Rivada Networks, led by entrepreneur Declan Ganley, is developing the Outernet — a revolutionary network of 600 low-Earth-orbit satellites designed to become the world’s first fully independent and ultra-secure global communications system. Unlike today’s internet infrastructure, which relies on vulnerable undersea fiber-optic cables carrying 99% of global traffic, the Outernet uses high-speed laser links between satellites to move data directly through space without repeatedly touching the ground.
Ganley says China has shown aggressive interest in the technology and has attempted to pressure the project through a wave of coordinated lawsuits across multiple jurisdictions, filed shortly after Rivada refused to collaborate with Chinese companies. These lawsuits, which he describes as baseless and purely obstructive, have already cost Rivada $36 million in legal defense, with the apparent goal of slowing progress and gaining leverage over a network that could become the fastest and most secure in the world.
According to Ganley, China wants control of the Outernet just as it has gained dominance in global 4G and 5G telecommunications infrastructure. He warns that the security of Western communications may depend on ensuring the Chinese Communist Party never gains influence over the system. “I would rather burn the Outernet than let Beijing have it,” Ganley states, emphasizing the strategic importance of keeping the project fully independent.
Leave a Reply