The EU has signed an agreement to create an IRIS² constellation of 290 communications satellites that will operate in both medium and low Earth orbit. The Starlink competitor will provide secure communication for government users, as well as private companies and European citizens, and bring high-speed Internet to “dead zones”. According to The Financial Times, the public-private deal worth 10.6 billion euros (about $11 billion) is expected to be operational by 2030.
SpaceRISE – a consortium led by European satellite network operators SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat, with the support of European satellite subcontractors such as Airbus and Deutsche Telekom – has been awarded a 12-year concession contract to develop, deploy and operate the IRIS² constellation. IRIS² is an acronym for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite.
“This state-of-the-art constellation will protect our critical infrastructure, connect our most remote regions and enhance Europe’s strategic autonomy. By partnering with the SpaceRISE consortium, we are demonstrating the power of public-private collaboration to drive innovation and deliver tangible benefits to all Europeans,” said Hanna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Technology Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.
In September, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said she would like to see more competition with Elon Musk’s Starlink, which has already launched about 7,000 satellites since 2018. “Our economy does not benefit from monopolies… Every communications market where there is competition is strong, we see lower prices and more innovation, and frankly, space should be no exception.”
