The European Sovereign Satellite Operations Centre will be in Germany, from where it will allocate and map satellite connectivity for European mobile network operators
Vodafone Group and AST SpaceMobile have chosen Germany for their main Satellite Operations Centre: the two announced their joint venture satellite company, SatCo, in June. The centre will allocate and map satellite connectivity used by the SatCo to serve mobile network operators across Europe in its mission to provide ubiquitous mobile broadband in underserved areas and support emergency services and disaster relief agencies.
The centre will be located near either Munich or Hannover, depending on final negotiations with all relevant parties. AST SpaceMobile has submitted through Germany the appropriate filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the specialised agency of the United Nations. This will help manage and mitigate signal interference and ensure smooth integration with mobile telecoms networks.
Many functions
While many functions will be automated, specialist engineers at the Operations Centre will monitor and respond to extraterrestrial events such as solar flares, and issues that arise on Earth. It will house one of a network of SatCo ground-based gateway stations across Europe. These gateways provide secure backhaul links between the satellite constellation and terrestrial 4G/5G networks, enabling users to switch automatically between space-based and land-based coverage for uninterrupted, resilient connectivity.
The planned constellation will include a ‘command switch’ feature to support European oversight and security. This capability supports updating all telemetry, tracking and control (TTC) encryption keys fo S-Band (used to connect smartphones from space) and Q/V-Band (used for links between satellites and earth stations). It also allows for the modification of service encryption keys for communications across the continent, as well as manages the activation, deactivation, and direction of satellite beams in Europe.
MSS spectrum
In addition to providing service to all EU mobile operators using their national spectrum bands, SatCo is a candidate for access to the EU 2GHz Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) spectrum. If secured, this would enable mobile networks to distribute a pan-European, sovereign, space-based broadband service directly to their customers. Public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) frequency bands (698–703/753–758 MHz and 733–736/788–791 MHz) would be used to support this capability. This aligns with vision for the EU Critical Communication System (EUCCS).
Oversight and security
AST SpaceMobile says it is building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications. The firm aims to provide a scalable European satellite mobile broadband service for use by mobile operators to benefit European citizens, businesses and public sector organisations.
Mobile operators in 21 European Union member states and other European countries have expressed interest in adopting the service, with commercial launch planned to commence from 2026.
Sovereign satellite
Margherita Della Valle, CEO of Vodafone, said: “SatCo delivers a sovereign satellite solution to the whole of Europe. It will give European operators access to secure and resilient satellite communications, complementing existing terrestrial telecommunications networks. By establishing a satellite constellation in the EU and our principal command centre in Germany, we are ensuring the next frontier of communications infrastructure is firmly embedded in Europe.”
