The “Outernet”: Revolutionizing Global Connectivity from Space Amid Geopolitical Tensions

November 29, 2025

In an era where digital infrastructure underpins everything from financial markets to national defense, the race to secure untethered, resilient internet access has escalated into the final frontier: space. Enter the Outernet—a groundbreaking constellation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites flying at over 600 miles above the earth, designed to create a fully independent, ultra-secure global data network. Unlike traditional internet systems reliant on vulnerable undersea fiber optic cables, the Outernet routes data exclusively through space via laser-linked satellites, promising gigabit speeds, fiber-like latency, and ironclad security for governments, enterprises, and critical infrastructure. Data would be directly transmitted to client’s ground stations, thus bypassing vulnerable existing infrastructure.

As deployment edges closer, with initial tests slated for 2026, the project has drawn backing from tech titans, U.S. military contracts, and billions in global deals. Yet, it also faces shadowy opposition, including alleged interference from Beijing. With an estimated development cost soaring toward $600 billion, the Outernet represents not just a technological leap but a strategic bulwark in the U.S.-China tech rivalry.

A Vision Born in Orbit: The Outernet's Core Architecture

The Outernet, spearheaded by Rivada Space Networks, envisions a "mesh network in space" comprising approximately 600 LEO satellites equipped with inter-satellite laser links and onboard routers. Data travels point-to-point without touching ground-based gateways or the public internet, minimizing latency to under 50 milliseconds and thwarting interception risks. This gateway-less design, often likened to an "optical backbone in orbit," ensures end-to-end encryption and resilience against terrestrial disruptions like cable sabotage or cyberattacks.  The network would scale in size as traffic warrants.

Founded in 2022 by Irish entrepreneur Declan Ganley, Rivada's Outernet targets enterprise and government users exclusively, supporting applications from maritime energy operations to defense command-and-control, with pole-to-pole coverage and dynamic pricing for underserved regions. The Outernet, unlike Elon Musk’s Starlink would not be targeted to service individual consumers.

Rivada has already inked over $16 billion in connectivity agreements across 33 countries, including recent expansions into Belgium, Sweden, and Costa Rica. Partnerships with Cisco for advanced routing tech and MEF-compliant standards further bolster its enterprise-grade credentials. Initial prototypes are slated for launch via providers like United Launch Alliance, with full operational capability by 2028.

Major Players: From Silicon Valley Visionaries to Defense Innovators

At the helm is Rivada Space Networks, a Munich-based subsidiary of Ganley's U.S.-headquartered Rivada Networks. Ganley, a telecom veteran with a history of challenging monopolies, has assembled a global team of engineers from NASA, ESA, and private firms like waveL Communications, focusing on terabit-scale optical mesh tech.

Tech titans are pivotal backers. Peter Thiel, the PayPal co-founder and Palantir chairman, has invested heavily through his Founders Fund, viewing the Outernet as a counter to "data network dominance" by adversaries. Thiel's stake positions Rivada as a secure alternative in the orbital race, reportedly advising Ganley on regulatory hurdles. Thiel's involvement extends beyond finance; his network, including protégés like JD Vance (now Vice President-), has lobbied for favorable policies in Trump's second administration.

Some might think that Elon Musk already solved this problem with the deployment of Starlink by SpaceX, an Elon Musk company.  Unlike Rivada’s Outerlink, Starlink still relies on ground-based infrastructure to communicate space-based network traffic to consumers.  This leave Starlink vulnerable to the same threats that the present-day Internet faces.  Musk’s role in the development and roll-out of the Outernet is more tangential but still influential. The Founders Fund, Thiel's firm, has backed Musk's SpaceX, fostering synergies—Rivada use of laser-link technology overlaps with SpaceX hardware. Also, SpaceX may play an instrumental role in the full-scale deployment of Rivada’s satellite network. The similarities and differences between Rivada’s Outerlink and Musk’s Starlink will be addressed in greater depth in a separate article.

