Jan 16 (Reuters) - European satellite operator Eutelsat said on Friday it had signed a deal with French space startup MaiaSpace for the future launches of its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, in a major strategic boost for Europe as it seeks to catch up with U.S. rival SpaceX.
The agreement with MaiaSpace, a subsidiary of Europe's largest rocket maker ArianeGroup, is a multi-launch deal set to start in 2027.
MaiaSpace will add a complementary launch option alongside existing partners, said Arlen Kassighian, chief engineering officer at Eutelsat.
Eutelsat owns OneWeb, which is currently the world's only other operational LEO constellation besides Elon Musk's Starlink.
OneWeb is considered a strategic asset by the French and British governments, two of Eutelsat's largest shareholders, because its satellites provide secure internet access to governments, militaries, businesses and consumers in underserved areas.
French President Emmanuel Macron last year called on Europe to step up its space strategy to counter Starlink, and said on Thursday that France would accelerate the use of LEO satellite constellations.
MaiaSpace is developing a partially reusable mini-launcher that would make it the first of its kind in Europe.
Reusable rockets help reduce launch costs and allow for more frequent launches.
SpaceX has been using its partially reusable Falcon 9 rocket for more than a decade and is testing an upgraded version, Starship, designed for full reusability.
Ariane 6 is Europe's main heavy launch system but it is not reusable. SpaceX's rockets have supported a high launch frequencythat enabled the deployment of more than 9,000 Starlink satellites.
Eutelsat has relied on SpaceX and the Indian Space Research Organisation for recent launches, though OneWeb sent its first satellites into orbit with Russia's Soyuz before cancelling the partnership in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Eutelsat, which acquired OneWeb in 2023, plans to launch 440 Airbus-built LEO satellites in the coming years to replenish and expand its constellation.
MaiaSpace, founded in 2022, expects to begin commercial operations in 2026.
(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro in Gdansk; Editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)
