KOUROU, French Guiana — An Ariane 6 rocket lifted off from the European spaceport at 4:12 a.m. local time on Friday carrying the first 30 satellites of a constellation that the European Union has spent five years and 10 billion euros planning.
The network, which will eventually number about 290 satellites in low and medium orbits, is intended to give European governments and militaries secure connectivity that does not depend on a foreign company. Commercial service is to follow.
The launch was two years behind the original schedule. Officials said the remaining satellites would go up over the next three years on a mix of European and American rockets.
“The point is not to compete on price,” said an official involved in the program. “The point is to have the option.”
A version of this article appears in print on Oct. 11, 2026, Section A, Page 9 of the European edition with the headline: Europe's Satellite Internet Constellation Launches Its First Batch.
