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French company to launch 1,500 satellites into low Earth orbit
French company Constellation Technologies & Operations, which plans to launch 1,500 broadband Internet satellites into ultra-low Earth orbit, has received funding from the government fund Expansion Ventures, SpaceNews reports.
The startup's investment totals around $10 million. The funds will be used to complete the first two 350-kg satellites, scheduled to launch in 2026. "They will use their ground partners' cellular frequencies to service their own custom-built user terminals," the publication says.
The startup plans to begin mass production and distribution of constellations between 2027 and 2029. Constellation Technologies & Operations currently employs 30 people in its offices in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and Toulouse, France.
Last September, the publication reported that French airline Air France would begin outfitting more than 200 of its planes with Starlink satellite internet equipment next summer. Air France said Starlink would provide super-fast connectivity “just like on the ground,” allowing passengers to play video games and watch online TV, among other things.