danish and American partners Full deployment of the constellation is expected to begin in 2027 and take three full years to complete entirely across the network.

The finished network will ultimately consist of 360 satellites manufactured
by the Danish company GomSpace under an ongoing partnership. You may like Russia to launch Rassvet Starlink rival within days with 318-strong satellite constellation expected by 2028 Starlink and Amazon could snap up EU mobile satellite spectrum Rocket Lab buys Iridium in an $8 billion deal to build the most formidable rival to Musk's SpaceX

Stetman has chosen SpaceX to handle the launches, citing the company's lower cost and stronger reliability compared with rivals.

"SpaceX is the best option, as they are the cheapest and the most reliable," Stetsenko had previously told reporters directly. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

No formal agreement has yet been reached covering delivery of the remaining constellation satellites beyond that initial test satellite launch.

Ukraine itself would require roughly 150 satellites, according to Andrii Kolesnyk, a former adviser to the head of Ukraine's State Space Agency.

Diachenko has already met personally with GomSpace representatives to confirm continuity of their joint manufacturing plans going forward into the future. What to read next China and Russia have a secret 'no limit' pact to eliminate Elon Musk's Starlink at all cost SpaceX could be planning to offer a Starlink mobile network for consumers The story behind how Lithuania is perfectly aligned to capitalize on an emerging space economy A billion-Euro project The total project cost reportedly exceeds one billion euros, though financing
will proceed in several separate stages, a Stetman representative said.

That budget reportedly covers the satellite constellation itself, software development, launch services, broker fees, and staff salaries across the entire company workforce.

Manufacturing and launching a single satellite reportedly cost between $2 million and $3 million per unit.

A single SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket can carry several dozen satellites into
orbit, and each launch typically costs between $60 million and $70 million depending on payload size.

With a target of 360 satellites, those per-unit costs alone would account for roughly $720 million to over $1 billion of the total budget

Stetman also plans a joint satellite manufacturing facility inside Ukraine alongside GomSpace, expected to fully open next year if funding arrives on schedule.

The factory could require several hundred million euros in investment, although details about funding sources remain undisclosed.

The company currently supplies communication equipment to Ukraines military, emergency services, police, medical personnel, and government institutions.

The company also produces modified communication terminals, including Starmod systems designed for military conditions and UASAT satellite terminals operating through existing satellite networks.

These products support Ukraines broader effort to strengthen communication independence during wartime.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/ukraine-set-to-get-its-own-starlink-satellite-co nstellation-with-spacex-starting-in-2027-as-usd1bn-project-powers-on-despite-c eo-death


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