EU Commits $6.2B, Europeans Pledge Another $4.8B For Project

The European Union has signed a contract to build a sovereign satellite internet system it is calling IRIS2.

The project has been in discussion for several years but the cost, originally estimated at $7 billion, has risen to about $11 billion over the 12-year contract.

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the funding for the project will be divvied up with the majority to be spent by the EU ($6.2 billion), by ESA ($577 million), and the balance to be funded by private space companies ($4.3 billion).

The private sector companies include a consortium of satellite providers such as Luxembourg’s SES SA, Eutelsat, and Hispasat. The EU said that despite the high cost, the project is worthwhile in aiding Europe bolster its defenses in uncertain and volatile times.

The IRIS2  network will comprise 290 satellites as compared with Starlink which currently has nearly 7,000 satellites in low Earth orbit at about 340 miles altitude. IRIS2 will be spread across several orbits: most of them (260) will be in low Earth orbit while the others will be at various altitudes in medium orbits.

The system is being developed for use by the EU government, businesses, and European citizens. IRIS2 is scheduled to be operational in the early 2030s, putting it far behind Starlink which now serves about 5 million users around the world. And even that timetable is subject to continued future funding beyond 2027.

FMI:  defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/