The European Union will create its own alternative to Starlink and Kuiper – the IRIS2 satellite Internet network

On October 31, 2024, the European Commission announced the conclusion of a concession contract with the SpaceRise consortium for the creation and operation of the European IRIS² secure communication satellite system. The project is a key step for the European Union, which is seeking independence from American satellite internet networks such as SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper.

SpaceRise, awarded a twelve-year concession, includes three European operators – SES SA, Eutelsat SA and Hispasat SA, as well as leading European subcontractors including Thales Alenia Space, OHB, Airbus Defense and Space, Telespazio, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Hisdesat and Thales SIX.

According to the terms of the contract, it is planned to produce and deploy 290 satellites by 2030, as well as to offer secure communication services for government structures, armed forces, businesses and citizens of Europe. The project will be financed both from the budgets of the European Union and the European Space Agency, as well as from private investments of the SpaceRise consortium, the total amount of which may be from 3 to 4 billion euros. The European Union’s contribution to the project is 6 billion euros, with the possibility of further investments after 2027, subject to the approval of the new program. The final signing of the contract is scheduled for December 2024.