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IRIS² reinforced and accelerated as implementation advances

ESA plays a key role in the IRIS² technical implementation, overseeing the constellation’s development, qualification and in-orbit validation, and translating the programme’s ambitions into industrial delivery. In cooperation with the European Commission and SpaceRISE, ESA will ensure the successful delivery of a secure and resilient connectivity system to further strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness.

These negotiations, which began in January, confirm the programme’s key parameters and necessary adjustments, including the design, system capacity, deployment schedule, target price and private operators’ investment. Under the agreement, European manufacturers have committed to delivering the additional satellites, designed with enhanced resilience. Concrete next steps are now in place to achieve first launches by 2029.

From plans to deployment: concrete next steps towards 2029

Once operational, the constellation will provide sovereign, secure and highly reliable connectivity for European governments, defence and security forces, and emergency services across Europe. 

The Commission, ESA and the EU Agency for the Space Programme, together with the SpaceRISE consortium and European industrial partners, have defined the next steps needed to deliver IRIS². These include finalising the detailed design of the satellite constellation, preparing the construction of satellites and secure ground infrastructure, securing launch services, and progressively deploying operational connectivity services from 2029 onwards.

The future constellation will comprise 348 satellites, consisting of 330 satellites in low Earth orbit and 18 satellites in medium Earth orbit, with additional optional elements to support specific missions.

A reinforced constellation for security and resilience

To respond to a changing security environment, the Commission is increasing the capacity of IRIS² beyond the original design. A dedicated layer of an additional 66 high-low Earth orbit satellites will strengthen capabilities for defence, security and emergency services further enhancing its architecture.

This reinforcement will increase secure governmental capacity by 60% within the EU and 54% globally, while significantly expanding Europe’s ability to support critical missions during crises.

Once operational, the constellation will provide sovereign, secure and highly reliable connectivity for European governments, defence and security forces, and emergency services across Europe. Image credit: Shutterstock

European industry commits to delivering IRIS²

IRIS² will be built through a strong Team Europe approach, combining the expertise of the European Commission, EU Member States, ESA, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and European industry. Under the public-private partnership, the SpaceRISE consortium (consisting of SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat) and European manufacturers have committed to deliver the required space and ground infrastructure to meet the accelerated timeline.

The industrial team includes major European space companies such as Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, OHB and Aerospacelab, together with numerous companies across the European supply chain. By design, the programme will also generate opportunities for start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-caps developing innovative space technologies.

Secure connectivity when it matters most

IRIS² will enable authorised governmental users across EU Member States and participating countries, currently Norway and Iceland, to communicate securely and continuously during critical operations. Whether responding to emergencies, protecting critical infrastructure or supporting security missions, IRIS² will provide Europe with an autonomous and resilient connectivity capability.

Ensuring value for money

The faster deployment and increased capacity required for defence and security needs mean an additional investment in the programme budget. This investment will support enhanced satellite technologies and the deployment of the expanded constellation, while ensuring efficient use of existing programme resources. Funding will come from a combination of EU budget resources for 2028–2034 and additional investments from EU Member States and other countries.

EU Member States are already strengthening IRIS² through national investments to address specific additional needs. Poland and Hungary have already committed €656 million and €500 million respectively, while Spain has announced investments between €1.6 and €2 billion. Further EU Member State contributions are under consideration, with the relevant agreements currently being finalised.

Next steps

With a clear roadmap setting out the next steps, the Commission sent an official letter to the European Parliament and EU Member States to inform them of the outcome of the negotiations and the implementation phase.

Under the leadership of the Commission and the technical expertise of ESA, the SpaceRISE consortium will now accelerate programme development. This includes satellite manufacturing, the procurement of launch services, and the development of secure ground infrastructure to ensure the timely deployment of the constellation.

Background

IRIS² satellite network will provide sovereign, secure and reliable connectivity across Europe and beyond. It helps protect Europe’s connectivity independence and ensures that governments, emergency services and citizens can stay connected, even in remote areas or during crises.

On 16 December 2024, the Commission signed the 12-year IRIS² concession contract with the SpaceRISE consortium (SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat), turning the EU’s planned secure satellite connectivity system into an officially funded and legally binding project. The agreement launched the public-private partnership to design, build, deploy and operate IRIS².

Since December 2024, the SpaceRISE consortium and the Commission have focused on detailing the system design, allocating industrial work packages, and preparing large-scale procurement for satellites, launch services and ground infrastructure. At the same time, they have continued refining the constellation architecture and security requirements.

The Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium began negotiations on the programme’s governance, technical set-up and financing, known as Rendezvous 1, in January 2026. The negotiations were concluded on 6 August 2026.

Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence Industry and Space, said: “Today we are taking a decisive step forward for Europe’s security and digital sovereignty. By accelerating the delivery of early defence and security services and reinforcing the IRIS² architecture, we will not only bring the network into operation ahead of schedule but also boost secure governmental capacity by more than 60% within the Union. This reinforced, faster-to-market constellation will give our Member States, emergency services and citizens the resilient, autonomous connectivity they need now and in the crises of the future.”

Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, said: “IRIS² is a clear answer to Europe’s needs for sovereign and secure connectivity. Achieving the critical Rendezvous 1 programme milestone demonstrates Europe’s ability to deliver a secure and resilient capability that enables independent action and safeguards its essential interests. ESA is working alongside the European Commission to further translate this progress into operational capacity.”