Ukrainian satellite communications company Stetman remains on track to launch its own satellite fleet despite the recent death of its CEO.

The company continues to power toward its proposed launch deadline in 2027 for its own 360-satellite low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation at an altitude of 550 kilometers, designed to be resistant to electronic warfare.

Started in 2023, the company’s CEO and founder, Dmytro Stetsenko, passed away on June 13.

“The Stetman team remains fully focused on delivering its projects and advancing sovereign technologies that strengthen the security and resilience of Ukraine and Europe, guided by the vision and values established by Dmytro Stetsenko,” the company stated in a recent LinkedIn post.

The company’s new head, Kateryna Diachenko, met recently with Jesper Stahl Hein, director of special defense projects at GomSpace, a Danish satellite company committed to building the satellites Stetman seeks to operate, to together reaffirm their commitments to the constellation they agreed to build together as part of a joint venture called UASAT at the EU-Ukraine Business Summit in Brussels this year.

“Satellite communications have become a critical enabler for both civilian society and national security in times of crisis. Through UASAT, we are combining Ukrainian operational experience with GomSpace’s space technology expertise to build a sovereign capability that strengthens resilience and long‑term independence,” said Stetsenko at the time.

The network is being built to meet the sovereign demands of the Ukrainian government and armed forces, with plans to eventually make it available to allies.

The total cost of the constellation, its software, launch services, broker fees, and staff salaries reportedly exceeds €1 billion ($1.13bn), according to a Stetman representative, which has not been accounted for, requiring private financing through a number of funding stages.

The effort is likely motivated by the sudden shutdown of Starlink services during a Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2022, which a Reuters report alleged was ordered personally by Elon Musk, inspiring new doubts about the satellite network’s international loyalties, and potentially serving as one of the main drivers of the post-liberation day sovereignty trend in industrial and technology sectors.

In 2027, Stetman seeks to launch 120 satellites with SpaceX as part of its first phase of deployment. It is expected that orbiting the full constellation will take three years, to be completed during 2030, with no formal arrangement in place for the remaining 240 satellites.

“SpaceX is the best option, as it is the cheapest and the most reliable,” Stetsenko had previously told the press. European alternatives like Ariane 6 today can cost about double what a Falcon 9 launch goes for.

Stetman also plans to build a joint satellite manufacturing facility in Ukraine with GomSpace, hoping to begin work next year, assuming funding remains on schedule.