EU Signs €10.6B IRIS² Deal for 290-Satellite Network to Rival Starlink by 2030

Dec 16, 2024, 01:17 PM

The European Union has formally signed a €10.6 billion ($11.13 billion) deal to develop IRIS², a constellation of approximately 290 satellites aimed at providing encrypted global internet connectivity and enhancing secure communication systems, particularly for security and defense purposes. The project, considered Europe's response to Elon Musk's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper, represents the EU's third major infrastructure venture in space, following the Galileo navigation system and the Copernicus Earth observation network. The European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed the contracts in Brussels on December 16, 2024, with the consortium SpaceRise—including major European satellite operators such as Eutelsat, SES, and Hispasat—tasked with the development. The IRIS² system is a multi-orbit satellite constellation, with 61% of the project funded publicly. The initiative aims to bolster Europe's digital and space infrastructure, ensuring resilient, secure, and fast communication for EU governments and European companies, enhancing the bloc's safety and sovereignty by reducing reliance on foreign satellite systems. While the project is scheduled to begin operations by 2030, intermediate services are expected to be available sooner.