IRIS² explained

IRIS²
Country:European Union
Type:broadband satellite internet constellation
Status:Under development
Operator:EUSPA, ESA
Coverage:Global
Satellites Nominal:A few hundred, including up to 170 LEO satellites
Satellites Current:None
First Launch:2025 (expected)
Cost:€6 billion
Website: (EU Defence Industry and Space)

IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) is a planned multi-orbit satellite internet constellation to be deployed by the European Union by 2027.[1] [2] [3] [4]

It is intended to provide service to governmental agencies as well as commercial service to private entities. Its conception is a direct response to an increasing number of large satellite internet constellations outside of the control of the EU, such as Starlink, OneWeb or the forthcoming Kuiper project. The total cost of the programme is estimated at €6 billion,[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] to which the European Union itself will contribute €2.4 billion from 2022 until 2027.[10] [11]

In addition to its use for communications, there are also plans to use IRIS² for space surveillance, and to detect high-altitude spy balloons.[12]

IRIS² is part of an overall EU space strategy that will include the forthcoming EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence.[13]

History

The project was first announced by the Council of the EU in November 2022.[1] A single multi-national industrial consortium, including Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space and Arianespace among others, is expected to carry it out.[14] [15] The constellation is expected to be launched by European rockets such as the upcoming Ariane 6. The latter's first launch, initially scheduled for the end of the year 2022, took place in summer 2024 after several delays.[16] [17] [18] In case of further hiccups, foreign contractors, namely SpaceX, may be considered.

In January 2024, it was reported European space giants were putting the final touches on a common proposal for the sovereign broadband constellation amid the looming mid-February deadline to submit their best and final offer to the European Commission.[19] The contract was originally scheduled to be awarded by the end of March but the European Commission appears to have put it on hold. At a meeting of an EU parliamentary committee on April 9 2024, EU commissioner for the internal market, Thierry Breton, stated the commission was still working on finalizing the contract without providing an estimate regarding when it would be completed.[20]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Council and European Parliament agree on boosting secure communications with a new satellite system . 2023-02-20 . www.consilium.europa.eu . en.
  2. Web site: Welcome to IRIS², Europe's new Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnection & Security by Satellites . 2023-02-20 . European Commission - European Commission . en.
  3. Web site: OBSERVER: Copernicus gets sibling— IRIS², the new EU Secure Communication Constellation . 2023-02-20 . www.copernicus.eu.
  4. News: 2022-12-25 . Europe wants its own ultra-secure satellite constellation . en . Le Monde.fr . 2023-02-20.
  5. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/go-ahead-iris2-satellite-broadband-rural-and-remote-areas Go-ahead for IRIS²: satellite broadband for rural and remote areas
  6. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/european-union/article/2022/11/18/brussels-gives-green-light-to-satellite-constellation-iris_6004802_156.html Brussels gives green light to satellite constellation Iris²
  7. https://www.dw.com/en/eu-to-launch-its-own-communications-satellite-network/a-63813137 EU to launch its own communications satellite network
  8. https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/eu-seeks-satellite-array-offers-space-race-with-ai-2023-12-15/ EU seeks satellite array offers in space race with AI
  9. https://spacenews.com/european-space-giants-join-forces-for-iris%C2%B2/ European space giants join forces for IRIS²
  10. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/go-ahead-iris2-satellite-broadband-rural-and-remote-areas Go-ahead for IRIS²: satellite broadband for rural and remote areas
  11. https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/adoption-european-parliament-iris2-europes-new-infrastructure-resilience-interconnection-security-2023-02-14_en Adoption by the European Parliament of IRIS², Europe’s new Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnection & Security by Satellites
  12. Web site: 2023-02-14 . EU hopes new satellites can spot spy balloons, spacecraft . 2023-02-21 . POLITICO . en-US.
  13. Web site: Flaherty . Nick . 2023-01-24 . EU calls for 'single market' of space . 2023-02-21 . eeNews Europe . en-US.
  14. Web site: Filloux . Frédéric . 2023-10-21 . Europe weeks away from finalizing sovereign broadband proposal . 2024-03-02 . L'Express . fr.
  15. Web site: EU to delay space law, constellation contract . 15 April 2024.
  16. Web site: Ariane-6 approche de son premier lancement . 7 March 2024.
  17. Web site: Europe’s Ariane-6 rocket maiden flight expected by summer, space agency boss says . 12 January 2024.
  18. Web site: 1st launch of Europe's Ariane 6 rocket finally has June 2024 launch target . 3 December 2023.
  19. Web site: Rainbow . Jason . 2024-01-24 . Europe weeks away from finalizing sovereign broadband proposal . 2024-01-25 . SpaceNews . en-US.
  20. Web site: EU to delay space law, constellation contract . 15 April 2024.

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