While Elon Musk has dominated the space internet market since 2019 with his Starlink constellation, Europe has long been content to observe from the stands. An uncomfortable situation for the Old Continent, traditionally at the forefront of space technologies with its Galileo (navigation) and Copernicus (Earth observation) programs. But that was before. The European Commission has just announced the signing of a 10.6 billion euro contract aimed at deploying its IRIS satellite constellation. This signing marks the start of a new era for European digital autonomy.
The IRIS project provides the deployment of 290 satellites, including 264 in low orbit and 18 in medium orbit. This multi-orbital architecture will provide ultra-secure connectivity to European governments while providing high-speed internet access to businesses and citizens.
The SpaceRISE consortium, led by European giants Eutelsat, Hispasat and SES will pilot this titanic project for 12 years. Other major players include Airbus, Deutsche Telekom, Thales and Orange.
The IRIS financial package illustrates the European ambition: 6.5 billion euros comes from public funds, while the private sector injects more than 4 billion euros. Eutelsat, the project’s leading figure, is investing 2 billion euros alone and plans to generate at least 6.5 billion euros in revenues thanks to European institutional customers and the global marketing of its LEO capacity.
This public-private approach represents a paradigm shift for the European space industry, traditionally dominated by public funding. It demonstrates a desire to adapt to the new realities of the space market, where private players play an increasingly important role.
Star Wars
Faced with Starlink and its 6,000 satellites already in orbit, Europe is leaving with considerable delay. But IRIS is not simply trying to copy the American model. The project focuses on a differentiated approach, favoring the security and sovereignty of government communications while offering commercial services.
Commissioning is planned for early 2030a deadline which may seem distant but which reflects the scale of the technical challenge. The system must in particular guarantee secure communications even in hostile environments, resistant to jamming and cyberattacks.
Beyond commercial aspects, IRIS represents an essential sovereignty issue for Europe. Satellite communications are indeed becoming vital for national security and economic development. The European Union can therefore no longer afford to depend exclusively on foreign systems.
“IRIS underpins our strategic autonomy and our defense capacity, while promoting our competitiveness and boosting cooperation between the public and private sectors”underlines Timo Pesonen, Director General of the European Commission for Defense and Space.
- Europe launches IRIS, a constellation of 290 satellites competing with Starlink for 10.6 billion euros
- The project combines public funds (6.5 billion) and private funds (4.1 billion) under the leadership of the SpaceRISE consortium
- Commissioning is planned for 2030 with the ambition to compete with Starlink while guaranteeing European digital sovereignty
