Europe's Ambition in Space: Iris² Declares the Satellite Launch

Europe has launched its most ambitious space program in a decade and signed an agreement to establish a satellite network valued at 10.6 billion euros. This network aims to compete with Elon Musk's Starlink and provide high-speed connectivity for European governments and citizens. Iris², the new multi-orbit constellation, marks Europe's third major infrastructure project in space after the Galileo navigation system and Copernicus, the world's largest Earth observation system. This ambitious project was initiated two years ago to provide sovereign and secure communication services to EU member states while revitalizing the stalled European space sector with innovative technology. The negotiations were marked by disputes over rising costs and risks as well as the distribution of work. On Monday, the European Commission valued the program at 10.6 billion euros, with 61 percent publicly funded. The remainder comes from the industrial consortium SpaceRise, led by Eutelsat, Hispasat, and SES. The Director-General of the Commission for Defense, Industry, and Space, Timo Pesonen, emphasized the strategic importance of an independent, space-based communication network for Europe. "Autonomous and secure connectivity is essential for the EU," he stressed. SpaceRise, composed of European aerospace and communication companies such as Airbus, Deutsche Telekom, Telespazio, and Thales, will design, build, and operate Iris² over a twelve-year period. The project plans to place 290 satellites in low and medium Earth orbits, aiming for operational readiness by early 2030. The majority of the capacity will be allocated for commercial broadband services offered by satellite operators to businesses and households. However, a significant portion will also be used for secure services supporting governmental applications such as surveillance and crisis management. The heavily indebted French satellite operator Eutelsat, which counts on Iris² to finance the development of its next generation of OneWeb satellites, is investing 2 billion euros in the project. CEO Eva Berneke emphasized that the investment is limited and will not be required until 2028 when production begins. However, the technology developed for Iris² could be integrated into the new OneWeb satellites earlier. The program could provide a stream of contracts for the European space industry, which struggles to adapt to the shift from large communication satellites in geostationary orbits to mega-constellations of smaller spacecraft in low Earth orbits. In recent months, Thales and Airbus have announced thousands of job cuts due to declining demand in geostationary business sectors. An analysis by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi noted that Musk's Starlink service impacts European telecommunications operators and manufacturers. Commercial and export sales in this sector have fallen to 2009 levels, and the EU lags behind the US both in rocket propulsion and mega-constellations for communication and satellite applications. Josef Aschbacher, Director of the European Space Agency (ESA), sees the Iris² program as a means to foster innovation in the European space industry and strengthen European competitiveness. At the same time, potential partners like France and Germany could overcome differences as the EU plans to introduce more competition in the procurement of space transport and cargo services. According to Philippe Baptiste, President of the French space agency CNES, contracts in the Iris² program would not be awarded based on individual nations' investments. Rather, satellite operators should be able to select the most competitive suppliers.