European Sovereignty Monitor

Defence and space

ESA picks Rocket Lab to launch navigation satellites, no EU option

ESA picked US firm Rocket Lab to launch two Thales Alenia Space and GMV built Celeste navigation demonstrator satellites from New Zealand, no earlier than December 2025, for want of a European small launcher.

Verified Editor-read European Space Agency article, 25 June 2025

What it does not test. Does not establish that the full ten satellite LEO PNT constellation, due by 2027, will also fly on non European rockets.

How this item counts. This item is dated before the index starts on 1 January 2026, so it does not count in the European Sovereignty Index.

How this item was made. Drafted by an AI system (Claude (Anthropic)) from the source cited above; read and approved by the editor on 2026-10-20. How the record is made

What the tags mean: VerifiedReportedAI-draftedAI-drafted, editor-readHuman-writtenWhat the tags mean

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