EU signs EUR10 billion deal to launch 290 communication satellites by 2030

The European Union has signed a EUR10.6 billion (USD11.1 billion) deal to launch 290 satellites into low- and medium-Earth orbits by 2030 – the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS) programme. 

IRIS and its rival Starlink increase the potential for civil and military drone operators to access new networks of affordable satcom links, increasing operating ranges and – when aligned with developing AI-integrated airborne terminals – opening the door to more complex operations, including swarming.

The IRIS2 constellation is being developed to “communicate securely and quickly and remain constantly connected without needing thousands of satellites”. The initiative builds on the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ongoing delivery of constellations for the EU, including the Copernicus Earth observation programme and the civilian satellite navigation system Galileo.

ESA is supporting the development of IRIS2 through a partnership project contract with an industrial consortium called SpaceRISE selected by the European Commission. Led by European satellite operators SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat, the full consortium will include satellite manufacturers and other companies as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.

The 12-year contract will be funded with EUR6 billion from the EU purse, EUR4 billion from the private sector and EUR550 million from ESA.  

As part of the contract, ESA will monitor the development and validation activities performed by the industrial consortium.