SpaceX already invested nearly EUR 100 mln in Romania, ANCOM head says
SpaceX, the spaceflight, telecommunications, and artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk, has already invested nearly EUR 100 million in Romania, turning it into a relevant regional center for the company in Europe, according to Pavel Popescu, vice president of the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM).
The statements, made at the Digital Romania Forum, highlighted that Romania could become a prominent center for SpaceX infrastructure. According to Popescu, other companies are also set to follow SpaceX’s example.
“Amazon is coming to Romania in the space area. We have the same openness for Amazon, we have the same openness for AST, we have the same openness for Eutelsat, and we have the same openness for any company that wants to do what SpaceX does in Romania,” said Pavel Popescu, cited by Agerpres.
According to the official, Romania must stop considering itself a second-rate country and seek a leadership position in new technologies. He also noted the growing importance of low-orbit satellites.
“To make it clear to everyone, Ukraine is surviving today, civilian and military communication alike, thanks to low-orbit satellites. It just so happens that these satellites, the global infrastructure, are 95% owned by Musk and SpaceX,” said the head of ANCOM.
Popescu noted that companies similar to SpaceX should be encouraged, especially if they are European. However, he criticized European authorities for backing legislation that blocks SpaceX and other non-EU actors from using satellite airwaves.
Legislation to that end is, according to the official, "a major mistake. It is Romania’s chance at the moment to become a political player on the European scene on the topics that matter."
Last year, the Romanian government mandated ANCOM to actively promote the revision of international satellite regulations after “positive results” conducted by Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the country. In 2024, the authority had allowed Starlink, the satellite internet service operator run by SpaceX, to test whether a global standard governing the use of satellites can be relaxed.
Elon Musk's SpaceX pulled off the biggest initial public offering in history when it joined New York's Nasdaq stock exchange last week. The listing raised USD 75 billion to be spent in a growth phase. Banks purchased extra shares worth USD 10 billion. The IPO also granted Musk the title of the first trillionaire in history.
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