Other players include the Outernet Council, a nonprofit advisory organization accelerating "space internet" standards through industry-government partnerships, and contractors like Enveil for privacy-enhancing tech.

Summary of Key Players in Outernet Development

Key Players in Outernet Development	Role	Notable Contributions
Rivada Space Networks (Declan Ganley)	Lead Developer & Operator	Constellation design, $16B+ deals, Ka-band spectrum filings
Peter Thiel (Founders Fund)	Investor & Strategist	Funding, policy advocacy; positions as anti-China tech bulwark
Elon Musk (SpaceX/DOGE)	Indirect Enabler	Launch potential, enabling federal funding via DOGE efficiency reforms; tech overlaps
Cisco Systems	Tech Partner	Onboard routing & whitepaper on space networking
Outernet Council	Standards Body	Consensus-building with industry & governments

U.S. Federal Agencies: From Navy Contracts to Intelligence Oversight

The Outernet's applicability to military and US Intelligence agencies is unmistakable. In December 2024, the U.S. Navy awarded Rivada a Virtual Network Operator (VNO) contract to deliver secure, low-latency connectivity for naval assets worldwide—platform-to-platform links without third-party intermediaries. This aligns with the Space Force's Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA), a multi-orbit framework integrating commercial SATCOM for Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) issued initial HSA solicitations in 2022, with Rivada among four awardees for multi-path comms and software-defined networks. The Space Development Agency (SDA) and Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC) provide force design input, eyeing Outernet for cislunar and resilient ops.

While direct CIA or NSA funding isn't public, their involvement most assuredly looms large. The National Intelligence Program (NIP) budget—totaling $81.9 billion in FY2026—funds strategic intel projects across multiple three-letter agencies.  These would include projects for NSA's signals intelligence and CIA's covert ops. Rivada's "secure services office" in D.C., led by ex-Palantir exec Michael Abad-Santos, acts as a proxy for classified integrations, echoing Palantir's NSA/CIA data analytics role. Experts speculate NIP black budgets could subsidize Outernet's encryption, given its fit for sensitive compartmented information (SCI) programs.

The $600 Billion Price Tag: Funding a Digital Fortress

Estimates peg Outernet's full build-out at $600 billion, covering satellite fabrication, launches, ground terminals, and R&D—dwarfing SpaceX's $100B+ Starlink investment. The additional costs for Outernet development are amplified by laser tech, satellite complexities and global scale. Rivada's $16B in pre-sales offsets some costs, but the lion's share hinges on public-private partnerships. Peter Thiel's funding rounds have injected hundreds of millions, with more eyed from investments to be made by the Trump administration. Most will come through U.S. agencies via Military Intelligence Programs (MIP) ($33.6B in FY2026) for tactical intel, potentially earmarking billions for Outernet related programs. Critics warn of certain overruns, but proponents argue it's a fraction of the $180B annual U.S. cyber losses from vulnerabilities that the Outernet could mitigate.

Beijing's Shadow: Thwarting and Stealing the Tech

As reported by The Epoch Times, China's Communist Party (CCP) views the Outernet as an existential threat to its Great Firewall and digital hegemony. Ganley alleges Beijing has unleashed a multi-pronged assault: legal warfare, espionage, and inducements.

In one incident, a Chinese firm offered Rivada $36 million—framed as a "drop in the bucket" against the project's value—for 50% equity, only to demand full tech transfer. Ganley rejected it, stating he'd "rather burn it down" than cede control. State media has hyped the bid, while anonymous threats hinted at "highest-level" directives to litigate Rivada into submission.

Epoch Times sources detail CCP theft attempts, including hacks on Rivada engineers and recruitment of ex-employees via Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST), a state-owned entity partnering with Germany's Kleo Connect on a rival 600-satellite constellation. SSST's polar-orbit project, prioritized in China's 14th Five-Year Plan, mirrors Outernet specs and targets 2026-2030 dominance, with 100+ satellites already launched and deals in Kazakhstan and Brazil. U.S. officials, per classified briefings, suspect IP pilferage, echoing broader CCP tactics against firms like SpaceX.

