SpaceRISE, the consortium comprising Eutelsat, Hispasat and SES, has signed the agreement with the European Commission (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA) that will see the consortium design, deliver and operate the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS2) for a period of 12 years. The contract was signed on Monday, December 16, in a ceremony at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels.
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Public-Private Partnership
The project, backed by EUR 6.5 billion in public funding and over EUR 4 billion of private funds, will design, deploy, and operate a network of 290 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites over the next 12 years, with services expected to begin by 2030.
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IRIS2
IRIS2 is the European Union's third flagship space initiative, following the Galileo navigation system and the Copernicus Earth observation network, which monitors climate change.
According to SpaceRISE, IRIS2 aims to provide secure, high-performance communication solutions across Europe, strengthening the region's digital sovereignty and ensuring reliable connectivity for governments, businesses, and citizens.
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With nearly 60 percent of the project's funding coming from public sources, the collaboration under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model brings together the industry and government to drive innovation in satellite communications. ESA will oversee the technical implementation, furthering Europe's competitive edge in the space sector.
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space stated: "We are not just launching a satellite project. We are launching a vision - a vision of a stronger, more connected, and more resilient Europe. IRIS2 demonstrates the Union's resolve and commitment to strengthening Europe's space global posture both in terms of security and competitiveness to the benefit of our governments, businesses and citizens."
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SpaceRISE
SpaceRISE, which stands for Space Consortium for a Resilient, Interconnected, and Secure Europe, includes Europe's key space and telecom companies: Airbus Defence and Space, Deutsche Telekom, Eutelsat, Hisdesat, Hispasat, OHB, Orange, SES, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space, and Thales.
SpaceRISE also aims to engage SMEs and New Space players across the EU27 Member States, fostering a multi-national collaboration footprint and further expanding innovation in the sector.
