To compete with Starlink, the European Union , a constellation of satellites designed for governments and military forces. As a continuation of the Copernicus and Galileo programmes, this project took a major step forward on Monday 16 December in Brussels with the signature of two key contracts for its deployment. Among the major players involved is satellite telecommunications service provider SES.

A first 12-year concession contract was signed between the European Commission and the Spacerise consortium, which brings together Europe’s leading satellite operators: SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat. A second contract has also been signed between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Spacerise consortium, which includes these satellite manufacturers and other companies in the sector.

SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh underlined the strategic importance of the project, saying: “We are honoured to lead the Spacerise consortium to work with the European Commission and the European Space Agency on the Iris project, which is an integral part of Europe’s space strategy and fosters greater collaboration and innovation between industry and the public sectors.”

With a total budget of €10.6bn, Iris2 will be financed to the tune of €6bn by the European Union, €550m by the ESA and more than €4bn by private investment. Launched aboard European rockets, the constellation is designed to strengthen Europe’s autonomy, resilience and competitiveness, while ensuring continuous access to secure connectivity services. The constellation will comprise 280 satellites--264 in low Earth orbit and 18 in medium Earth orbit. The launch of the first satellite is scheduled for 2029.

This article was originally published in .