Ganley frames it as asymmetric warfare: "We've handed them terrestrial dominance; now they want space." Thiel echoes this, positioning Outernet as a "resilience ark" against CCP sabotage of the 500 undersea cables carrying 95% of global data.

A Secure Horizon or a Costly Gamble?

As satellites prepare to dot the skies, the Outernet stands at the nexus of innovation and geopolitics. Backed by Thiel's contrarian vision and Musk's efficiency drive, it promises to safeguard digital civilization from blackouts and breaches. Yet, with Beijing's machinations and a $600B tab, questions linger: Can Rivada deliver without buckling under pressure? And in a world of hybrid threats, will space truly be the ultimate safe haven?

For now, the stars align for launch. But in the Outernet's orbit, security isn't just a feature—it's the mission.

Sources & References

1.      Rivada Space Networks Official Website – Architecture & Technical Overview (rivada.space)

2.      Rivada Press Releases (2023–2025) – $16B+ in contracts, partnerships, and constellation specifications

3.      Declan Ganley interviews: SpaceNews (2023), Via Satellite (2024), Broadband Breakfast (2025)

4.      ITU Filings – Rivada/Trion Space Ka-band priority rights documentation

5.      U.S. Space Force Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA) solicitations (DIU/AFRL 2022–2025)

6.      Terran Orbital contract announcements for Outernet satellite manufacturing (2024–2025)

7.      Cisco whitepaper: “Routing in Space – The Optical Backbone” (2024)

8.      FCC and Ofcom regulatory filings for Rivada Space Networks orbital parameters (~1,050 km)

9.      The Epoch Times series on Chinese interference with Rivada (2024–2025) – including $36M equity bid and SSST espionage allegations

10.    Peter Thiel / Founders Fund investment disclosures (SEC filings & press, 2023–2025)

11.    United Launch Alliance launch manifest updates (2025) – Rivada slots on Vulcan Centaur

12.    U.S. Navy Virtual Network Operator (VNO) contract award to Rivada (December 2024)

13.    Space Development Agency (SDA) Tranche 2/3 documentation referencing multi-orbit resilience

14.    Office of the Director of National Intelligence – FY2026 Congressional Budget Justification Book (NIP $81.9B, MIP $33.6B)

15.    DoD FY2026 Budget Request – Military Intelligence Program (MIP) overview

16.    Elon Musk / SpaceX Starlink technical specs (FCC filings, investor updates 2024–2025)

17.    Starlink satellite cost estimates – SpaceX investor calls & industry analysis (2024–2025)

18.    Payload Space & Satellite Magazine – Outernet vs Starlink technical comparison (2025)

19.    Rivada Space Networks investor presentations (2023–2025) – latency, capacity, and gateway-less claims

20.    Palantir SEC filings & press on Michael Abad-Santos move to Rivada’s secure services office

21.    Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) announcements & China’s 14th Five-Year Plan space priorities

22.    United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) orbital registry data

23.    Jonathan’s Space Report & Celestrak orbital element sets (Starlink & planned Rivada altitudes)

24.    Arianespace & ULA pricing sheets (2025) for Vulcan Centaur and Ariane 6 dedicated missions

25.    SpaceX internal launch cost reductions (Gwynne Shotwell public statements, 2024–2025)

26.    Outernet Council nonprofit filings & membership roster

27.    Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) public updates (2025)

28.    MEF (Metro Ethernet Forum) standards compliance announcements for Rivada

29.    Enveil partnership announcements for zero-trust & privacy-enhancing tech integration

All financial figures, contract values, and technical specifications are drawn from primary sources or direct company statements available as of November 29, 2025. Classified funding pathways (NIP/MIP) are inferred from publicly released budget aggregates and historical precedent; exact allocations remain non-public.